Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Are you interested in getting elected to public office or helping other good people get elected?

A group is now forming of people just like you, newcomers to Colorado or Colorado politics who want to help each other learn through mutual exploration using the powerful format for an adult learning group invented by Ben Franklin. Join us if you can this Friday, January 29th (see link to the right) or email me at John@JohnWren.com for more information.

Friday, January 22, 2010

The Denver Open Franklin Circle meets this afternoon, hope you can join us. (For more information click on the Community Room College link to the right.)

We are trying to form a drop-in group with enough members who attend regularly for new people to take a "test-drive". No preparation is required, and it's ok to attend without  without an RSVP.

If the Denver Open Meeting this afternoon is at a bad time or place for you, think about starting one near where you live or work at a time that works for you. Help is available online for starting a new Franklin Circle, see the Wiki: Start a Franklin Circle link under Topics to the right, or contact John Wren at John@JohnWren.com or (303)861-1447.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Happy birthday Ben Franklin! (January 17, 1706--April 17, 1790)

Franklin invented many, many useful things, from fire insurance to swim fins. His best invention, in my opinion, was the powerful format for for adult self-directed learning groups we now call Franklin Circles.

To celebrate, Denver Speakers Corner is having a special meeting today and inviting those attending to take a turn on the soapbox to speculate whether Ben Franklin (and/or Martin Luther King who was born January 15 and has a national holiday in his honor tomorrow) would affiliate with a political party today, and if so which party. Should be fun. For more information and optional RSVP see http://meetup.com/Denver-Speakers-Corner
Interesting article in today's Denver Post about proprietary schools (click here to read it.)

Years ago, I called the head of the Colorado Department of Education to complain about the Barnes Business School (now defunct) slogan "A better education, cheaper" or words to that effect.

He defended the school.

I had the great privilege of attending Cornell College for 2 years and then finishing a BA at the University of Denver. The schools taught me how to learn on my own.

It is hard to continue learning in isolation. If you get together regularly with friends to share what you are learning, great. If not, consider forming a group or joining one focused on a topic that is of interest to you.

If you'd like help, attend the free, open meeting we hold each Friday. You'll get enough information to start a group of your own if you want, and help connecting with a group that's forming if that's what you prefer.