[apologies as this is x-post from the Genuine Contact electronic discussion group]
Greetings all! Below is a draft invitation of an electronic discussion group that I am creating around the study of English. My intention was to use the medicine wheel as the planning vehicle for drafting the invitation. The intention of the discussion group is to create a space for students and teachers to just *be* together. To enjoy each other's company, to "hang" (to lie about, in US slang), to dialog (superficially or deeply). Might you comment on it if you have a chance, to help me tighten it where necessary? Maybe there are style and grammar mistakes here? Thanks much! Raffi englishcircle Welcome to englishcircle. This is an electronic discussion list for students and teachers of English as a foreign language. It is also open to any other interested people. I see this open space as a place to just enjoy each other's company. It is also a place to drink tea or coffee, eat cookies or fruit together. And it is a place for potentially deep dialog between students and teachers of English as a foreign language. Why Englishcircle? I think the best EFL learning takes place when we can demonstrate our courage and slowly (or quickly) step out of our roles as students and teachers and just be Ourselves...to the extent we feel we can. Indeed, one of my most powerful EFL classes was a one-to-one class where the student (quite unexpectedly) shared his thoughts on spirituality for a whole hour nonstop. So important were those thoughts, that *i* took 3 pages of notes. Never had he spoken so crisply or clearly as in that lesson. I feel we have many ideas about how the learning/teaching of English takes place. Many questions still remain. My hope is that this space will inspire people to ask the hard questions. My hope is that teachers will rise to the challenge and try answering the questions students have...and the other way around. Circle guidelines I do not want to prescribe any rules of behavior for this list. I trust that participants will find their own way as to what is best suited for this list. In other words, while I am formally the owner of this group, my aim is for people to find their own way in this space. I do ask, however, that participants consider the following four principles as guidelines in their attitude and in what they post on the discussion group: 1. Show up and choose to be present. 2. Pay attention to what has heart and meaning. 3. Tell the truth without blame or judgment. 4. Be open to outcome, not attached to outcome. Also, I trust that discussion group participants will use their judgment in choosing to use languages other than English in posting here. And finally, I would like to acknowledge those who brought me to create this discussion group. First, I wish to thank my parents (and my ancestors) for the wisdom, love, and knowledge they have passed on to me. The more immediate inspirations for this discussion group are the Genuine Contact Program (www.genuinecontact.net), Open Space Technology (http://openspaceworld.org/), and the medicine wheel as taught by Angeles Arrien (www.angelesarrien.com) Wishing you joy and blessings in the Open Space of englishcircle. Warmly, Raffi Aftandelian mailto:[email protected] * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
