5.15-7.00 in 1WN 3.15 on Thursday 19th January.

Looking forward to catching up with your news and any writings, papers, books, ideas you bring along on Thursday.

Before Thursday evening if you have time do log on and on the CPD blog browse through (and perhaps respond to) contributions from Tracey, Ed, Sonia and Shelagh.

As last week we will focus on helping to form a question for your enquiry and for those who are already working on their question, we will share ideas on how your enquiries could be moved forward. We can also respond to any writings you bring or have posted on the BLOG. There will be time to talk in pairs to clarify your questions and where your enquiries have got to. If you have any data/evidence that can show your educational influences in the learning of students (or others) that would be great.

Marie is determined to meet the deadline for the submission of her thesis by the 31st January and we'll have plenty of time after this to help her prepare for her viva. I imagine that this will be sometime in March. You can access Marie's draft thesis from our Blog space.

I do like the idea that we are creating 'living legacies' in the stories we are sharing in enquiries of the kind, 'How do I improve what I am doing?'.  I also like the idea of working with and being accountable to the co-operative values that Maureen is committed to living as fully as possible. Marie is organising a living legacy event on the 2nd February - details below - and I do hope that you can make it and/or can circulate the information to as many colleagues as possible:

Creating a Living Educational Legacy  - An Inaugural Event

Fry Conference Centre, Keynsham, BS31 2AU
Thursday 2nd Feb. 2012, 8.45am – 1.30pm

A unique opportunity to:

• Experience cooperative learning employing Open Space Technology and World Cafe techniques which you can use in your own context
• Enrich your networks and working relationships with professionals with diverse experiences
• Share your passion for education productively to improve the educational experience of children and young people

Since its inception in 1997 APEX has promoted educational learning of each and all to develop and offer cooperatively, talents, expertise and knowledge as gifts. Creative and diverse educational relationships, space and opportunities have been developed in the process. At this inaugural event we will begin to develop a living educational legacy so these can be extended and build upon for the future after APEX ends August 2012.

Our conversations will focus on developing productive responses to questions such as:

• What is important to each of us and how can we work cooperatively to develop and offer our community’s talents, expertise and knowledge as gifts
• What needs to happen to enable the work of APEX in its fullest sense to be built on as a living legacy?
• Who would be prepared to do/contribute what?
• What next?

A living educational legacy might comprise, for instance: trans-generational projects; cross-phase tutoring; passion-led learning opportunities; researching communities; collaborative narratives; innovative artefacts; interdisciplinary events; creative space; reflective relationships… YOUR IMAGINED POSSIBILITIES

All practitioners are invited whatever their affiliations e.g. Head teachers, teachers and other school-based educators and governors, Heritage Services, Sports Partnership, Museums, artists, scientists, mathematicians, writers, dancers, HE, FE, Business… I do hope you will join us. Your presence is needed to make this an inspirational, productive and co-creative opportunity. This event is not exclusive so please spread the invitation to contacts in and beyond B&NES.

Please reply ASAP to apex@bathnes.gov.uk with your details e.g. name, affiliations, roles, so that we can make adequate arrangements and provide sufficient refreshments and lunch. There is no charge.

If you would like further details or to discuss this further please do not hesitate to contact me
Looking forward to seeing you

Marie Huxtable
(Senior Ed. Psych. Coordinating and Developing APEX)
Contact through 01225 394484 or apex@bathnes.gov.uk

If the Special Issue of the Educational Journal of Living Theories has been published by Thursday at http://ejolts.net/  I'll bring up the contents so that you can see the multi-media presentations from teacher-researchers working on their masters at Dublin City University. The homepage of EJOLTS isn't on-line at the moment because of the update for the Special Issue.

Love Jack.