Information for Teachers

How to Self-Organize a Talk, Teach-in, Workshop, or Discussion at #OccupyBoston's Free School University in Dewey Square, South Station, Boston.

So you want to give a presentation at #OccupyBoston’s Free School University? That’s great! FSU is 'self-organized'; here are some steps that will help your presentation run more smoothly:

(1) Check the events calendars at these websites:

The main #OccupyBoston website: http://www.occupyboston.org/calendar/ The Occupy Boston Globe website: http://occupybostonglobe.com/free-school-u/ The Free School University website(s): http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/FSU , http://freeschooluniversity.org/ The Free School University Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/groups/OccupyBostonFSU/ And tweet at: https://twitter.com/#!/OccupyBostonFSU

(2) Find a time-slot that’s available (or probably good to identify more than one option). Check: http://www.occupyboston.org/calendar/ on which '**' denotes the presenter is using the microphone. Or the wiki which is a list of FSU only classes (microphone not denoted): http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/FSU

(3) Decide whether you want to be part of one of the existing forums/lecture series; if so, you should go through the organizers of that series to set up your talk. So far there’s:

The Howard Zinn Memorial Lecture Series (Contact people: Joe—jgramsey—at—gmail.com and Doug—greene.douglas—at—ymail.com)

The #OccupyBoston Economics Forum (Contact people: Chris—sturr—at—dollarsandsense.org; Linda—linda—at—dollarsandsense.org)

The forum/series organizers should be able to schedule the talk for you.

[Newly forming Forums: Deep Green, Non Violence, Immigration …]

(4) If your proposal isn’t to be part of one of the existing series/forums, then email Rachel: Rachel—at—FreeSchoolUniversity.org, she will schedule your presentation. If you would like to volunteer to help run FSU email: Eden—at—FreeSchoolUniversity.org. Eden or Rachel will answer questions, especially regarding other people or groups you may want to work with, for instance Occupy Boston: Working Groups, Affinity groups, Caucuses and other Forums and future forums.

(5) When you submit your proposal, please include: (a) The name and affiliation of the speaker (b) The title of the presentation (c) A short description of the presentation. You may also include a short biography and website or other contact information. (d) The day and time you’d like to schedule it (please include a back-up day/time). (e) If you provide an 8.5x11" flier, with a week’s lead time it will be posted on the FSU schedule board.

(6) Info about greeters:  The Forum coordinator who set up a given talk or teach-in is responsible for making sure that the speaker knows what to do: making sure that someone is there to greet the speaker and set things up, etc. FSU may have “greeters” available. If you set up a talk for another speaker, please make sure you or someone else is there to greet the speaker.

(6) Info about where FSU events take place: Come early especially if you are 'greeting' yourself. Check-in with the Info Tent, they MAY have someone to help you. In either case if you choose to meet at or host your class anywhere other than at the Main Stage, inform the Info Tent. Speeches/talks/lectures/teach-ins may take place at the microphone on the Main Stage, at the north end of Dewey Square, by the Wall, the only building in the Square. Workshops/talks/teach-ins/discussions often meet at the Main Stage, create a sign in the Sign Tent, post it on the Wall and tell the Info Tent, and then move to another location (as even if it loos low key at the moment the chances are high some time during an hour something loud will happen at the Main Stage. Seasonally, no classes meet in the Plaza on Tuesday or Wednesday due to the Farmer's Market. If you would like to teach on the plaza, these classes usually meet at the Gandhi statue, across from the Welcome Tent, south end of Dewey Square.

Alternative meeting places: across the street at the Federal Reserve, upstairs at the South Station Mezzanine (not good during meals), a few classes meet at E-5 33 Harrison Street.