The Art of Dialoging...

Over the past few months many have interpreted “my” differences with the District’s policies, processes and procedures or lack thereof as a pronouncement or denouncement of the CSA’s ability to do good work here in Plainfield. I trust very much that Dr. Gallon is “qualified” to do what needs to be done in our schools and I trust that the BOE will continue to ensure that the parents and community of Plainfield best interests are served.

What I have disagreed with is the machinations of district policy and practices that have hampered parental involvement in “my” experience. Clearly, we have come to see that PEP is not the conduit by which the district wishes to receive such disagreements. In so far as the expectations of the District is that school PTOs provide this vehicle of report -- it is certainly a conclusion that PEP ultimately agrees with and will support in that we have never set out to be a brokerage firm of complaints from parents and/or the community. If the objective from all parties is to get parents involved in the schools and lives of students to create a better school system and that objective is met – then that mission is accomplished most assuredly.

It is just too simplistic to categorize “my” disagreements with the District as a matter of dissension or haranging. It is dialogue in its natural and truest form.

Dialogue is about what we value and how we define it. It is about discovering what our true values are, about looking beyond the superficial and automatic answers to our questions. Dialogue is about expanding our capacity for attention, awareness and learning with and from each other. It is about exploring the frontiers of what it means to be human, in relationship to each other and our world. – (Glenna Gerard, 1995)

Dialogue is a foundational communication process leading directly to personal and organizational transformation. It assists in creating environments of high trust and openness, with reflective and generative capacities. One might think of dialogue as a revolutionary approach in the development of the following organizational disciplines: continuous learning, diversity, conflict exploration, decision making and problem solving, leadership, self-managing teams, organizational planning and alignment, and culture change. – (Linda Ellinor , 1996)

Dialogue moves beyond any one individual's understanding, to make explicit the implicit and build collective meaning and community. The result is often a deeper level of understanding and new insight.

A most important aspect of Dialogue is that it creates a community-based culture of cooperation and shared leadership. It moves groups from the dependency, competition and exclusion often found in hierarchical cultures to increased collaboration, partnership and inclusion. – (The Dialogue Group)

It’s not personal. It’s parenting, advocating and dialoging.

To the extent that the nexus behind PEP’s existence is that ultimately we empower parents with the knowledge, information and support needed to navigate through the school district and make the best choice for their children’s education -- our purpose remains unchanged – in fact – intact.