A very meaningful part of the Centers Meeting was participating in some modified “Open Space” discussions. People could post topics that they were particularly passionate about and others could join in that discussion. I was at a table that discussed issues around facilitator accountability—especially how portfolios and peer observation could be used to improve the standards. We started with questions about
1. How do we make our own work public?
2. How do we hold each other accountable?
3. How do we support each other?
The questions that seemed to pierce to the heart of the matter were
1. What do we fear might happen if we don’t institute or formalize a facilitator accountability system?
2. What do we fear might happen if we do?
I would love to see the national organization support more cross-center work. I would also like to see more of an expectation that coaches and facilitators make their own work public.
In many ways, this weblog serves as a professional portfolio for me. I put my work out for anybody in the world to see, and I try to reflect on the hard things about my practice.
There is a lot of expertise in the Houston area when it comes to developing professional portfolios. Maybe some of those folks could present a clinic at next year’s Winter Meeting.
Posted by Donna at January 15, 2005 04:02 PMThere is something reallly important about standards for facilitation. What kinds of qualities and experiences should one have in order to faciliate a New CFG Institute? It feels really important that new coaches are introduced to this important work with a quality experience that is grounded in strong facilitation and a focus on teaching and learning. My fear is that sometimes participatns leave a institute with a lot of "tools and protocols" but not a sense of creating a professional learning community and sense of what their role may be in enacting their coaching/facilitation skills???
Posted by: Lance at February 4, 2005 03:15 PM