December 5, 2024 Read Time:
ConnectingGatheringPriya ParkerThe Art of Gathering
‘Tis the season for gathering. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, most of us will be hosting and attending parties to celebrate with friends, family, and colleagues, and to fill our cups - and our bellies - with joy, hope for the new year, and some delicious food and drink.
This feels like the first year in a while that in person gatherings are the norm once more. COVID forced us apart, and instead we met online or outside, or we didn’t meet at all. Despite some impressive creativity (remember Zoom happy hours?) for the past several years we have been more isolated, and lacking in connection to one another. One thing we've learned is that no matter the technology, there is no substitution for being face to face.
In her book The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters (2018), Priya Parker reminds us that how we gather matters. Too often we focus on the logistics: How many people can we fit into a room? What should we serve? Do we have enough chairs? But Parker says this singular focus is “both shortsighted and a misunderstanding about what actually makes a group connect and a gathering matter.”
This reminds me of the differences between technical and adaptive challenges. Technical challenges are low-hanging fruit that can be easily checked off. Adaptive challenges are more complex, and necessitate changes in values and beliefs, roles, and relationships. They require us to dig deeper, to discover the less visible, but critically important, dimensions of our daily lives.
We take seriously the adaptive challenge of creating meaningful gatherings and learning experiences. We aim to provide a comfortable location, nourishing and tasty food, a clear purpose that also communicates our high regard and deep respect for educators at every level of the system. We strive to create a warm and welcoming space, a place where you can relax, get to know one another, experiment, and share your wisdom.
And speaking of wisdom…We want to tap into yours at the February 6 Winter Gathering! We know that many of you have offered PD to your colleagues or have areas of expertise but no outlet for sharing. We want to change that: Submit your proposal to offer a 75-minute workshop at Winter Gathering! It doesn’t need to be fancy; it need only be a session that invites full participation, shares content that will connect with others, and brings you joy to share. We can’t wait to hear and see your ideas for engaging your colleagues in meaningful learning. All presenters will be given a $750 stipend for their time and expertise, so submit your proposal today!
Enjoy this season of gathering!
