Circle Reflections: cultivating participatory recognition
In February of 2023, we gathered for a Community Regen Circle to explore how the curiosity, compassion, and courage of participatory learning can address the degradation of the education field. How might qualitative recognition counter the problems caused by quantitative assessments? How might this cultivate authentic connection, resilience, and greater participation for your life and work?
You can access the recording of this session on the Regen Collective site HERE — please share your reflections in the comments below.
One way that the dominant education system is perpetuated is by quantitative assessments. Student testing, educator evaluation, and institutional ranking all impact the social system in a way that creates cycles of absencing. A variety of relational problems arises from this such as a sense of scarcity, lack of trust, disrespect, and exploitation. Looking below the surface, this also perpetuates the ‘three divides’ of ecological, social, and spiritual disconnect.
Improving testing conditions to be more humane and introducing more holistic assessments is important. However, all of this remains within the narrow viewpoint of the quantitative perspective — judging a living being by a grade. Rather than solely countering evaluation with some form of ‘better’ judgment, we must hold it in a new perspective.
The pain points caused by degradation in the education field won’t be solved or healed with better testing. This pain comes from wanting to be seen and recognized in an authentic manner, as an authentic being, making authentic connections. Developing practices for qualitative recognition that can be integrated with quantitative assessments is then the key to addressing this issue.
To cultivate curiosity, compassion, and courage we must have a form of recognizing and encouraging its participatory value. The good news is that authentic connections and participatory learning is already happening everywhere in the social field. What’s needed is to shine a light on its importance for regenerating the social field and to cultivate accessible, adaptable practices.
One way this is currently emerging in the education field is with co-creative practices: teaming, design thinking, safe-fail environments, NVC, and coaching. All of these are being applied in schools in creative, innovative ways. Currently, it is on a small scale. However, the more we recognize the regenerative qualities of co-creative practices, the more we will cultivate the participatory value and encourage the regeneration of the education field.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this Community Regen Circle and the co-creation of collective wisdom and regeneration!
Resonance words and reflections during this Regen Circle, gathered by the participants:
Individual Introspection: Looking below the surface: what are the pain points of relational problems you have faced in your classroom/ workspace? How have you addressed these pain points- esp. lack of trust, sense of scarcity, disrespect?
On the other side: How do you evaluate the quality of authentic connection, participation, and resilience? How do you recognize and further cultivate qualities that are important to you and your ecosystem?
“Feral students”
narratives informing decisions
Comradeship with students
Partners
Stay in contact with what everyone is feeling and needing
Horizontal connections
1:5 student teacher ratio to maintain qualitative environment and connections
Coach not judge
Rigid, outdated system, not what’s needed by today’s kids
Sense into the opportunity of today
Shift within to shift the system
Lens distortion
Heart pressure
“The Subject sits at the center and knows” (Parker Palmer quoting someone (?) in The Heart of Teaching)
Participatory language of curiosity, compassion, and courage helps to shift the competitive environment
Co-creation is key for sense of achievement
a teacher gives the student a flashlight = discernment to navigate the field
Collective Sensing: How might we leverage these relational connections for shifting towards greater trust and participation?
Integrating quantitative assessments with qualitative recognition
Qualitative recognition challenges the role of “knower”
Quantitative assessments develops ego, qualitative recognition develops eco
Authenticity builds trust, as well as good boundaries
Participatory practice — also speaking what I’m not willing to participate in
Co-creative practices are key leverage for cultivating participatory connections. Teaming, safe-fail, self-identifying role, etc
Discernment tools for recognizing roles, persona, stance
How does this resonate with you? — Please share your reflections in the comments below and on the Regen Collective site HERE
Regen Collective is a community of practice for the regeneration of education and learning. Each month, educators gather in a circle of regeneration to explore the evolution of education and learning towards holistic and humanitarian practices. We follow the PAUSE practice, a micro-version of Theory U, to take us on a deep dive journey. Our shared experiences cultivate synergy through deep listening and generative conversation, and inspires us to cultivate practical applications of social regeneration.
You are invited to join us for a creative exploration and generative conversation with Community Regen Circles HERE. We gather on the first Friday of each month, connecting with members worldwide via Zoom video call. All you need is a quiet space, journaling or arts tools, a warm heart and an open mind.
You can learn more about the PAUSE practice and Regen Circles HERE Please consider supporting the work of Regen Collective with a financial contribution HERE
Regen Collective was created within the Societal Transformation Lab of The Presencing Institute in order to co-create awareness practices for social regeneration and cultivate the conditions needed for the evolution of education and learning towards holistic and humanitarian practices. We look forward to cultivating this with you!
