I often tell groups I’m hosting that our participative process is embedded with two deliberate learning strategies. One, we will ask questions together. And two, we will share stories together.
Last week I worked with a colleague, Rhonda Rabbit, Dean at the School of Education in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. We created a format for 20 faculty, staff, and leadership to build and strengthen a foundation of working together for the coming academic year. We had one day to work with. It is enough to touch some significant aspects together. However, I find one-day formats are more about trying to move the edge a bit. To inspire. To bring some awareness to patterns to continue or to interrupt.
Here’s the questions for the day:
With Partners
What is going on among you that encourages you?
Who sends you?
What is simple in your work together?
What is challenging?
Where do you see trust among you?
What is the bigger story of education that you are contributing to?
With Full Group in Circle
Who are you?
Why did you choose to come here today?
What is going on this year in the School of Education that matters to you?
What is one thing you are good at?
At Small Tables in World Cafe
When have you experienced a crossroad in your life — what was it and what was that like?
Is there a crossroad that you feel the School of Education is at this year — what is that?
What recommendations do you have to help find our way through these crossroads in good learning and relationships?
To Create Working Groups (and Harvest) in Open Space
What conversations do you want to explore that will help contribute to an attractive and desirable future for the next year at this School of Education?
As it pertains to _____ (Open Space Topic), an attractive future to me includes _____ (six word story harvest). Also, harvest templates to include “aha,” “important questions,” “next steps.”
With Full Group in Circle
Is there a commitment that you discovered or felt renewed in being together today?
What is one gratitude that you would like to share?
All in a day — in questions.