Whole Child, Healthy Planet: Progressive Education

by Richard D. Erlich

I became aware of the problem early in my teaching career, in 1967 or so. We were doing a standard-definition exercise in a composition class, and a student was reading aloud her brief definition piece that began, “In the United States treason is” — and then merrily gave her own definition.

“Whoa!” I said, “Time out!” and made the “time-out” gesture. “If ‘treason’ is the word you want to define, you can argue for all sorts of definitions, but if you start a sentence ‘In the United States treason is,” you have to finish the sentence with the definition in the Constitution.”

(It’s Article 3, section 3, but I just looked that up; I couldn’t have given the citation from memory in 1967, and didn’t. But back to the story).

Blank stares from the class.

“It’s the one crime defined in the Constitution.”

More blank stares.

“You’ve got to know this!” I said; “You’ve all just passed an exam on the Constitution.” And indeed they had.

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THE Obama administration is planning some big changes to how we measure the success or failure of schools and how we apportion federal money based on those assessments. It’s great that the administration is trying to undertake reforms, but if we want to make sure all children learn, we will need to overhaul the curriculum itself. Our current educational approach — and the testing that is driving it — is completely at odds with what scientists understand about how children develop during the elementary school years and has led to a curriculum that is strangling children and teachers alike.

In order to design a curriculum that teaches what truly matters, educators should remember a basic precept of modern developmental science: developmental precursors don’t always resemble the skill to which they are leading. For example, saying the alphabet does not particularly help children learn to read. But having extended and complex conversations during toddlerhood does. Simply put, what children need to do in elementary school is not to cram for high school or college, but to develop ways of thinking and behaving that will lead to valuable knowledge and skills later on.

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One of the core ideas of John Holt’s approach to education is that children are good at learning. John asserted in the early sixties, often and clearly, that children are natural learners and that adult interference in their attempts to learn, often through uninvited teaching, inhibits children’s learning. This idea continues to be met with skepticism as most adults believe not much is going on with babies and young children; they are considered to be silly giggle machines incapable of clear, deep thought. Indeed, I must admit my dismay as I read more and more from both homeschoolers and schoolteachers that they worry how children aren’t ready for kindergarten or that they must formally teach children how to talk and walk. Why is it that the more educated we become as a society, the less we trust our innate abilities to learn? Further, with so much emphasis being placed on getting children “ready for school” at ever-younger ages—preschool playgroup consultants could become a new market—I applaud every parent who decides to let their children play instead being plugged into an early enrichment program.

An article in The NY Times (Aug. 16, 2009) about current research done on how babies learn confirms what John wrote nearly fifty years ago and should give heart to parents and teachers who want to help children learn in their own ways.

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Homeschooling is traditionally seen as something that conservative – mostly Christian – families do. Global Village School is a secular homeschooling program. We understand that secular families are interested in teaching their children lessons about ethics and responsibility without basing it all on religious doctrine. Global Village will be the official “school of record,” maintaining student files, providing written evaluations, issuing official transcripts, and providing diplomas upon graduation. We will provide secular curriculum (regular or customized) and individualized teacher support. Families can also choose to purchase curriculum only, or to work with Global Village teachers on selected courses. Some secular families may wish to have us develop a customized curriculum for them, and then work with it on their own. You are free to work with an entirely secular curriculum or you can blend in as much study of spiritual traditions as you like. Families can also use our learning styles profile, whether or not they wish to enroll.

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How can Unitarian Universalist (UU) families provide their children with an education aligned with UU values? Global Village School can help.

Founded in 1999, the creation of Global Village School was fueled by deep concerns about violence, discrimination, and the state of the planet, along with a compelling vision of a better world. We are an international K-12 homeschool diploma program that empowers students to cultivate their gifts and passions by engaging them in a creative, flexible education process grounded in the principles of peace, justice, diversity, and sustainability. We partner with schools, groups, and individual families to provide the kind of education that prepares students to be wise and capable stewards of the planet and each other.

UU families are welcome to enroll their children in Global Village School. Global Village will be the official “school of record,” maintaining student files, providing written evaluations, issuing official transcripts, and providing diplomas upon graduation. We will provide curriculum (regular or customized) and individualized teacher support. Families can also choose to purchase curriculum only, or to work with Global Village teachers on selected courses. Other families may wish to have us develop a customized curriculum for them, and then work with it on their own. Families can also use our learning styles profile, whether or not they wish to enroll.

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As we move into our 11th year of existence we’ve been looking back on earlier times.  Here’s a glimpse of 2002, just a few years after Sally embarked on the progressive homeschooling adventure that is Global Village School:

The drive to Sally Carless’ house is indicative of her nature. The road is a small, private road with huge boulders and wild sage lining its edges. Massive oak trees suspend their limbs above the road, adding a green canopy of vegetation, and breaking up the sunlight with patches of shade. You cross a creek over a small bridge, up a little hill and then back down. There, at the edge of the Los Padres National Forest, with avocado orchards to one side, sits a small older ranch house. Here, surrounded by natural serenity, is where you can find Sally Carless, founder and visionary of Global Village School.

Global Village School is a nonprofit distance-learning school founded in 1999 designed to teach tolerance, practical social activism, peace and an understanding for those of different religions, races, physical disabilities, ethnicities and sexual orientations. Global Village School offers customized K-12 curriculum and a high school diploma program. The School’s mission is to teach children how to become proactive in their own lives for social change and social awareness, while at the same time providing a safe haven for students who are harassed or ostracized in the average school environment. The ultimate goal is to provide a place where everyone “belongs,” and develops a sense of individual self-worth sufficient to produce a conscientious, proactive world citizen.

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More about our Whole Child, Healthy Planet Curriculum Guides!

Each grade level contains core resources plus many extras – most likely much more than you will be able to get through in a year. Each curriculum guide includes:

1) A detailed list of books and resources for the year, along with information on where to get them;

2) A study guide with planning templates, and sample activities;

3) General information on the Global Village Whole Child Healthy Planet Method, including articles and coaching tips for parents about homeschooling in general, making the most of the program materials, assessment, etc.; and

4) Many useful and fun extras including a supplemental reading list.

Grades 5-8 are approximately 100 pages in length; Grades K-3 are 70-80 pages. Grades 5-8 have monthly recommendations on how to schedule the various materials and activities into 9 month-long units. Since there are so many different ways the resources for the younger grades can be utilized, Grades K-3 include more free-form general recommendations.

Check out samples in grades 1-8 here: http://www.globalvillageschool.org/k8-sample.html

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AERO has recently posted video of the 2008 Educating for a Better World workshop with Sally Carless (Founding Director of GVS), Ron Miller (editor of AERO’s Education Revolution Magazine), and Khalif Williams (Executive Director of the Institute for Humane Education).  Questions they covered include:

What responsibility do alternative educators have to address the challenges facing our planet and society? Current struggles are numerous: everything from human oppression and violence to animal exploitation to materialism and ecological degradation.  Do we believe that young people deserve to be truly prepared for the challenges their generation will face?  If so, how can educators inspire learners to become engaged agents of positive and abiding change?

Enjoy: http://www.educationrevolution.org/2008workshop4.html

The following recipe was written by Global Village High School student Kamron Yazdani in response to a Literature of Diversity assignment after reading The Secret Life of Bees.

Recipe for a Prejudice-Free Society

By Kamron Yazdani

“Peace-o-Pie”

10 lbs. love of humanity

1 teaspoon seeds of positive energy

1 teaspoon cream of martyr

2 cups wine of justice and mercy

1/4 cup freedom

1 pound tolerance and open-mindedness

5 teaspoons essence of unity

1 passport

Dash flavor and harmony

1 spoon of the sweet honey of nature

2 “peaces” clarified butter

Icing of goodwill

2 cherries of humor

Directions:

First, you need to add the base of the entire recipe and work with the goodness of the foundation, to enrich the final result. With that in mind, begin with 10 lbs. love of humanity. To get the recipe started, add a teaspoonful of the seeds of positive energy. Once initiative begins to take place, use 1 teaspoon cream of martyr to put yourself on the right path no matter what the cost. In order to enable the recipe to develop properly, you must include 2 cups of the wine of justice and mercy. To allow the recipe to rise fully, you must include 1/4 cup of freedom.

Next, you must use 1 pound tolerance and open-mindedness so that the flavors of the recipe are balanced. After that’s completed, add 5 teaspoons essence of unity to bring the recipe together. 1 passport is necessary to broaden the recipe. To unify the ingredients, you must use a Dash of flavor and harmony. 1 spoon of the sweet honey of nature will also be needed to sweeten the experience. One of the most important ingredients in this recipe is 2 “peaces” of clarified butter, which is used to enlighten and reveal the flavor. Finish the recipe off with the icing of goodwill, and make sure you don’t wait for it to cool. Finally, you must add two cherries of humor on top to lighten the mood of the dish.

This is a recipe best served with a side of humility and garnished with good intent. Do not serve cool. Must be kept warm for the flavors to reach their full potential.

Sally recently sat down to chat with the folks over at the HUB eAcademy about progressive education as part of a tele-seminar series exploring sustainability themes.  Please go to this page: http://www.hubhub.org/hubeacademy/index.php?id=1748

and scroll all the way to the bottom to hear the interview.