Educating For Human Greatness v.3 flyer

[philipkovacs]

Educating for Human Greatness

A HIGHER VISION
of Teaching, Thinking and Learning
© 2008 The Human Greatness Group

“There is nothing progressive about being pig-headed and refusing to admit a mistake.” --- C. S. Lewis

In 1983 a National Commission on Excellence in Education issued a “Nation At Risk Report” and set in motion a series of government-imposed reforms, all based on a false goal, student achievement in curriculum. The latest of these reforms, “No Child Left Behind,” put extra pressure on teachers to ignore the diverse needs of students and to standardize education through scripted reading, writing, and math. This top-down pressure is evidence that public school teaching is not regarded as a profession in our society.

Over many years our culture has become so obsessed with curriculum we have lost sight of our purpose – curriculum for what? Student achievement in curriculum has become a false goal, an end in and of itself. Grade-point-averages have become the main indicators of achievement in education. We have a cultural cramp – a mass mind-set that spawns counterfeit reform movements.

For genuine reform of public education we must start with a clear purpose. We suggest Education for Human Greatness.

In 1973, ten years before “Nation at Risk,” the teachers at Hill Field Elementary School in Clearfield, Utah decided to ask parents about their priorities for the education of their children. In interviews with thousands of parents, over several years, teachers were surprised to learn of three needs that parents felt were more important to them than the need to have a child achieve in reading, writing and arithmetic.

First, parents wanted teachers to respect children as individuals, to pay attention to each child’s special needs, and to help youngsters develop their unique talents and abilities.

Second, they wanted children to increase in curiosity and passion for knowledge – they wanted children to “fall in love with learning.”

And third, parents wanted teachers to help children learn how to express themselves, communicate and get along. The priorities were so consistent with nearly every parent, the teachers surmised that these may be the core needs of people in every culture – the need to know who we are and what we can become (identity), the need for knowledge (inquiry), and the need for respect and love (interaction).

This finding led to a new concept – curriculum should not be viewed as a goal, but as a tool to help students grow in identity, inquiry and interaction. Even though the concept was temporarily smothered by the standardization movement, it remained alive all these years and has now evolved to become a framework for authentic changes of public, private and other forms of education.

A Clear Purpose for Education

Develop great human beings to be contributors (not burdens) to society by focusing on 7 Dimensions of Human Greatness:

1. Identity – Help students learn who they are – as individuals with unlimited potential, develop their unique talents and gifts to realize self-worth and develop a strong desire to be contributors to family, school and community.

2. Inquiry – Stimulate curiosity; awaken a sense of wonder and appreciation for nature and humankind. Help students develop the power to ask important questions.

3. Interaction – Promote courtesy, caring, communication and cooperation.

4. Initiative – Foster self-directed learning, will power and self-evaluation.

5. Imagination – Nurture creativity in all of its many forms.

6. Intuition – Help students learn how to feel and recognize truth with their hearts as well as with their minds – develop spirituality and humility.

7. Integrity – Develop honesty, character, morality and responsibility for self.

SURPRISE: When reading, writing, math and other disciplines are taught as tools rather than goals, students' learning produces more depth and breadth, they retain more of what they learn and are able to apply it to solve other problems.

This “higher vision” allows teachers to perform as professionals who involve parents and inspire students to accomplish amazing things.

Contacts for more information:

Lynn Stoddard, a veteran educator, is the author of three books and numerous articles on the need and ways to reinvent schooling. [e-mail]

MaryBeth Merritt is an educator, scientist, parent, artist and community activist She is a founder of Four Winds, a non-profit educational organization. [e-mail]

Don Perl – Is a lifetime educator of thirty-five years. He is presently an adjunct professor of Spanish at the University of Northern Colorado. [e-mail]

Phoebe Plank, a teacher for 15 years, is taking one year off from teaching to bring Educating for Human Greatness to students, teachers and administrators. [e-mail]

Susan Ohanian – A longtime teacher and prolific writer on education issues. She maintains a website in opposition to the corporate-politico takeover of schools and the standardization of curriculum. [e-mail]

Emmanuel Bernstein is a veteran educator who has taught all ages. He wrote the book, The Secret Revolution: A Psychologist’s Adventures in Education. [e-mail]

Yvonne Siu-Runyan – Dr. Siu-Runyan is professor emerita, the University of Northern Colorado and a member of the presidential team for the National Council Teachers of English [e-mail]

Lu Pilgrim – Faculty, Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, CA, 50 years of experience as a public and independent school teacher and administrator in MI, CA, UT, and WY. [e-mail]

Philip Kovacs -- A former high school English teacher now teaching teachers, Dr. Kovacs helped organize the Educator Roundtable which solicited over 30,000 thousand signatures on a petition calling on Congress to dismantle NCLB. [e-mail]

Mary Orlando has been a Montessori educator for the past 40 years, teaching at every developmental level from 3 year olds through 8th grade. [e-mail]

Betty Terrell is a third grade teacher at Sacajawea Elementary School, in Seattle WA, which adopted as its mission 12 years ago, Educating for Human Greatness. [e-mail].

Alfie Kohn, the author of eleven books, has been recognized by Time magazine as “perhaps the country’s most outspoken critic of education’s fixation on grades [and] test scores.” www.alfiekohn.org.

Nel Noddings – A Lee L. Jacks Professor of Childhood Education, Emerita at Stanford University. Her latest book is When School Reform Goes Wrong. [e-mail]

Stephen Krashen is best known for developing the first comprehensive theory of second language acquisition. He is the author of several books. [e-mail]

Darrell Stoddard -- Founder, Pain Research Institute www.healpain.net Author of PAIN FREE FOR LIFE, Email: [e-mail]

Lawrence Baines – Professor Baines is Judith Daso Herb Chair in Adolescent Literacy at The University of Toledo. [e-mail]

Boyd R. Cox – Dr. Cox is a retired educator with 25 years teaching experience as an elementary teacher and who taught 8 years as an adjunct instructor in basic mathematics and electronics at a community college. [e-mail]

William Spady, an internationally recognized authority, is the author of five books. He is the current Director of the New Possibilities Network. [e-mail]

More Contacts ….. [e-mail]

Educating for Human Greatness

A HIGHER VISION
of Teaching, Thinking and Learning





© 2008 The Human Greatness Group

[philipkovacs]

If you want to help edit the wording of this document, you should do so here, keeping in mind the one page limit...

We can also use this "discussion" to keep track of membership.

[philipkovacs]

i just edited my bio...the educator roundtable was a collaborative effort, and i get more credit for that than i deserve...

[Susan Ohanian]

"them" in Paragraph 2 is ambiguous. I suggest removing "them in".

I question "crystal clear" just because it seems a cliched. I suggest "clear" is enough. . . unless someone can come up with another word.

[philipkovacs]

i changed the crystal clear. i cannot find the "them" in the second paragraph.

[philipkovacs]

in the line that says "For genuine reform of public education we must start with a clear purpose." i suggest we add a sentence:

"For genuine reform of public education we must start with a clear purpose. We suggest Education for Human Greatness."

I think that's a better transition

[Lu Pilgrim]

Text as it is now: SURPRISE: When reading, writing, math and other disciplines are taught as tools rather than goals, students' learn everything faster and better.

Consider: SURPRISE: When reading, writing, math and other disciplines are taught as tools rather than goals, students learning produces more depth and breadth, they retain more of what they learn and are able to apply it to solve other problems.

[Susan Ohanian]

Aha. It is really the first paragraph. I counted the CS Lewis quote as a paragraph. Sorry.

Here's the 'them' I'm objecting to: The latest of these reforms, “No Child Left Behind,” put extra pressure on teachers to ignore the diverse needs of students and to standardize THEM in reading, writing and math. This top-down pressure is evidence that public school teaching is not regarded as a profession in our society.

I've already changed my mind. I think I'd revise it like this: "And to standardize them THROUGH SCRIPTED reading, writing, and math."

I very much appreciate the reference to the de-professionalization of teaching.

[philipkovacs]

done! cheers.


Lu Pilgrim said:

Text as it is now: SURPRISE: When reading, writing, math and other disciplines are taught as tools rather than goals, students' learn everything faster and better.

Consider: SURPRISE: When reading, writing, math and other disciplines are taught as tools rather than goals, students learning produces more depth and breadth, they retain more of what they learn and are able to apply it to solve other problems.

[philipkovacs]

done...but i took out the caps. is that okay?

Susan Ohanian said:

Aha. It is really the first paragraph. I counted the CS Lewis quote as a paragraph. Sorry.

Here's the 'them' I'm objecting to: The latest of these reforms, “No Child Left Behind,” put extra pressure on teachers to ignore the diverse needs of students and to standardize THEM in reading, writing and math. This top-down pressure is evidence that public school teaching is not regarded as a profession in our society.

I've already changed my mind. I think I'd revise it like this: "And to standardize them THROUGH SCRIPTED reading, writing, and math."

I very much appreciate the reference to the de-professionalization of teaching.

[Susan Ohanian]

Definitely remove caps. Thank you.

[Leo J. Fahey]

Hi Folks,

This is kinda new for me so forgive any fumbles. A question: other than conversations among like minded people, what is the object of this social network? Maybe just having such conversations is important, but if Educating for Human Greatness is to find success in ed reform it strikes me a whole lot more needs to be done. Now, don't get me wrong here, I love to talk with folks who share the same vocabulary as we here in the wilderness need all the support from wherever we can get it. Still, Lynn's ideas need to be propagated beyond this group.

And speaking of Educating for Human Greatness: I have to wonder what formal learning structures these seven deminsions suggest and require. The reason for such a question goes to the heart of the project, as I can see the same structures being kept in place, altered slightly to accomodate different curriculua ends where "...reading, writing, math and other disciplines are taught as tools rather than goals..". Thus, the ends of the basic curriculum may have changed, but the top-down, teacher/administrator directed organization remains, and "the hidden curriculum continues unabated". If that's the case, then of what benefit is this kind of reform?

Leo

[Suzanne]

I love this movement! I'm sure that some of you are familiar with Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound. The 7 Dimensions of Human Greatness are very similar to the the Design Principals of ELOB......

http://www.elschools.org/aboutus/principles.html

I have been on a school council in City Schools of Decatur for several years. We have implemented ELOB in our elementary schools and I am absolutely amazed at the culture and focus on authentic learning that has resulted. We do not focus on standardized tests at all, yet we have an excellent pass rate even though the student bodies at all of our schools are diverse. Shoot ... we don't even have textbooks to speak of. I really wish that someone from your group could come and see our schools, particularly Oakhurst Elementary which seems to have an especially excellent implementation of EL. I'm not trying to brag, but I truly am floored whenever I go to an EL Showcase night, attend curriculum night or spend time in a classroom .

It is just hard to believe what a bunch of little 8-year-olds can create when their minds are free to think. We have had third graders organize and hold voting rallies just before the presidential election. We have had them design and implement campaigns to stamp out hunger in Atlanta. We have had first graders complete expeditions on what it means to be a hero, complete with gorgeous paintings of their own heroes. The teachers collaborate to work math, language arts, reading, etc into the expeditions so the kids learn by doing. There are "scheduled" art and music classes three times a week, but the kids work art and music into their everyday learning so they are exposed to the arts daily. They also have Spanish every day and their Spanish learning ties in with their expeditions.

On EL Showcase nights, the kids give the tours... not the teachers... the kids show off the expeditions b/c the expeditions belong to the kids ... not the teachers or principal.

It is really amazing. Please come see us. I feel like we are an island of beauty in a world of NCLB craziness!

Suzanne Miller