In 2007 Solihin and I went to Vienna to teach a special Being Human workshop for teachers, parents and those who work with children. We were invited by Faustina Ramos who runs a Montessori school outside Vienna and who has done many of our Life Forces/Being Human workshops over the years. Faustina has for some time been incorporating the model of the Life Forces with great success into her work with the children aged six to fifteen. She wanted to offer the opportunity for her teachers to gain an experience and understanding of the work so they could all speak the same language and share a common vision to support the growth and development of the children in the school. Both Solihin and I were excited about the new development for us of teaching teachers, and also deeply touched by the dedication and commitment of these particular teachers.

The workshop was a personal experience for each participant based on where they were at in their lives, but also touched repeatedly on their relationship with the children and their parents, their role in the classroom, how they could support the children.

Some of the areas of discussion were about the role of a teacher as providing the integrity in a classroom system, and that the behavior and function, or lack thereof, in a class system, largely depends on the state and integrity of the teacher. Some other areas we addressed together were:

– The importance of being authentic and accepting the child as they are, rather than wanting to change them.

– That it is possible to create an environment that allows human beings to grow and develop.

– That a teacher needs to be a living example of how to be, rather than telling a child what to do.

– That quiet/silence/surrender can be part of each day; before a meal, a class, when conflict or disturbance has arisen.

– To be able to talk about the model of the life forces in simple language that both children and parents can understand.

– To structure activities for children that utilize each of the different forces, it will help the child to differentiate and develop each of the forces within them. Using objects and pictures to represent the different forces and qualities helps the children to understand them.

– Being aware that teachers, parents and children can hold a child in an old pattern by only seeing them that way, rather than allowing the space for something new to emerge, in its own time.

– How important it is for teachers and parents to be aware of our own value so that we can help the children to know, taste and feel their own value.

Many thanks to Faustina for her vision, and for all the participants of the workshop for their willingness to come and explore themselves and their role.

Alicia