Why should this matter to trainers? Well, we’ve always offered use of a large collection of display books to those delivering Many Eyes, Many Voices close enough to Portland that they can lug the collection around. The collection was catalogued in a spreadsheet. Now that it’s online, local trainers can pick and choose which titles they’d like to display, so that we can prepare a smaller box for them. Trainers who live too far away to use our books can look for copies in their local libraries. Find (and bookmark) this collection here.

• What was the primary benefit of this session to you?
• What were the least helpful aspects?
• Was today’s discussion of objectives/training agenda a valuable use of our time as a group?
• Was today’s discussion of readings a valuable use of our time as a group?
• How did the discussion impact your thinking about diversity? About peaceable practice?
• In what ways did this reflection session provide support and new ideas for providing a Born to Read training?
• Did you receive readings early enough to prepare for the session?
• Did you access the additional readings available via the trainer blog?
• Would you prefer reading a full-length book for discussion at a future trainer retreat?
• If so, would you prefer fiction or nonfiction?
• Suggested books/authors/topics?
• Do you have a special topic, text, or guest presenter to recommend for a future retreat?

While most of the details of the retreat are yet to be planned, we have confirmed the dates for Wednesday, February 13th and Thursday, February 14th, 2008. Instead of the Arboretum in Augusta, we will be meeting this year at Hallowell’s beautiful Maple Hill Farm.

The Maine Humanities Council has been in touch with Betsy Burtis, Manager of Training and Development for the Southern New Hampshire Health System, who gave a wonderful workshop called “The Art of Facilitating: A Look at Group Dynamics” at the Council’s recent Literature & Medicine conference, which drew participants from all over the country. Now the Council is bringing her to Maine so that her workshop may benefit facilitators of all Council programs, including Born to Read. The plan is to have Betsy present her 3-hour workshop twice—an early evening/supper workshop on Wednesday and a morning workshop on Thursday—so that participants, who will be coming from all over the state, can choose the time that works best for them.

This is an exciting opportunity for our trainers, and we are delighted to be able to add this to our Retreat program. As we said, there are many details to be worked out. One scenario we are considering is to  have Born to Read trainers and ed. specialists meet during the day on Wednesday, leading up to Betsy’s evening workshop, then have our Children’s Literature Seminar facilitators meet following Betsy’s workshop on Thursday.  If you want to weigh in with your opinion/availability on the schedule, or send any other recommendations for retreat content and format, we welcome your thoughts! (Feel free to post your ideas as comments to this blog entry.)

We will be in touch early in the new year with more confirmed details, and we look forward to seeing you in mid-February—when we trust the heavy snow activity of this month will be at rest!

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions. I know this isn’t easy!