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The Fine Art of Negotiating

When I think back on the last few sessions, the word that stands out for me is...negotiations. Peer to peer negotiations, teacher to student negotiations, teacher to teacher negotiations. These negotiations have taken on many forms; some peaceful, some adversarial but always with a positive learning outcome. The learning that takes place throughout these processes is extraordinary and I am so pleased that we have the time in class to allow for these processes to take place.

I enjoy listening to the evolution of the negotiation. It is like watching a story unfold. It can start in a very quiet, controlled simple manner or it can begin like a volcano suddenly erupting. The middle part can be slow, especially if there is a stalemate. Bodies become agitated, eye contact either intensifies or completely vanishes, voices either increase in volume or are silenced. And then, the moment of some sort of resolution which is either going to make both parties happy, only one happy or both complacent.

I have heard these negotiations throughout the days relating to art projects, lining up, building materials, snack and lunch spots, bus seating arrangements, sticks, shovels, buckets, mason bees, sharing ideas at circle....the list could go on.  There have been tears, followed by giggles. There have been hurtful hands and hurtful words. There have been hugs, apologies and hand holdings. We are on this journey together.. a journey of learning to live and work together, in some kind of imperfect way.  We can learn that sometimes we do not get what we want when we want. We can also learn that making others feel good, makes ourselves feel good.

I myself will have opportunities to practice these skills as I embark on my own new journey of building a house with people I have never met. I am certain I will grow and change my perspective and I look forward  to developing myself as a person; after all, isn't that what we are here for?

Emily

P.S. Here is a picture of our mason bee house. Thanks to the Hugh Boyd woodworking students and their awesome teacher, Simon Nowak, for helping us with the build! Next step, painting and then it will be ready for our bees.


P.P.S. This is one example of our finished amaryllis. Look for pollen, pollen tubes, ovule, stem, and leaves.

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