The LIFE Facilitator Journey to the Final Retreat

“If we want to grow as teachers -- we must do something alien to academic culture: we must talk to each other about our inner lives -- risky stuff in a profession that fears the personal and seeks safety in the technical, the distant, the abstract.” ― Parker J. Palmer 

Eleven months ago, 15 experienced facilitators (click to learn more about each one), from five countries began their LIFE journey in Bansko, Bulgaria. Since that first impactful and meaningful training week they have worked in country groups to recruit, plan and facilitate the LIFE journey for 12 educators and principals from each country (Iceland, Bulgaria, Belgium, Greece, Italy) through two in-person retreats and, soon, two online and asynchronous learning experiences. Each facilitator has his or her unique way of being, they have contributed their passions, ideas and experiences and enriched each other. It is safe to say that every country retreat was impacted, in some way, by the input of this incredible international group. 

Each facilitator group created the environments in which the cohorts could meet and build a truly vibrant and life-giving learning community. These learning communities were alive with texts, stories, reflections, questions, and expression, where each member was an essential member of the group and at the same time was given the time and space to process and contend on their own with their thoughts, doubts, loyalties, assumptions and new insights and understandings. 

For the past several months the facilitators have come together in a new way, as they work carefully, conscientiously, and thoughtfully about how to bring all the cohorts together for the final international LIFE retreat in Belgium (October). These meetings have been clearly delineated by two over-arching priorities: (1) to bring the cohorts together into one LIFE learning community to engage with the question How does the good life feel?; and (2) to invite the facilitators to bring all their rich experience and energy to design this final experience. Together the facilitators have designed an intentional plan to bring five cultures, and over 60 people together into one space, one community – into space where all of their LIFE journeys converge. 

During this final international LIFE retreat participants will engage with the question: How does the good life feel? Drawing on the experiences of the past year, they will engage in deep readings of text, be offered opportunities for art, writing, dance, silent contemplation, story sharing, listening across cultures and shared meals. It is the facilitators’ greatest hope that each participant will be deeply enriched by the cross cultural engagement with LIFE and leave with a new and larger LIFE educator cohort on which they can lean and learn from as they transition their experience into their schools and classrooms. 

“Any class- room that employs a holistic model of learning will also be a place where teachers grow and are empowered by the process. That empowerment cannot happen if we refuse to be vulnerable while encouraging students to take risks.” – bell hooks