Praise forTransformative Conversations
"In the 'superstorm' of writings about the crisis in higher education this little gem of a book stands out like a mindfulness bell. It calls us back to the only thing that truly matters—the energy and wisdom buried in the minds and hearts of dedicated educators."—Diana Chapman Walsh, president emerita, Wellesley College; trustee emerita, Amherst College; member of the MIT Corporation
"This book is revolutionary! It is about transforming the very essence of higher education through the power of authentic conversation, knowing that as the people within the institution evolve, the institution will transform."—Patricia and Craig Neal,The Art of Convening: Authentic Engagement in Meetings, Gatherings, and Conversations; founders, Heartland Inc.
"This is a radical story about how to create a more intimate and relational culture inside the halls of higher education.... for those who long for higher education to return from the abyss of siloed isolation to its original charter as a cooperative learning institution committed to developing the whole person in service of the common good."—Peter Block,Flawless Consulting andAbundant Community
Transformative Conversations offers guidance to help readers create and sustain Formation Mentoring Communities, where faculty, staff, and administrators can speak openly and honestly to the heart of their work as educators and human beings.
Peter Felten is assistant provost, director of the Center for Engaged Learning, and associate professor of history at Elon University.H-Dirksen L. Bauman is professor and chair of American Sign Language and Deaf Studies and coordinator for the Office of Bilingual Teaching and Learning at Gallaudet.Aaron Kheriaty is the director of Residency Training and Medical Education in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, Irvine.Edward Taylor is a professor of education and vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs at the University of Washington.
PREFACE ix
by Parker J. Palmer
FOREWORD: REMEMBERING WHAT THE ANCIENTS KNEW xiii
by Angeles Arrien and Rachel Naomi Remen
INTRODUCTION 1
Interlude: Finding the Time and Space for a More Meaningful Professional Life 11
1 What Is a Formation Mentoring Community? 13
Interlude: Message in a Bottle 27
2 Cultivating Growth: Conversation in Community 31
Interlude: Is There a Place for Me in a Formation Mentoring Community? 63
3 The Basics of Creating Formation Mentoring Communities on Your Campus 65
4 Collaborative Stewardship: Facilitating a Formation Mentoring Community 95
5 From Individual to Institutional Change: Ripples of Transformation 117
AFTERWORD: BEYOND THE SMALL GROUP 131
by Rachel Naomi Remen and Angeles Arrien
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES 137
NOTES 147
GRATITUDES 153
ABOUT THE AUTHORS 157
INDEX 163
