Nurturing the leaders of the future

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Permalink Reply by Dr. Jonathan Mather on February 27, 2008 at 10:13pm

Aloha Kimberly,
Sometimes by gently slanting or tweaking a question a whole new take happens... What if you substituted the words "myself from my daily activities" for " our children from the public school system"? Admittedly, you've got more locked in resposibilities, but even given that, a different
format would obviously not preclude exposure to diversity of thought and culture-- in fact, if you approached your new "format" with a conscious bent toward including those values, you would quite likely end up with a whole new paradigm, one that seamlessly integrated your new life with undreamed of opportunities, experiences filled with such a vibrancy and enthusiasm that the word education wouldn't come close. I think this is why all the top private schools in the country are jumping at the chance to admit home and alternatively educated students to their programs. When you are involved in charting and directing your own course you become self directed, and more fully alive. I've got more thoughts and a lifetime of experience if you'd like to share more...

Mahalos, Dr. J

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Permalink Reply by Afriendof B on February 28, 2008 at 6:43am

Thanks for the discussion Kimberly! This is a topic we have been struggling with for the past 10 years. There aren’t any easy answers that we have been able to find. Our poor kids have been in public school, private school, home school, and hauled all over the world. None of those things have been the perfect answer. Right now they are in a small private school which is the best in our area for academics. Unfortunately , it is only an option through 6th grade. Even attending the school they do I find myself struggling daily to counteract information that will quickly derail all the effort we put into living a sustainable life. As we face the end of this school option we have been trying to formulate a plan that will give our children the things the need to succeed in the world as it is AND the skills, beliefs, and passion needed to make the changes that will ensure the future.

The best we have come up with to do this is

1. Live your beliefs! Every day, every decision, and involve the kids. Include them in the doing, the planning, the decisions, the struggles, and the underlying philosophy. Let them own it. Celebrate it. And remember “It’s not easy being Green!”

2. Teach them that they are in charge of their education and learning. 100% of the time, for the rest of their lives. It is not the responsibility of the school system, the state, the nation, parents, teachers or anyone else. Empower them to be life long learners. Support them. Allow them to be different.

The future can’t change without a strong new generation. They have to have a different paradigm, a different set of core beliefs about our place in the world and how we should live. If they don’t we will continue on the current path of self destruction, regardless of our high ideals and our great programs.

Good luck on your quest.
Keep posting what you find and what you do.

Cheers,

B

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Permalink Reply by Kim Ridley on February 28, 2008 at 8:23am

Thank you for raising these urgent questions, Kimberley, and thanks, B., for your wonderful insights!

I’ve come across a few resources if you’re interested in working within public schools.

First, the Center for Ecoliteracy offers great, free materials on everything from education for sustainability to creating schoolyard gardens as outdoor classrooms. Their website is excellent and also includes case studies for further inspiration.

Ecological Literacy: Educating Our Children for a Sustainable World, co-edited by CEL founder Zenobia Barlow and Michael K. Stone is filled with great essays by thinkers like Fritjof Capra, Wendell Berry and David Orr as well as inspiring stories of what some schools have accomplished.

More broadly, educator Alfie Kohn lays out his ideas in books including The Schools Our Children Deserve, What Does it Mean to Be Well Educated? and The Homework Myth.

I’ve not read them all, but I interviewed Kohn for an article on Democratic Schools (also an interesting approach) and I think he has some intriguing ideas.

On a more personal note, I’ve enjoyed and witnessed the benefits of involving the broader community in public schools. Our small, struggling K-8 school, and the regional high school are constantly inviting community members to share their time and talents with students. For the past 13 years, my husband and I have worked with students of all ages on writing, reading and art projects (he’s a painter), both individually and in groups, and we love it. This kind of thing doesn’t take a huge effort to coordinate and everyone benefits. I think it also can be a fun and effective way to build community.

Thanks again for your great questions, and keep us posted!

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Permalink Reply by Penelope Perrin on March 3, 2008 at 12:33pm

Dear Kimberly,

I am not sure exactly how the US school system works, I know in the UK "public school" is the oposite to what it means here in South Africa. But if you mean the government subsidised education system then we are on the same page...

I think the first thing to remember (and I am no expert in sociology - B?) is that schools as we know them were bugun to prepare students for a life of servitude in the industrialised world. They are a spawning pond of sorts for the work force. And therefore raising their consciousness as people was never really an issue of that much importance.

But going to school is a part of most of our realities and so needs to be addressed. I am currently completing my post graduate teachers diploma in order to be able to explore some of these issues from the inside, as it were, and hope to be able to assist in creating a learning environment where my daughters are educated in a way that will make them pro-active citizens of a changing world.

In South Africa we have quite a strong movement of environmental education where NGOs offer programmes at school to assist learners to become more aware of the current needs eg Soil for Life and SEED.

I have made the decision to send my children to Waldorf Schools(private), and although there have had to be numerous financial sacrifices to be able to do this I would highly recommend this system of education as it offers (I feel)a more holistic approach to what educating a child entails.

But I would like to draw attention to B's point as I believe it sums things up nicely:
Teach them that they are in charge of their education and learning. 100% of the time, for the rest of their lives. It is not the responsibility of the school system, the state, the nation, parents, teachers or anyone else. Empower them to be life long learners. Support them. Allow them to be different.

Yours in parenting,
P

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Permalink Reply by Kimberley on March 11, 2008 at 8:23pm

Wow. Thanks so much, all of you. How completely affirming to reach out and get such thoughtful responses to my question. I am taking everything you have given here into my thinking and trying to discern how best to nurture what I know already exists in seed form inside these incredible kids I have been charged with. Last week, I asked an extraordinarily gifted friend to mentor my insanely creative daughter as she explores her creative gifts. I just do not have the kind of thinking that could nurture this...I just stand there in awe, which is affirming I am sure...but not moving her anywhere. The point is this - I reached out last week because you guys wrote in and told me to go ahead and give my kids what they need no matter where they are in their schooling. I am still looking for something different, but while I look, I am going to give them what I can.

Thanks so very much for your time and energy in responding.

Peace,
Kimberley

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