Learning Together
April 2021
Lindsey MacDonald, Western Washington University
Facilitators
Jessie Bloss, Spring Church
Brian Davenport, Eastern Washington University
Liz Grewal, Oakland Unified School District
Sapan Parekh, Bellevue College
Kelsey Martin, Whitman College
Travis Tennessen, Western Washington University
Natalie Baloy, Western Washington University
Calleen Herbert, North Carolina Central University
Joshua Porter, Western Washington University
Laurel Hammond, Western Washington University
Ron Marks, Unity Care NW
Renee Houston, University of Puget Sound
Becoming a System Convener
Travis Tennessen
Monday, April 12
10:30am-11:45am Pacific
Hoping to create new spaces for learning and relationship-building across units in your organization, and with other organizations? In this training, we’ll explore the concept of system convening, a form of leadership that breaks down traditional barriers within and between organizations, and begin envisioning how you could infuse elements of this leadership style into your work.
Inspiring New Behaviors on a Changing Planet
Lindsey MacDonald and Liz Grewal
Monday, April 12
2:00pm-3:15pm Pacific
How do we integrate the most life giving and impactful sustainability behaviors into our personal and professional lives? In this workshop, we will use Project Drawdown, a climate solutions tool, as well as the collective wisdom of the group to connect sustainability interests with tangible action. We will consider both individual behavior and systems level change.
Building a Community of Practice
Brian Davenport and Travis Tennessen
Monday, April 12
3:30pm-4:45pm Pacific
Hoping to connect with others who share your passions and interests, and create new ways for you all to learn together? In this training, we’ll discuss the concept of a “community of practice” and explore ways that you can use this type of learning community to improve your work and build a stronger support network.
Building Equity into Meetings
Travis Tennessen
Tuesday, April 13
9:00am-10:15am Pacific
Hoping to structure your meetings so that everyone feels heard and shares the air more equitably? In this training, we’ll discuss how to include social learning techniques, which foster relationship-building and shared understanding among those with different perspectives and backgrounds, effectively in your meetings.
Developing Resiliency through Civil Discourse
Calleen Herbert and Joshua Porter
Tuesday, April 13
10:30-11:45 AM Pacific
Curious to experiment with a facilitation model that creates space for hearing differing perspectives? In this workshop we will explore Living Room Conversations as a model to engage intergenerational learning. Our conversation will address questions about how we develop resiliency through connecting across divides.
Building Equitable Teams
Sapan Parekh and Liz Grewal
Tuesday, April 13
2:00pm-3:15pm Pacific
While diverse teams are better at solving problems and innovating, bias and stereotyping on teams can reduce these benefits. This workshop will demonstrate several tools - cultural wealth and asset mapping - to help you identify, manage, and mitigate these issues. These tools can be adapted to department teams, classes, community organizing, and more!
Exploring Possibilities Through Appreciative Inquiry
Jessie Bloss, Ron Marks, and Laurel Hammond
Wednesday, April 14
9:00am-10:15am Pacific
How can you use appreciative inquiry to unlock potentialities that already exist within your life or organization? Engage with people who are practicing ways of:
-
Fostering a new approach to strategy as an emergent conversational process rather than analytical planning
-
Immersing in a values-based inquiry process
-
Exploring a strengths-based approach to change rather than a deficit-based problem-solving approach
Producing and Assessing Value in Learning Communities
Travis Tennessen
Wednesday, April 14
10:30am-11:45am Pacific
How do you know whether the meetings you facilitate are valuable to the participants? In this training, we will discuss how you can use Wenger-Trayner and De Laat’s “Value-Creation Framework” to assess the impact of your work, produce more value for participants, and help participants articulate their own “value stories” that show the impact that you’re having.
Listening as an Inclusive Practice
Renee Houston and Kelsey Martin
Wednesday, April 14
2:00pm-3:15pm Pacific
Where do we get stuck in our team meeting or in meetings with community partners and other stakeholders? Distractions abound, right? How do we turn toward connecting with intention and attention? In this workshop we’ll explore a Value-based listening approach with communication practices that support inclusion, inquiry and connection
Acknowledging Land and History
Natalie Baloy and Kelsey Martin
Wednesday, April 14
3:30-4:45 PM Pacific
How do we acknowledge lands and territories in our institutions, our work, and our practice as educators? Through a combination of critical reflection, somatic exercise, narrative sharing, and action planning, participants in this workshop will explore our various positions and responsibilities to the land on which we live and work and the communities around us.
Building a Social Learning Event
Travis Tennessen
Thursday, April 15
9:00am-10:15am Pacific
How do you efficiently and effectively build a social learning event? In this training, we will discuss the important steps in creating a stand-alone social learning event, including how to manage the event information using Google Suite tools.
Elements of Healthy Partnerships
Brian Davenport
Thursday, April 15
10:30am-11:45am Pacific
Hoping to connect with others who share your passions and interests, and create new ways for you all to learn together? In this training, we’ll discuss the concept of a “community of practice” and explore ways that you can use this type of learning community to improve your work and build a stronger support network.
Using Design Clinics to Mobilize Collective Wisdom
Laurel Hammond
Thursday, April 15
2:00pm-3:15pm Pacific
Hoping to connect with others who share your passions and interests, and create new ways for you all to learn together? In this training, we’ll discuss the concept of a “community of practice” and explore ways that you can use this type of learning community to improve your work and build a stronger support network.
Putting Ideas into Action
Renee Houston, Kelsey Martin, and Travis Tennessen
Friday, April 16
10:30am-11:45am Pacific
Attending workshops and learning new ways of connecting, being and thinking about our work is energizing. Then, we return to our work brimming with excitement ready to implement all the things, but where do we start? How can we be supported when we’re trying something new? How do we set a goal that leads to a sustained effort and the outcomes we hope for? Join us to co-create a set of tools to put all your new ideas into an action plan with a community who’s ready to offer support and celebrate your wins.