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Lil Blume

Communications Consultant and Trainer

SPRING 2011 WORKSHOPS/READINGS

 

1.  Wednesdays, December 8; Feb 2-April 27.  TORONTO

Communication for Computer Scientists.  University of Toronto. 

This winter, I'll be teaching a graduate course for the M.Sc in Applied Computing, at the University of Toronto.  http://web.cs.toronto.edu/program/grad/mscac.htm

 

2.  Sunday, Feb 20, 2011, 1:00-5:00 p.m.   VANCOUVER 

Writing Family Stories and Memoirs:  PURIM

Past workshops in Vancouver used the high holidays and Passover for inspiration in writing key family stories and memoirs.  While the Purim story occurred over 2300 years ago, its themes can help us think about our lives and the lives of our ancestors.  This workshop will explore themes of Purim that are particularly concerned with these oppositions:

"I was the nursing educator in an LTC residence.  The most senior nurse was always pleasant to me, but when I asked her to do something, she often did not respond.  Sometimes she followed through, sometimes not.  If I sent her an email, it was not acknowledged.  One day there was a problem which required some immediate investigation.  She did nothing, so I investigated the problem, and then ordered her to do a physical assessment of the resident.  She did the assessment, but not until hours later.  The manager wanted to discipline her.  I asked the manager to hold off and to let me tackle the situation.  I decided that this woman would not want to talk with me face to face – that would be too confrontational.  I emailed her.  I reviewed what had happened from my perspective and then I applied a technique I had learned in Lil’s Communicating Nondefensively workshop -- I put myself in her shoes and tried to imagine how she saw the situation: “I wonder if you felt that I did not acknowledge your experience and knowledge.  Here I come in, a new person, and I am telling you what to do.  It must have felt as if I had no respect for your many years here.  Is that it?  I would like to apologize right now for that.  I think you are a good nurse."  (I supplied some examples of good work I had witnessed.)  "I also think you care about our residents."  (More examples.)  "I need to learn from you if I am to do a good job.”  It seemed to work – she thawed and became more responsive.
Wendy MacDougall, BScN, Nurse Educator.
 

I have had the privilege to attend two different memoir writing workshops given by Lil Blume, the first was a workshop at Har El Synagogue in North Vancouver which was open to all members of the congregation and the second was for the Vancouver Second Generation group (adult children of Holocaust survivors) who have been meeting regularly over many years and doing workshops with Lil Blume. In each case Lil was enthusiastic, interesting, and motivating. In each of these workshops, participants ranged widely in age, writing ability, and experience as writers. Lil demonstrated an inspiring ability to make the workshop relevant for all participants while supporting each of us in such a way that we not only moved forward individually, but learned to honour and appreciate the contributions of others. I cannot recommend Lil highly enough as a teacher and mentor.