September 2005
THE VALUE OF COMMUNITY

Loving and caring community,
Life is sacred. During times of great tragedy and devastation, we are reminded of the fragility and uncertainties
of life, how precious each and every moment is, and the value of family, friends and community.

There is no doubt in my mind that all of humanity is affected by the occurrence of hurricane Katrina and the flooding, the tsunami and the toll on lives. Communities all over the planet have united, forming a global heart, opening their individual hearts and homes to care for and about each other. This is the heart of humanity - one huge family inclusive of all. We are united in an intricate web of life, interdependent yet interconnected. What happens to one, happens to all. Thus, everything we do and say gives rise to a ripple effect that has immeasurable results and consequently rebounds like a boomerang showering you with the same.

Perhaps the Universe has sounded an alarm awakening us from our life-draining habits. TODAY is the perfect day to STOP viewing yourself and others as separate, better than, less than, right, wrong, richer, poorer, smarter, stupid, unworthy, unlovable, etc. TODAY, let's release these illusions that support hatred, war and
rage. Dump the blame, shame, finger-pointing, and fault-finding that all stem from fear. We live in an abundant universe. There is enough for everyone! Enough love, enough compassion, enough support, enough care,
enough kindness, enough food…actually, there is more than enough!!!

Isn't it time we stop creating separation and disconnection and release our false beliefs of lack or limitation? What negative thought of yourself or others are you willing to let go of this very moment? Would you be willing
to release another limiting thought tomorrow, the next day and then the next? Wouldn't your life be sweeter, simpler, more enriching if you freed yourself of these chains to pain and suffering? What if we stopped focusing on problems and shifted our consciousness, individually and collectively, to a place of profound and prolific possibilities? Can you picture the results????

Please understand. I am NOT telling you to stuff your feelings. All your feelings are important as they are
signals of met or unmet needs. The practice of self-empathy and empathy for others is truly an amazing
process. I have witnessed lives dramatically change in moments through the life-connecting experience of
being heard and valued. Compassion aids in transforming pain into meaningful and purposeful action.

Imagine what a community of focused, generous, positive, creative individuals could do. We've only begun to
hear the heart-warming stories of collaboration, compassion, courage, support, sharing and caring that have begun to emerge from the unimaginable trauma experienced by families, children and pets living in the Gulf Coast area.

The needs of the world are great. It is not necessary to travel far to find these needs. They are present every
day in our own communities. Look around you. Countless opportunities to make a difference exist everywhere you look. Already hurricane Katrina contributions and efforts are beginning to diminish. We felt called to react and respond to the onslaught of heart-wrenching media coverage. The daily plight of many individuals is never addressed by media yet the needs still continue.

The enormously generous response in the valley to the needs of survivors from the Gulf Coast implies that
there are many giving hearts ready and waiting to serve and help one another. I invite you to embrace a consciousness of compassion into your daily life. Children need models of compassionate caring adults, not adults who are immobilized by fear or crazed with anger. Start with your home, family, classroom, school, neighborhood, spiritual community, or elsewhere. Create a community and a plan of action that is life-serving. There are myriad creative opportunities. Converse with children about their interests, desires, current events, goals, gifts, dreams, and help them formulate an age-appropriate link to community service work or support organizing a community effort. The benefits for all of humankind are infinite.

THE VALUE OF CREATING A LEARNING COMMUNITY
I recently completed a long-term 4th grade substitute teaching position. Blessing abounded during this 3 ½
week opportunity. I carry in my heart cherished memories for a lifetime.

This group of learners (including me) were committed to creating a compassionate community. Classroom agreements were created in a collaborative effort and adjusted as necessary. Daily morning meetings and afternoon community circles were rich with mutual respect, empathy, listening, fun, creative problem solving,
and relevant topics. Each day ended with appreciations expressed for one another and learning and concerns were brought to light to address as a community. The intention to hold each other in the highest light was pervasive in all interactions.

The last day of my visit, it was necessary to elect two members to be student council representatives for the class. The criteria were: good grades, proper attendance, willingness to attend weekly meetings during lunch
and ability to report information to class. After careful consideration, eight students nominated themselves and gave mini-speeches. It was a very close election, yet two girls prevailed. And then, the community started
falling apart. Children began taking sides, crying, making negative comments, and one of the elected decided
it was not worth it to be excluded from the group. Time for community circle!!!

Community Circle is a sacred space that fosters the spirit of community. We sit in a circle on the floor so that
all faces are easily seen and all are included. We used a small teddy bear (Fuzzy Bear) as a talking stick - the person holding the bear is the speaker, the rest are listeners. The bear is passed from child to child, and
anyone has the right to pass. We practiced "attentive listening" - listening with our ears, eyes and heart.

I began this circle by stating my observations of separation (no evaluation or judgment) noting that the election process and results appeared to be impacting their continuous efforts of creating a place of warmth and care for one another.

In the Community Circle, feelings of disappointment, sadness, and isolation were expressed by many. All feelings expressed were valued. Yasmine courageously shared how losing the election reminded her of how unloved and lonely she felt at home and sometimes even at school. She sobbed and it was obvious how deeply each of us was touched. Students sitting next to Yasmine comforted her with gentle and soothing touches.
The tenderness of this gathering of hearts was indescribable. This process transformed the energy and
dynamics of our community in a positive light. At completion, hugs were shared. We reconnected.

The aim of learning communities is to prepare students for life. I am confident the experience described above gifted us all with a sense of community and unity, life-serving tools. The Nature of a Learning Community is described below.

In every community there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart there
is the power to do it. Marianne Williamson

In deep gratitude and appreciation for this compassionate community,
Adrian Reznik

Nurture a Child "Nuggets"

THE NATURE OF A LEARNING COMMUNITY
Learning communities are built with the following attributes in mind. Remember, community building is a
process that takes time and commitment. Be gentle with yourself as you explore this dynamic method for creating connection, communication, compassion and community. Parents, these are important values for creating community in the home as well.

Learning Communities are built upon:
Recognizing and focusing on the unique and valued capacities of each member.
An infrastructure that is fluid, flexible, responsive, and adaptable to the individual and collective needs of the group.
The role of teacher as facilitator.
Trust, mutual respect, safety, and on-going reflection.
Purposeful, meaningful and productive gatherings.
Realizing shared values, shared visions, and a heart of partnership.
Improvement or enhancement of the quality of life and connection for each of its members.
Relationship with one another, with the process, with learning, and with other communities.
Participation, intention, commitment, time, effort, planning.
Celebrations of contributions and accomplishments and incorporates social activities.

Copyright © 2005 Adrian Reznik