[Ailist] AI in schools

Sun Oct 12 13:53:29 MDT 2008

Dear Katri: 

I am so touched by your story (and by the fact that both you and Nora are willing to write to us in English since so few of us know multiple languages as you do!). May I suggest that you contact Maureen McKenna about her work with schools in Toronto. I worked with her at the beginning of this project and stay in touch by working with Maureen to offer 2 AI workshops a year in Toronto where we give full scholarships to 4 or 5 students in each group. The workshop participants include people from corporations, government, and not-for-profit organizations along with the students. We get the same feedback over and over -- the older participants LOVE having the students in the group. As for the students, many of them were considered "at risk" (most are immigrants for whom English is a second language and they are having trouble feeling a part of the culture and the school.) WE now find that most of the students who have been in the AI workshops have gone on to make great contributions in their schools and many are now in collage -- something few of them thought possible! There's lots more to tell and Maureen is very generous with her time and stories, so do write to her directly.

The other wonderful contact for you would be Marge Schiller who formed and heads up the Positive Change Corps, an organization that takes AI into schools all over this country. 

Both of these women are very good friends of mine and they are dedicated to sharing their work to those who want to work with schools and children.

And, Lena, you should contact my dear friend Dora Fried who lives in Argentina and is a global leader in the world of Systemic thinking and Social Constructionism - the basic theory behind AI -- who might have some good contacts for you there.

Bless you both for your concern and your work. The world needs what we do!!!

Appreciatively,  Jane

Jane Magruder Watkins & Ralph Kelly
Appreciative Inquiry Unlimited
An Organization Development Center for Teaching, Consulting and Mentoring

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-----Original Message-----
From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Nora Steindl
Sent: Sunday, October 12, 2008 11:43 AM
To: Cheri; Katri K; ailist at lists.business.utah.edu
Subject: RE: [Ailist] AI in schools

Hi!
I¨m from Argentina and at the school where I work with children and adolescents trying to prevent violence (excuse me for me english writing, I speak spanish and german) we organize meetings we call asambly, where we talk about the problems they have at school. We meet twice a month and they are very compromised with the activity. We have these program since 2004 and the conflicts are fewer.
It is a scholl with 1500 people.

Nora

> Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 07:01:26 -0400> From: cheri at mobileteamchallenge.com> To: katrik2 at yahoo.com; ailist at lists.business.utah.edu> Subject: Re: [Ailist] AI in schools> CC: > > Katri,> > I am so sorry to hear your news. As you probably know, we have had similar situations in the U.S. I am certain others closer to those situations will share stories with you to help with the healing. > > >From my current viewpoint, these kinds of stories are barometers for the health of our communities when it comes to children's sense of belonging, value and worth. Our adolescents and teens have something important to offer our communities, they seem to have something to say, but no healthy way to say it. I'm thinking we need to find ways for them to tell us what they need, give us their views. Perhaps its time to form new kinds of relationships with our youth, to see them differently. The only way I know how to do this is for us to sincerely engage in dialogue with them, listening intently for what they can teach us about how to do community so that it works for everyone.> > Nelson Mandela tried to get the voting age lowered to 14 in S. Africa. Imagine how we might listen differently...and how teens might talk differently....if this were the case around the world.> > Cheri> -----Original message-----> From: Katri K katrik2 at yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:08:11 -0400> To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu> Subject: [Ailist] AI in schools> > Hi!> > We have had a very sad week in Finland. In Tuesday 22 years old man shot ten other people in his own school. After that there has of course been a huge conversation about how we can prevent these tragedies (this was second shooting in 10 months, in the first 18-years old man shoot 9 people in his high school). It seems now like the almost only thing to do is make guns illegal. I think that we should pay attention how our children are experiencing our society and make sure that they see hope in the future. That's why I'm now asking, what kind of project have you done with children�and youth? Do you have experiences of working in schools with students and teachers. > > In Finland children are 7-years old when they go to school, in first level are children between 7-12 years, in the second 13-15 years and after that most go eather to high school or to vocational school. I have once interviewed 13-years old teens (asking about friends, friendship�and important adults) and found out that positive questions about important things in life made visible students who had strong hopes and vision about future and in the other hand showed those who where already hopeless. The most intresting thing was, that those who had strong base on there lives were students which the school was worried about, they had learning disabilities. And those who had no hope at all, were good students.> > So any good ideas will be grately appreciated.> > �> Katri Kyt�puu> mediation advisor> > > > _______________________________________________> The Appreciative Inquiry Discussion List is hosted by the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Jack Brittain is the list administrator. For subscription information, go to:> http://mailman.business.utah.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/ailist> > > ***> Cheri B. Torres> www.mobileteamchallenge.com> 865-681-0146> > _______________________________________________> The Appreciative Inquiry Discussion List is hosted by the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Jack Brittain is the list administrator. For subscription information, go to:> http://mailman.business.utah.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/ailist
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