Bonnie's Blog

what

bonnie — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:36:39 +0000

I just finished reading What Is the What by Dave Eggers, published as a novel, but a true story. I started reading it then didn’t want to continue. I didn’t want to know in real words what happens in the world–what happened to the Lost Boys of the Sudan. I didn’t want to create in my mind the horrors these children endured, or weren’t able to survive. It’s unbelievable what we allow to happen. Here is, I think, one of the quotes of the book: “…every international body that monitors or provides for the displaced, customarily place their refugees in the least desirable regions on earth. There we become utterly dependent—unable to grow our own food, to tend our own livestock, to live in any sustainable way. I do not judge…, but I do pose the question.” In this man’s story, there are people trying so hard to intervene in a way that matters. But it is clear that good intentions are not enough and taking action is complicated.

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counting

bonnie — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:56:49 +0000

There is a short piece in Time, January 30, 2012, that talks about the slow response of the international community to “last year’s brutal famine in the Horn of Africa” and the subsequent deaths of as many as 100,000 people, mostly in Somalia. The report goes on to say that “over half the fatalities are likely to have been malnourished children.” It just struck me that there wasn’t an exact number of those children, that they weren’t counted, that they were summed up in an approximation. Each and every one of those children, every child, must count. We are responsible because each child matters.

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snow • cousins • 65 • Dimensions

bonnie — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:03:37 +0000

January seems to have taken on a life of it’s own and here comes February. We had snow–lots of it–that closed our offices and made little things big. Roger and I did our first grandparent trip, taking Schon to visit Zachary and Caroline in DC–now that was fun. Roger turned 65 with love all around him. Kirsten Haugen and Christa Griest were at the office to move Global Leaders and World Forum Working Groups forward.

And then I flew to Lincoln, NE, for meetings with Nancy Rosenow and her Dimensions team. Lots of brainstorming and thinking and good times later, I left feeling supported and energized by the many ways we collaborate, both on Exchange and the World Forum. Here are some photo highlights for you to enjoy.

Ken, Stacy, Me, Nancy, Julie, Tara

Chris, Tina, Nancy

Tara, Me, Stacy, Nancy, John

At World Forum Office: Christa, Kirsten, Roger, Jennifer

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noticers

bonnie — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:45:38 +0000

This morning I received a typical message from Amazon. This one was promoting a new book by Andy Andrews. It wasn’t the book or Andy that caught my attention; rather this phrase: “Andy Andrews is first and foremost a Noticer.” It set my mind to thinking about all the emphasis we in early childhood education place on observation, but I’ve never heard anyone speak about being a “noticer.” We are very skilled noticers who have trained ourselves to act when we notice something. We turn noticing into observing and observing into learning and seeking understanding. Noticing by itself is only the beginning. The words we choose to define ourselves and our work make a difference in setting up frameworks for thinking.

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pathways • technology

bonnie — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:52:29 +0000

We have had kind of a tech summit at World Forum headquarters the last two days with team members Josh, Jennifer, Scott and team members in town for the meeting, Kirsten and Christa. It’s exciting to see all the possibilities for connecting and communicating that technology offers collaborative global work such as ours. It’s overwhelming to make the necessary choices and choose a pathway that honors and enables our mission. We talked quite a bit about how hard it is to create new habits–that’s true whatever we are talking about from making wise food choices to learning new ways technology skills. It’s hard for everyone, but technology habits are especially difficult to change for those of us who understand it only so much as we use it. I looked around the room at all the eager young faces and felt safe and confident as they guide us forward–because they know, but they also listen.

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pride • courage

bonnie — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:26:41 +0000

Roger and I visited MacDonald Montessori School in St. Paul, Minnesota last week.

It’s a great school. As we visited each classroom, every teacher wanted to meet us and share their work. There was such energy–you could feel it. Each child and adult and everyone together had purpose and ownership. The walls were filled with invitations to learn about their work, and it was difficult to pass by without engaging in each piece of documentation and display. They have the courage to be unique, to invest in intensive study of two approaches to being with children, and then to create their very own work. It was a truly wonderful day.

I would be interested to know what you think makes a school great . . .

Roger and Beth MacDonald

Beth with son Aaron

And speaking of pride…while in St. Paul, we had the honor and pleasure of meeting Nancy and John Rosenow’s son Matt and his wife Chris and new baby Sylvie.

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highlights 70

bonnie — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 01:04:49 +0000

The focus of our holiday celebrations was the 70th anniversary party for Clara and Hal, Roger’s parents. They are grateful for the blessings of sharing life for such a long time, for health, for each other. We have much to learn from them, and as a family we will be sharing those lessons in my Speaking column for Exchange magazine, March. One special evening when all was quiet and calm, we asked them about what they wanted to teach us. It was an intimate evening of reflective conversation and sharp wit. I could wish to have such an evening when Roger and I celebrate 70 years.

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new experiences • fun • 70 years

bonnie — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:51:02 +0000

Yesterday we celebrated the upcoming holidays with a staff glass blowing class. Everyone had a turn holding the rod in the oven, turning, adding color, shaping, blowing. And everyone made a glass float or ornament. We were all nervous–this was new to everyone. I mean there was fire and sharp tools and risk. The perfectionists among us couldn’t imagine success. And there was some anxiety about the responsibility of blowing shape into another person’s creation. But with an enthusiastic and practiced teacher, who obviously enjoyed our excitement and our distress, and who was confident about positive outcomes–we left feeling pretty proud of ourselves. It’s a good way to leave our work here at Exchange and the World Forum for a few days, to immerse ourselves in family time and adventures. And a good team experience and memory to bring with us into the new year.

Roger and I are going to Fargo to help his parents celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary at ages 93 and 95. They have supported us in our work and been great cheerleaders. They love mail, so, if you would like to send them a card:

Clara and Hal Neugebauer
225 13th Avenue West, Apartment 2029
West Fargo, ND 58078

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community • tradition

bonnie — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:33:18 +0000

It was really quite simple. Christmas carols, a lamp lighting ceremony, a story, a speech. We joined residents and tourists in our favorite town on the Oregon coast, Cannon Beach, for a holiday tradition. And it felt intimate and wonderful. The fragile aging lamplighter (appropriately dressed in red and green plaid) was there to cheer the children now carrying on his tradition and to receive the love and attention of his community. Stories were told of families and rituals. Strangers, we were included, whether we knew the words to the carols or not. Community, welcome, tradition — shared and received.

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serendipity • pottery

bonnie — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:31:14 +0000

I am thankful for surprises–good ones, serendipitous moments that wake me up and bring joy. Driving from Portland to Cannon Beach, there is a rather large wooden sign just on the edge of a little town called Manning that says: Wright Pottery. We decided to turn in on a beautiful fall afternoon last week and check it out. A curvy road takes you up a hill and into a driveway. One man sits in a comfy chair outside a workshop of some sort–and continues to silently sit. Another comes out of a house. We ask about pottery. “Nope, we don’t make pottery here. Go up to the house and knock. See what Rob has to say. Maybe he knows something.” We knock, looking at each other with some trepidation. “Come in (said through the door).” “But you don’t know us.” Finally, a very elderly man opens the door. This is Rob. He is 95. He used to fire pottery with his artist wife, Pearl, who gives us a wave from within, but no more. “I’m old,” he says. “We’re 95 and can’t do that work anymore.” Somehow we pass muster and are invited inside. It’s beautiful. Wood burning stove makes it toasty. Pearl sits with a blanket in her lap and joins in the conversation. It feels like a cabin, only much larger, with wood beams and bare walls with art and pottery everywhere. All kinds. A huge painting by Pearl dominates the room. And all of it frames a picture window overlooking the forest below, fall color, crisp air, greens, golds. We enjoy the pottery and the whole of it and talk about the ten kilns Rob built and collecting pottery and getting old. It’s just a very precious moment out of time.

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