Back in Toronto.
Last night I gave a three hour talk at the Royal Botanical Garden.
It started with the awareness question of “Notice all the squares in the room, anything that is a square or rectangle.” Then another question: ” Notice all the circles in the room”. Once asked, the shapes came into our awareness. What else is like that ?
The next awareness: “Notice the shape that we are sitting in”. Rows in a large square shape, all facing the one presenter. “Feel what it feels like in your body, right now. Now, everyone get up and rearrange themselves into one circle”.
Once settled, I asked, “So what does it feel like now ?” People shared these things:
I feel vulnerable.
I’m participating.
I’m responsible.
This is like community.
I can’t hide.
If rows of chairs (squares) is like content (school) then a circle of chairs is like context.
Front row only education is a shift in the context of learning. It’s a shift in culture.
Where else can we shift the context to create cultural change ?
Hi Mark, great subject!
I know a school where all the chairs in classrooms for the junior students are colored yellow/black… what message does this convey subconsciously… !?!