Stone Soup

One of the easiest ways to build community is a lunch gathering.   But they can also be stressful to organize.  Stone soup is an answer.

photo credit: Hippy Jon via photopin cc

It just takes a simple email.

You've heard the story.  A kettle, a rock, and some water.  One by one, the villagers added what they had and a great soup was made.

On Wednesday, there will be a roaster in the lounge with a vegetable broth.  Bring something to add to the pot and join us in the teacher's room for lunch.

Things to add could be chopped potatoes, carrots, rutabagas(what are those, anyway?), celery or a pound of cooked hamburger.  We'll have the roaster going by 8:30 so you can add things before the day starts.

And of course, if you'd rather bring a dessert, or bread and butter, you're welcome to do so.

Join us for a low-key holiday lunch.

Why not give it a try in January with your faculty or student group?   With all the stones that get thrown at education these days, a little bit of warmth and cheer may be just what the doctor ordered.

Stakeholder Dyslexia

Words often come into our lexicon in fits and spurts, and the word that has come across my reading and radar lately is stakeholder (yeah, I thought of selfie as well).

Unfortunately stakeholder involvement is often  misinterpreted.  We THINK we are doing something, but what we are ACTUALLY doing is

Meme Image originally from The Princess Bride

Here is what I think of when I see STAKEHOLDERS in a collaborative process.

I see a group of people, without hats of power, coming to consensus.

We don't always agree, but we agree not to sabotage.

We educate one another, and we allow anyone who wishes to attend.

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This opportunity is what education  is about.  We learn and grow together.  The leader empowers the others.

But that opportunity is rare outside of #edcamps.  

It assumes that all people are treated with equal respect, and insight comes from many quarters. 

 Expertise is balanced by new ideas.

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The antithesis of this is much more common.

Marginally empowered in the decision making.

It becomes, as I realized in a dyslexic moment, about

SKATE HOLDERS. 

In this scenario, the people chosen are hand-picked.

Outliers are usually ignored.

The input is gathered, but the information is given in parcels. 

Doled out like medicine.

One or two people can say no, as they are the stars of the show.

Like the forward on a hockey team.

Everyone is protecting them.

The others at the table get to hold the skate guards.

Ideas that don't match are at best deflected gently.

The uninvolved usually have a decision placed upon them.

They are simply the hooks to hang the skates upon.

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Eeeeeeeeeeek!  

We've ALL been part of this.

Lecture-based classrooms.

Traditional professional development.

Innovation-of-the-week.

Church board.

Nontransparent government.

BECAUSE UNLESS

You move to collaborative leadership.

Put the permissive 'buck stops here' back on the shelf.

Shrink your ego.

And start the process of decoding the dyslexia.

BECAUSE

Real learning starts when the skate holders

Stop being the crowd.

Lace on their own footwear.

And start moving

Dancing.

And becoming part of the team.

skate holder--> stakeholder

#transformation