5/11-5/17

A learner driven studio is messy, challenging, ever-evolving and beautiful!

From the Spark Studio: Last week in the Spark studio we observed a great desire to do language combined with a great challenge of distraction. We decided to offer the heroes the tool of a “quiet room.” A room solely dedicated to language that is also a distraction-free zone (there may be snacks in there sometimes as well 🙂 ). If heroes want to be in the language room they commit to not distracting one another. The line for the language room is long every day.

Compare that to the beginning of the year when there was resistance to do language from most every hero most every day. Heroes have been invited and encouraged to do language all year, but never forced. Now they are choosing it on their own. This learner driven process takes patience, experimentation and even more patience – but the results are worth the wait!

I loved listening to the “tour guides” explain their exhibits!

From the Fire Studio: The Fire studio has never had a “strong” form of tribal government. They mostly relied on the choice of individuals to work hard, not distract one another and respect one another. It has worked to varying degrees. Frustration has been growing in some heroes with what they have seen as disrespect to one another and disrespect to the studio. They began to realize their system of accountability meant little and wasn’t working. Last week it came to a head. Some of the heroes had had it! There were tears and even anger. They got together, created a rough plan and presented it during Town Hall. It passed. They now begin the challenge of creating their new system.

That whole sequence was awesome to witness. Truthfully it was something I had hoped would happen months ago – but, as I am learning daily – this process takes patience. We are playing the long game. What was so beautiful to me was that the heroes saw a problem, looked for a solution and then did something about it. They didn’t choose to be victims and continue complaining; they chose to be empowered and bring about change. That is a powerful life lesson.

Thursday’s outing to the mountains was magical. What a gift to be in such a magnificent setting with magnificent individuals. Take a look…

Recommitting to & resigning their Contract of Promises

Many days I end the day extremely frustrated as it appears no “progress” is being made. I often long to step in and make things “efficient” and “productive.” I want to “fix” what I see as all the problems. I doubt myself and yes, even sometimes what we are doing. But without fail I come back around to seeing that what is being accomplished is important and actually matters in life. It always needs to be tweaked, it is never perfect and yet I am learning every day that change and progress are truly messy (& hard) and yet absolutely worth it.