Caring- writ large

You see, it all begins with caring- if there is not any caring then there is no reason to connect, or do anything. Our civic life is a subset of our natural world. All our human systems depend on caring- so do all of our natural systems...we must do what we must because it has to be done, and because we are stewards of the natural world. Any civic life worth living will encompass the natural world too.

It seems like at this point in our lives we are on brink of so many wonderful things disappearing. This is a place of fear- a defensive posture, which narrows our zones of attention and does not allow us to see the beauty of the world around us and ultimately will cause us to loose what little we have left. The beauty, the delicate systems precariously balanced, the complexity which we hardly understand has to be celebrated in the hearts and minds of all citizens. We must create artifacts of such great beauty that they persuade, rather than cajole, seduce rather than scare, embrace rather than exclude. This is when we will start to see the change that we need. The work from the BBC Natural History Unit is a small example of the type of work that we need to see more of.

Other work that includes the Encyclopedia of Life founded by E.O. Wilson is a great example of how we can translate this caring into deep understanding and systemic action. Action which takes into account the complexity and interconnections of the various pieces that often fit together in the natural world.

Once we kindle the fires that lead to caring in others, the hardest part is done. The inner craftsman takes over and the work that seemed impossible, becomes possible- hard work, but made easier and more meaningful with a renewed attention to Quality. Now we have to go out there

Inner Craftsman

As Curator for TEDxCalgary I often get some unique opportunities to engage with people and ideas that I normally would not have access to. One of those was an opportunity to engage with leading edge minds, be they authors, speakers, thinkers, doers, innovators etc.

In all these engagements I am profoundly moved by the Inner Craftsman (gender neutral) they bring to their work, their conversations. In encountering this time and again- I did some thinking. How is it possible to develop this 'inner craftsman'? What possible value might it have? Would this inner craftsman be perhaps what we need to awaken in all who are engaged in civic life?

Questions are important- am not close to many answers yet- but will keep you posted. This blog post about Caring touches on elements of what I think the most promising avenue to answers...

Ad's worth spreading!

There are a number of ways to motivate people and create authentic learning environments. This Ad "The Return of Ben Ali" from the TED Ad worth spreading project seems to offer some neat insight into the effectiveness of contextualizing lessons and messages so that they are internalized.

The realization moment is critical as is the engagement of the populace in the act. This is one of a series of short posts on different aspects that relate in some way to education, learning, teaching, as well as civic life.

Learning despite exceptions

After 8 years of teaching in various settings and school systems what frustrates me to no end is running into people who whilst working with students from special needs or even so called 'mainstream' students cannot accept ambiguity and nuance in their work. People who succumb far too easily to labeling with a sense of certainty that blows me away. I see as problematic the general tendency to simplify things to the point of meaninglessness amongst educators- I see a plethora of experts, articles and discoveries that tend to sound too authoritative and prescriptive in their thinking- with most of their arguments boiling down to some sort of physiological explanation based on the 'latest' brain research and diagnosis of 'disorders' or afflictions of one sort or another.

Mathematics

What is Mathematics? Why do we learn Math? What is the best way to learn Math? This will be one of those articles which I hope will serve as an exploration/dynamic document so that I and perhaps others can get better informed. As a young kid and till very recently I saw Mathematics as being that subject that is at once utilitarian and at the same time an aesthetic experience-most of these realizations came to be through rote learning or through pure accident. However the discipline itself has never been that enjoyable or engaging to me. 

The changing landscape of education

What does it mean to be a teacher and a learner in this rapidly changing world- the Club of Rome in it's influential book in the late 70's- No limits of learning mentioned that we are faced with a 'world problematique' referring to the almost perfect storm that we have created for ourselves: A converging mass of ecosystem, economic, and social system issues that are all in largely negative states and the seeming inability to respond to these issues through the many institutional systems we have set up. The analysis performed by the Club of Rome applies today just as it did more than 30 years ago.

Welcome to the frontier!

As me and my friends wander the edges of pedagogical frontiers we are running across some incredible conversations that have spanned generations, which we hope to bring to the benefit of all educators- both formal and informal.

We hope that you are able to check this blog regularly to stay updated on the latest news, research and developments. We have included on the side a link to Mr. Sajan's excellent delicious bookmarking service that has up to date vetted links to many many digital resources that will simply take your breadth away. If off course you have any questions, just ask your trusty webmaster from the link below and we will be happy to answer any questions.