An Invitation to Participate Actively in "The Community of Learners"
Background:
A basic assumption of Democratic Education is that everyone has something to contribute to his/her community, and something to gain from each and every member of the community.
"The Community of Learners" is a time and space in which this community potential can be realized.
At the time of the "Community of Learners", various workshops are conducted simultaneously by members of the community, and the other community members are invited to participate in them. The community members choose a workshop in which they would like to take part and come to the space designated for it.
The workshop is a learning experience for its participants; therefore, the community member leading it is in essence giving a lesson on a subject which is meaningful to him and/or in which he/she has expertise, to a group of community members who believe it is interesting to them.
"The Community of Learners" at IDEC 2010
In order to enable the conference participants to contribute something of themselves to the learning experience, we are organizing a "Community of Learners" at the conference itself, during the two days of the weekend.
Conference participants who are interested in leading a workshop on any subject under the sun, are invited to do so in this framework.
A workshop leader can bring a story, a method, and expericne, and any content he/she chooses to the workshop, with a few certain restrictions (the workshop is conducted whilst showing respect to all its participants; no commercial or propaganda-related content is included; nothing illegal in the host country is done).
During the time of the Community of Learners, "we will be organizing a central Welcoming the Sabbath ceremony and a central kitchen. Workshop leaders who are interested are invited to integrate these central elements into their planned activities.
How will this work at the conference?
During the days before the "Community of Learners" weekend, a chart with all the workshops listed will be posted. Members of the community (conference participants) will sign up for workshops that interest them. The number of participants in each workshop will be restricted according to the request of the leader and the limits of the allotted space. Therefore, registration to each workshop will be closed as soon as the maximum nember of members determined is reached.
A workshop for which there is little registration (less than the minimum number determined by the workshop leader) will not be held.
Signing Up to Lead a Workshop
Whoever wishes to lead a workshop must sign up in advance. We will try to allow for everyone who wants to, to lead a workshop in the "Community of Learners". However, because of our limits of time and space, we can promise a time and place for the workshop only to those who register early.
Whoever wishes to register to lead a workshop must send us the following particulars:
- the subject of the workshop
- a synopsis of the activity (about 10 lines) which participants can read before they sign up as workshop participants)
- how the workshop will be conducted (methods, activities)
- language
- target population – for whom is the workshop intended
- the character of the space needed (indoors/outdoors, chairs, etc.)
- necessary equipment (projector, DVD, microphone, whiteboard, etc.)
- minimum/maximum number of participants
- time needed (45 min./90 min.)
- comments and additional requests
- contact information
We wish all our participants fruitful and successful work, broadened horizons, and meaningful and enjoyable learning!
The Organizers
