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

[Leo J. Fahey]

Jennifer, and others,

"...to communicate this group's purpose." Before we communicate it seems to me we need a purpose. It is still unclear to me if this group is for essentially letting conventional ed structures remain but with the elimination of NCLB, the institution of multiple measures of student achievement and the full recognition in practice of the professional nature of teaching. In addition, as far as I can tell, there has been no recognition on this list of the impact of repurposing education on the functions schooling plays in this society and how, if possible and with intention, alternative functions can be established as a consequence of repurposing. So, for instance, the sorting function is arguably the most important function of schooling. This function determines the place within the socio-economic order of each youngster as he/she grows into and through adulthood. If repurposing education can impact this function, then, what function should replace it and what structurally must change to alter the sorting function to this new one.

Conversations are needed to clarify the purpose of this group. Therefore, I ask this group to say on this list how any or all of Lynn's deminsions directly relate to current structures and to functions. And if and how repurposing education along Lynn's lines can establish alternate functions. Or do I have the purpose of this group and this the exercise here all wrong? Instead of working to consensus on talking points repurposing education and how the repurposing alters structures in certain directions, are we suppose to be about just tweaking the flyer's language leaving it pretty much as is, and not worrying a bit on how repurposing should alter structure? And asking if these 7 dimensions as written actually represent an authentic repurposing of schooling?

Leo

[philipkovacs]

Leo, we are open to suggestions regarding how school should be structured. As I understand the principles behind this document, schooling should be more fluid, allowing children to use community resources to grow and develop at her own pace.

I personally see concepts such as grade level being replaced by how/what/where a child is doing...where doing means developing the skills and capacities to be a participating member of a pluralistic democratic social order.

Leo J. Fahey said:

Jennifer, and others,

"...to communicate this group's purpose." Before we communicate it seems to me we need a purpose. It is still unclear to me if this group is for essentially letting conventional ed structures remain but with the elimination of NCLB, the institution of multiple measures of student achievement and the full recognition in practice of the professional nature of teaching. In addition, as far as I can tell, there has been no recognition on this list of the impact of repurposing education on the functions schooling plays in this society and how, if possible and with intention, alternative functions can be established as a consequence of repurposing. So, for instance, the sorting function is arguably the most important function of schooling. This function determines the place within the socio-economic order of each youngster as he/she grows into and through adulthood. If repurposing education can impact this function, then, what function should replace it and what structurally must change to alter the sorting function to this new one.

Conversations are needed to clarify the purpose of this group. Therefore, I ask this group to say on this list how any or all of Lynn's deminsions directly relate to current structures and to functions. And if and how repurposing education along Lynn's lines can establish alternate functions. Or do I have the purpose of this group and this the exercise here all wrong? Instead of working to consensus on talking points repurposing education and how the repurposing alters structures in certain directions, are we suppose to be about just tweaking the flyer's language leaving it pretty much as is, and not worrying a bit on how repurposing should alter structure? And asking if these 7 dimensions as written actually represent an authentic repurposing of schooling?

Leo

[Jennifer Parker]

Leo J. Fahey said:

Jennifer, and others,

"...to communicate this group's purpose." Before we communicate it seems to me we need a purpose. I agree that there should be discussion re our purpose before we communicate it. For example, which conventional ed structures are we requesting remain and which be eliminated? I assume we are anti-privitization, pro-multiple assessments, anti-high stakes, anti-sanctions? That's not all encompasing, just a start to a discussion. I'm off to blog about Arne Duncan now.

[Leo J. Fahey]

Okay, if we are talking structure from these principles, then I'd suggest using as an organizing rubric the notion of "a pluralistic democratic social order." There are three separate concepts here, I suggest: pluralism, democracy and social order. But for this discussion I would like to concentrate on pluralism and democracy.

Lynn's beginning principle is Indentity and I would like to use it to demonstate what I mean by using this rubric. I suggested earlier that conventional ed claims it is about developing individual identiy, and thus, this talking point makes no distinction between an unreformed education and a re-formed education. Now, under the concepts of difference and choice, the operational behaviors of pluarisim and democracy, we ought to allow the unreformed its place for those who so choose to place their children there. But as we wish to differentiate our identity principle from the unreformed, since we have decided the unreformed way of emerging identity doesn't work, or works to devious ends, we need to see what other existing models and methods there are which in our estimation really allow a healthy individual identity to emerge. Certainly, I would argue, Montessori is one authentic model/method, as is Democratic Education. Now, we need to know what is it about Montessori and Democratic Ed which produces the authenic emergence of identity? It seems to me if we can put into words the answer to that, then, we would have the language differentiating the re-formed identity principle from the unreformed. And when summarized we would have our talking point.

If we could use this process for each of the other principles we would finally come to paint a bright, new picture of education, one we all believe is crucial for our new century. And thus we would not have to worry over the unreformed saying they do the same thing.

Leo

[philipkovacs]

Leo, we have a much longer document that i am trying to get online. it elaborates each of the principals in detail. I'll contact Lynn again today.

Leo J. Fahey said:

Okay, if we are talking structure from these principles, then I'd suggest using as an organizing rubric the notion of "a pluralistic democratic social order." There are three separate concepts here, I suggest: pluralism, democracy and social order. But for this discussion I would like to concentrate on pluralism and democracy.

Lynn's beginning principle is Indentity and I would like to use it to demonstate what I mean by using this rubric. I suggested earlier that conventional ed claims it is about developing individual identiy, and thus, this talking point makes no distinction between an unreformed education and a re-formed education. Now, under the concepts of difference and choice, the operational behaviors of pluarisim and democracy, we ought to allow the unreformed its place for those who so choose to place their children there. But as we wish to differentiate our identity principle from the unreformed, since we have decided the unreformed way of emerging identity doesn't work, or works to devious ends, we need to see what other existing models and methods there are which in our estimation really allow a healthy individual identity to emerge. Certainly, I would argue, Montessori is one authentic model/method, as is Democratic Education. Now, we need to know what is it about Montessori and Democratic Ed which produces the authenic emergence of identity? It seems to me if we can put into words the answer to that, then, we would have the language differentiating the re-formed identity principle from the unreformed. And when summarized we would have our talking point.

If we could use this process for each of the other principles we would finally come to paint a bright, new picture of education, one we all believe is crucial for our new century. And thus we would not have to worry over the unreformed saying they do the same thing.

Leo

[Leo J. Fahey]

Actually Lynn has placed his ideas in published form which we should all read. Don't get me wrong here, I think Lynn's view of the world of ed is spot on. It's just I wish to insolate his efforts, and our political posture (and posteria), from the charge of irrelevence due to repeating that which is already being done in school. As you might know, the first rule of marketing is to differentiate your product. It might be rather crass to look at education as a "product" to be "marketed", but we are very much interested in having folks buy into a particular view of the way education should be. Thus we need to do what we can to close the sale.

And creating the conditions to close the sale, I would suggest, requires an examination and explication on the kinds of learning structures and school cultures which will produce the outcomes Lynn wishes to see. Now, as I haven't gone deeply into Lynn's writing, it is unknown to me if Lynn has already done that. If he has, then we have blue prints from which to construct our sales pitches. But if he hasn't, if he has kept to the philosphical level, then, it seems to me, it is up to us to go concrete on the kinds of structures and cultures calculated to produce these seven fine outcomes, indeed, concrete in structures and cultures which are not replications of the status quo models but represent models different than the status quo's.

Leo

[Jennifer Parker]

I'm a Montessorian and I will give some thought to authentic identity emergence. My initial reaction is that identity is webbed together with interaction. The traditional pk-12 model is to start with a unit about 'all about me', then neighborhoods, communities, countries, world. Montessori's approach is to start with the cosmic and work back to the individual.

Certainly, I would argue, Montessori is one authentic model/method, as is Democratic Education. Now, we need to know what is it about Montessori and Democratic Ed which produces the authenic emergence of identity? It seems to me if we can put into words the answer to that, then, we would have the language differentiating the re-formed identity principle from the unreformed. And when summarized we would have our talking point.

If we could use this process for each of the other principles we would finally come to paint a bright, new picture of education, one we all believe is crucial for our new century. And thus we would not have to worry over the unreformed saying they do the same thing.

Leo

[Leo J. Fahey]

Jennifer,

I wonder, isn't the Montessori approach to start with the learning stage of the individual child allowing the child to interact with the prepared environment congruant with that learning stage? From what I understand, Montessori in each stage allows children to pretty much self-direct learning through self-selected engagement with the elements of a prepared environment. So, as I understand it, it really is not so much about "curriculum" whether it is "a unit about 'all about me', then neighborhoods, communities, countries, world" or the cosmic and the individual, per se, but about putting objects for learning in the way of each child according to the immediate needs of the child, who will travel his, or own, path to self-discovery, and along the way gather and integrate discrete pieces of information about the cosmic and the self.

Leo

[Jennifer Parker]

Yes, the prepared environment in the Montessori 3-6 year old classroom is very much as you describe it: self-selection engagement. Teachers are "directresses", the ones that prepare the environment very carefully, based on lessons that have been passed down for years in training. The adult directs the child within the environment. In the 6-9 year old classroom the "curriculum" and it's scope and sequence is more tangible. Students still direct their own learning, but, to continue the example we're using, there is a series of lessons called "Cosmic Education" that play prominently.

[David Wolinsky]

Lucas, the light of my life, is 5 and has been in a Montessori school for three years (thanks to the incomes of 3-4 adults, all in education, health or social work). It's been wonderful. I KNOW this because, having never been a from-birth father, I have been very present (on every level from play to language acquisition to metacognition) and seen what is happening.

On the other hand, I don't think we need yet another definition of truly human education. One reason is that really good folks have been at it for a long time and in detail -- from Maria Montessori to Debbie Meyers and Nanci Atwell to Howard Gardner.... andIvan Illich and Bill Ayers(!), as it were. The fact that those folks don't always agree is about as relevant as the fact that JP and I have different "positions" on Teach for America. Which leads to the second reason: Spend a few days in a teacher's classroom, check out the school and political environment, and you and I will likely come to similar conclusions about the "greatness" being practiced or not by that teacher.

Which is to say that we love our words and our declarative knowledge, and even want SOME KIND OF assessment, but bottom line: Teaching is more an art than a science -- of necessity because it is a complex, small- and large-scale human interaction first, and every necessary thing else (curriculum, ed psych, socialization etc) second. Or dat's whut aiym asserting.

I just realized that we have too many threads and sub-threads for effective communication, so I wrote Philip, and am putting this also on my Wall for now....

[Jennifer Parker]

David- you're right and this is what scares me to death about "assessing" teachers through their students' test scores. Think of all the wonderful, talented teachers that will be driven away.

Teaching is more an art than a science -- of necessity because it is a complex, small- and large-scale human interaction first, and every necessary thing else (curriculum, ed psych, socialization etc) second. Or dat's whut aiym asserting.
Regarding defining truly human education: several thoughts... if we (this group) are to have any impact changing conventional wisdom about what type of public school reform needs to take place, we have to be very clear with our position. We certainly don't have to take a postion on Teach for America (that's a bias I have and threw out there -- I used to think highly of the program), but we do have to be able to communicate this group's purpose to politicians, the movers and shakers, the community at large... I would imagine that these people will want to know what we mean by "Educating for Human Greatness".

Even though my teacher training was in a Montessori training program and I have been a Montessori Directress, my recent teaching has encorporated the contributions of many educators. I think that this group, as it develops the Ribs of EHG, can also develop expectations of schools that are an amalgam of many previous great educators.

[philipkovacs]

I think this line:



NEEDS TO BE REVISED TO 7. Integrity – Develop honesty, character, morality and responsibility for self WITH OTHERS.

There needs to be an inclusive element to this document.