SEIN (Soka Educators International Network) Break-out Q&A Session Notes:

Stephanie Tansey began by explaining background of SEIN – “I originally came up with the concept in order to reply to Sensei’s desire to see international conference of educators who were using concepts from Soka Education in their professions and practicing this Buddhism. As it was not possible to arrange face-to-face meetings, we began using the internet and having twice yearly forums. Educators from around the world who were members and teaching from kindergarten to post graduate or who where principals were invited to participate. After the conference ended on-line I summarized and sent to the whole email list as well as to Sensei in form of the SEIN Newsletter.” Usually one forum topic is generated by the SEIN community and the other is whatever cutting edge proposal Sensei has just published.

During the second and third forum Constance Haig, Terry Ellis and Ann Iseda began participating. All three later joined the SEIN planning committee and are here today to answer questions. Constance created a blogsite which educators can access for SEIN: http://sein2007.blogspot.com

Quotes from the SEIN blogsite:

Who Are We?

The SOKA EDUCATORS INTERNATIONAL NETWORK is a volunteer project created to inspire educators who are implementing Soka Education in different ways. This Blog site's goal is to create a strong network of Soka Educators who can unite in their support of the growing development of humanistic education.

How We Began-

Soka Educators International Network (SEIN) began in 2001 as a newsletter that went out quarterly to inspire Soka Educators and create a sense of community between Soka Educators throughout the world.
Terry is currently heading the team working on the creation of an online Disarmament; Anti-Nuclear exhibition which we hope in the future will become available to libraries and other sources for educators. Ann is heading the team writing a Dialogue Primer. Constance is beginning the creation of a permanent SEIN website (along with David Tansey) where SEIN forum Newsletters will be published, Dialogue Primer will be available as well as Disarmament exhibition.

Down the line our hope is to create a website which all Soka Educators around the world can access, translated into different languages. Others on the SEIN Planning Team are Kwabena Siaka from Minneapolis, Michel Nader, from Brazil, and Jill Rees, UK. Jill is heading the translation committee. We currently have capability in Portuguese and French but have not yet mastered the right way to post comments that is satisfactory to all participants.

At the mini presentation the topic of discussion was the Buddhist concept of the “Power of Expedient Means." This had been one of our forum topics in the past.

DISCUSSION WITH CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS WHO ATTENDED BREAKOUT SESSION:

How are you as educators app
lying the power of expedient means in your classes?
At which point several educators gave excellent examples and were so deeply moved they began crying. It became clear that we are already using this power of expedient means but hadn't realized that it was a principle that could be applied and reapplied creating a tool that can be used again
and again. See points below.

Then the discussion deepened to ways we can learn and get to deeper levels of communication, deep transforming dialogue, and how we can achieve self mastery, and how to deepen the power of our intent, our purpose through the practice of Buddhism and SGI activities. Participants spoke of the importance of being present and showing up!

What are the skills necessary for dialogue”? Educator mentioned example - Often we want something and cannot give up what we want. Go deep – what do I really want – peace! Suggested to ask question in front of the Gohonzon – to get Buddhist wisdom. Then continue and have real heart to heart dialogue and so end up in win/win situation. Right thing needs to happen, and then real dialogue can take place.

Dialogue Skills – further discussed. Important to notice our own thinking. Learn about 3 kinds of listening (listening to the person, listening as well to your assumptions and judgments and then clarifying with the person to make sure you really understand his or her real intention, and then to listen for and discover shared meaning -- what is emerging from this dialogue we couldn't see individually before).

Cannot fake true dialogues. Learn from how SGI President Ikeda does dialogue -- it is the art of dialogue. He talks to people and inspires them to Buddhahood just by his behavior not by any desire to manipulate the dialogue in a particular direction. At that point power of expedient means becomes profound.
1. One way to begin with dialogue is to be curious vs. thinking we need to influence the person.
2. Another way is to use perception to allow person to describe, interpret and analyze so they can reveal themselves. What do they see?

Then discussion changed to proposed definition of What is Soka Education?

Educators said Soka Educations is:

Humanism
Student centered community where people can create a space where they can feel comfortable
Interconnectedness
Teaching student how to find/create/discover their own value
Psychological warfare inside educator – not to ever give up or to despair
Integrity of the heart – in the teacher and student
We are all one – interdependent
Identify the evil, isolation and ignorance which keep human spirit down.
Create dialogue from the heart which is so powerful it can fight evil
Organic
Using respect
Applying the power of Buddhist concepts
Finally – several participants gave their email addresses to Stephanie Tansey so they could be added to the forum list. Constance Haig gave out blogspot address and asked –

What do you as educators want to see on SEIN website as we develop it?

Ideas expressed:

Changing definition of Soka Education – keep expanding ideas we came up with today
History – with Makiguchi
Discussion of MIA (Makiguchi in Action) project in Brazil
Forum – which can be accessed at any time to get encouragement from other Soka Educators around the world; to twice yearly on-line forums; with general or historical forums catalogued by topic
Future Educators Section
Library which includes:
1. Makiguchi’s books (check copy write issues)
2. How Educators can teach Sustainability section
3. Lesson Plans divided by ages
4. Dialogue Primer
5. Powerpoint Disarmament Exhibition
6. Soka Educators experience section

AND MORE!!!!

All present determined to continue the development of SEIN inclusiveness!