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Hi all Thanks for all your responses to my response to Alan. I haven’t had time to read all the attachments, but recognize the ‘fellow feeling’ in these responses. We need to be strong and continue in our work, I believe, recognizing that “in order for evil to triumph, it is necessary only that good men (sic) do nothing.” I forget who said that. In terms of Alan’s use of the term ‘inviting education’, I have probably mentioned on this list before the Invitational Theory to which I was introduced by a South African woman who had studied in the U.S. The theory was developed by William Watson Purkey and made immediate sense to a wide variety of educators, both indigenous and ‘later arrivals’, when we taught it at the polytech where I then worked. A critical part of the theory revolved around how we can be either consciously or unconsciously inviting or disinviting in the areas of places, policies, people, processes and programmes (the 5 Ps, as Purkey put it). I think the ‘conspiracy of silence’ that Alan sparked this conversation off with is part of that conscious or unconscious disinviting behaviour to people. That may or may not contribute to the conversation, but I hope it rings bells for some. Sometimes, it is unconsciously disinviting behaviour by others that we can perceive to be conscious, but really isn’t. Having said that, it did sound from Alan’s response to my original email that the behaviour he’s experienced is more likely to be the ‘consciously disinviting’ type. But the 5 Ps provide a good framework for organisations to look at how they come across, and how they WANT to come across, to clients. Sorry, no time for more now. Take care out there! Warm regards Pip Bruce Ferguson p.s. finishing with a quote I read in a great book I’m reading at present – “Seven Sacred Pauses” by Macrina Wiederkehr. Hope the ‘unison’ comes for us all, and partly through our own work! When you work you are a flute <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/k/kahlilgibr124624.html> through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/k/kahlilgibr124624.html> . Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison? Kahlil Gibran From: Practitioner-Researcher [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alan Rayner (BU) Sent: Wednesday, 5 August 2009 10:52 p.m. To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Explaining our educational influences in learn... PS. The phrase 'Inviting Education' came to mind... ----- Original Message ----- From: Alan Rayner (BU) <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To: Practitioner-Researcher <mailto:[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 11:49 AM Subject: Re: Explaining our educational influences in learn... Dear Marie, Attached is the paper that supported my presentation. There is also a copy of the ppt available, but it is too big (about 1.5MB) to attach for this list. I am hoping that some or all of the video recording can be amde available in the next few days or weeks. Warmest Alan ----- Original Message ----- From: Marie Huxtable <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 10:49 AM Subject: Re: Explaining our educational influences in learn... Hi Alan, Anat, Geisha and all I posted not expecting anyone would want to read what I am working on but wanting to place it in the space none-the-less for various reasons, which I wont elaborate on here other than to say that in your responses I have learned to be appreciative of the pressure I experienced to walk my own talk and offer without expectation. (If you cant open the attachment you might want to try having downloaded from http://www.actionresearch.net/bera09/mhberadr040809.pdf) <http://www.actionresearch.net/bera09/mhberadr040809.pdf> I really appreciate your responses and when I have stepped back from the paper a bit will be able to redraft with them to help me. Alan - I couldnt find where to access your presentation and I think the language and thinking of your ecological understanding would be most helpful. You finished your note with 'Now, for the purpose of reaching a wider audience, what might we call such a movement? Or do we already have a name for it?' I think that doing what we are each doing, offering with hope but not expectation, is reaching a wider audience by offering a non-impositional invitation into a cocreative space. Nothing happens without movement and people being prepared to move in their thinking, their learning, their way of being. What to call such a movement? Life-affirming, life-enhancing, chi, love, friendship, empathetic resonance, cosmic harmony, systemic evolution... I think there are many names and hope that in co-creating a language we might contribute to the evolution of the movement rather than to lexically pinning. Enjoy the smile you have given me and pass it on Marie _____ From: Alan Rayner (BU) <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Wednesday, 5 August, 2009 8:40:28 Subject: Re: Explaining our educational influences in learn... Dear Marie, I think this is splendid! I might quibble a bit about choice of words here and there, but overall I think the message comes across very concisely and clearly, underpinned by sound evidence, illustrative examples and credible theorizing. I think it does represent what is needed to co-create a new educational movement rooted in 'sense and sensibility' instead of 'pride and prejudice', one that incorporates the experiential learning and responsive receptivity of educators in a (truly) evolutionary co-dynamic. (see also <http://www.treeworks.co.uk/blog/index.php/2009/07/27/seminar-xiii/> http://www.treeworks.co.uk/blog/index.php/2009/07/27/seminar-xiii/ Now, for the purpose of reaching a wider audience, what might we call such a movement? Or do we already have a name for it? Warmest Alan ----- Original Message ----- From: Marie Huxtable <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 9:21 PM Subject: Re: Explaining our educational influences in learn... _____ From: geisha rebolledo <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, 4 August, 2009 14:33:47 Subject: Re: Explaining our educational influences in learn... Geisha wrote- 'How to research this teachers principles of teaching in order to help them to develop new theories ??? Otherwise this will be a brainwash asking them to perform teaching at the USA standards with objectives taxonomies, learning walks etc., that are foreign to them..... It also made me wonder how do you rate or include this foreign influences on the study of teaching principles. In addition from your paper how do you make obvious different ecologies??' I have found Geisha's postings very stimulating and thought provoking. I am very interested in similar questions. Although I am English working with teachers in England I think we are often strangers in our own practice expected to perform to standards which are foreign to us as educators. I don't know whether this is of any help but I have been working on a paper for the BERA key note symposium 'Explicating A New Epistemology for Educational Knowledge with Educational Responsibility'. You can see how far I have got in the attached. I would welcome any responses. I hope that in sharing work in progress it might contribute to a culture that might be responsive to Alans invitation: 'Maybe we should co-create a 'movement'?' Hope you find plenty to smile about in your new endevor. Marie