Monday, Sep 03, 2007

One answer to all your questions about creating an optimal learning environment (Part 1)

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In this episode Nick Drummond talks with Mats Edin about the difference between owning a problem, such as the need for more discipline in the classroom or girls being more participative, and owning a perspective which addresses movement and vertical development.

Recently we met a teacher, who said,
“I don’t have any problems. My kids do what I tell them to do.”
“So everything is good?”
“Yes, the girls might be a bit silent.”
“Would you like them to talk more, to participate?”
“Yes, but it is not a problem. They don’t disturb or anything. My pupils respect me fully.”
“But you want the girls to take part more?”
“Yes.”
“So, your next step would be to engage the girls. That is great. Do you know how to do that?”
“Not really.”
“That would be great to share – many teachers are in this predicament. Let us go into it. That is your next step.”

There is always more. This is the answer to everything. Whatever the problem is in school; be it in the classroom, between teachers and students, between teachers and parents, between teachers and headmaster or whatever, we are totally unaware of the context we are in together. What is the purpose of 700 people being together 35 hours a week? Why are we there? Is it just to have no disciplinary problems? What are the students to be motivated by? Look at why you are doing what you are doing. Help your students see that life is precious and short; you don’t have time to waste. You have to move now, you have to act and respond. There is constantly something happening and we are already together in something and it’s intersubjective. If everybody leans in and gives everything that is going to be the answer to if you have girls sitting there and being passive or being totally motivated.

You can give them the chance to break out of the prison that they have created and are in a way trapped in because of culture, a culture which says for girls to be cute, sit down, be quiet and change their bodies artificially. Everybody has dark shadowy sides. We are all capable of not caring and destroying ourselves. But who really cares about going into that?

We can take any question that can up from a teacher and say you have to look into vertical development as the remedy for everything. That means that YOU have to be that guarantee for vertical emergence and development. As well as seeing to it that everybody is going to be a guarantee for that, no matter if they are 7 years old, 17 years old or 70 years old. No matter where they come from, their background, or what childhood they have had. You show what is possible by being a role model and by owning a perspective rather than a problem. By focusing on what life is about. Give attention to that. And the more students that do that the safer it will be to really keep moving. Give attention and energy to the part of us that wants nothing more than development. What is life really all about? What is possible?

Are you interested to learn more about applying this perspective in education? Then please contact us: http://www.nordicintegral.com, email: nick.drummond@nordicintegral.com

Posted by Nick Drummond at 6:33 AM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

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