For the Monday group and an invitation to colleagues

5.00-7.00 1WN 3.8 Monday 7^th March. 2005.

Let’s begin with our usual check in to catch up with each other’s news from the week. Margarida is giving her presentation on Creating Multi-sensorial Lectures before our evening conversation (the lecture is 12.15-1.45)

Contributions.

Because Marian is preparing her thesis for submission let’s give priority to any contribution Marian would like to make on her enquiry into, ‘I am because we are. How can I improve my practice? The emergence of a living theory of responsive practice.’ Congratulations to Marian on her acceptance of the post as Head of Organisational Development for Inclusive Practice with the National Institute of Mental Health for England (NIME).

The e-list on living action research has been buzzing with activity after the decision to create an e-journal for Living Action Research and Living Educational Theory. Je Kan has been designing a front page and we will be able to access the discussion on Monday evening. The draft template for the journal is at:

http://www.living-action-research.net/LARET/laret_index.html

Paulus, Jack and Nceku are contributing to a session on Thursday 10^th March in Sussex University’s Diversity Week on:

"Translating Diversity Policy into Practice: Responsibilities and Opportunities for Transforming Our Living Practices of Inclusion in British Higher Education" 

Details from Sussex University at:

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/equalities/1-5-5-3.html

Paulus and Jack would like to contribute an outline of this session to our conversation.

Alan is now sharing his Life, Environment and People curriculum with his students and would be interested in a discussion about how action research might lead to a better understand of inclusionality and of his educational influence in his students’ learning. You can access Alan’s notes for Life, Environment and People at:

http://www.actionresearch.net/values/arLEPnotes.htm

I asked Branko Bognar (Branko is an educator working and researching in a primary school in Croatia) if he would send me his ‘Action research mentoring for supporting professional development of teachers as learners in Croatian educational context.’ The account startled me not only because of its quality but also because of the enormous commitment and sustained energy it must have taken to produce it and sustain the educational practices. You can access Branko’s account at:

http://www.jackwhitehead.com/branko/bbarincroatia.htm

Jacqueline Delong, Cheryl Black and Heather Knill-Griesser have sent in three copies of the fourth volume of Passion in Professional Practice. This includes the innovation of a DVD of classroom practice. I’ll have a couple of copies for you to browse through. I’ve sent one copy into our Library.

Robyn Pound’s action research site for Health Visitors is at:

http://www.jackwhitehead.com/robynpound.html

Robyn’s latest thoughts on: What knowledge do I currently use to tackle social exclusion as health visitor and where do the problems lie? can be accessed at:

http://www.jackwhitehead.com/rpknow.pdf

Looking forward to seeing you on Monday. If I’ve missed out any contributions you’d like to make just bring them along and we’ll check who has additional contributions in our check-in time. If you’ve e-mails with news to share do just send them in. Very good news from Maggie. Maggie has accepted a permanent post as a Lecturer in Education at Dublin City University.

Love Jack.