While I have just (finally) been able to work with the tech of Substack I have been reading in it for the better part of a month. I deeply appreciated your post a while ago describing your time with your child and just observing his (hers?) way of engaging natural physical surroundings. You also wrote there, and in other places, about your growth and learning in simply participating in relationship with children.
I invite you to go my substack website and, under the About navigation bar, get a sense of how long and dedicated I and my wife have been (and are) to elucidating and creating experiential programs for families and educators that bring forth embodiment of children’s consciousness. We created and directed three schools. As featured members of the Holistic Education communities, including homeschooling, academically, and consulting with leaders in all forms of non-traditional schooling I can say that there is a growing trend to greater understanding but even in the outdoor education schools the emphasis remains on content, somewhat on pedagogical practices, and just a bit starting with who the child is.
As you might expect I can offer insights as to why this is so. But enough for one email.
I deeply know of the problem you are bringing forth. Thank you. It cannot be overstated. With respect, children enter a new field of knowing, a new way of organizing their world during the ages you name. Rather than respond to the inevitable and mistrust of conventional school we can participate this field of knowing, I do not mean the catalogue of behaviors so common to conventional approaches to development, but to their consciousness, their way of perceiving and organizing their world. In this way, the inexorable and ever present wellbeing will be their reality.
I really appreciate this perspective — especially your framing of walking alongside the child’s shifting consciousness as they grow, rather than only responding to behaviour or academic performance.
I think part of what becomes difficult for many children is that their way of perceiving and organising the world changes, but the systems around them often become less responsive and less relational at exactly the same time.
If we could build educational structures that stayed more attuned to children’s development in this deeper sense, I suspect we would see very different outcomes.
I’d also be really interested to hear if you know of examples where this is being done differently in practice.
Thank you so much for reading so thoughtfully and taking the time to comment.
Couldn’t agree more. I homeschool my teen for this very reason. I’m in Australia and found that every year of her primary education chipped away at her little spirit and confidence in herself to become a compliant pleaser. I’m spending time unraveling that now. It took a while to recalibrate for both of us!
Thank you so much for reading and commenting. I am deeply sorry that this was your daughter’s experience, I wish so much it wasn’t a common pattern but I know it is, hence why I had to write about it. But I’m so delighted that you are now carving a path for her to get that spark back, it is certainly possible. Wishing you all the best on your journey together! PS. @The Educating Parent is a fantastic resource for Australian (and all) home educators, you might want to check her out if you haven’t already :-)
My daughter coped in Reception and by the end of year 1 she could no longer attend school. You have quite literally described my experience with my daughter.
I would say I’m glad it resonates, but I’m not glad, because I’m sorry your daughter had to go through such difficult experiences :-( It’s a pattern I saw over and over again, that’s why I had to write it. Yes children have differing needs, but many are deemed problematic when it’s the unrelenting pressure of the academic funnel that is really to blame.
I have been contemplating the comment "the systems around them often become less responsive and less relational at exactly the same time." This applies to parents and teachers primarily is they are most important in "the system', deliverers of the system, and most often suffering from their lack of a responsive system when they were younger. In our schools parent education was mandatory. While at times somewhat effective, lasting embodiment happened for only three that I now recall. Eight years ago Josette and I produced as podcast called Meetings with Remarkable Educators. I interviewed Nel Noddings, sixty five years old at the time. her career included the most esteemed professorships s at both Columbia Teachers College and Stanford, the two most influential educational institutions in America. she was also revered in the Holistic Education community. she is credited to championing the critical importance of relationship in learning. Bleeding a bit from the partial successes and challenges in our own schools I asked her of the success in her work. BTW- she was a remarkable person to engage. "I am happy," she said "if some teachers bring a bit of relationship in the classroom. Most do little or nothing."
Such is the challenge. In my research I not find ind one Teacher Training syllabus in the United States that recognized the importance of relationship.. There are some better programs such as project based learning, but they do not touch the question that you brought forward.
While I have just (finally) been able to work with the tech of Substack I have been reading in it for the better part of a month. I deeply appreciated your post a while ago describing your time with your child and just observing his (hers?) way of engaging natural physical surroundings. You also wrote there, and in other places, about your growth and learning in simply participating in relationship with children.
I invite you to go my substack website and, under the About navigation bar, get a sense of how long and dedicated I and my wife have been (and are) to elucidating and creating experiential programs for families and educators that bring forth embodiment of children’s consciousness. We created and directed three schools. As featured members of the Holistic Education communities, including homeschooling, academically, and consulting with leaders in all forms of non-traditional schooling I can say that there is a growing trend to greater understanding but even in the outdoor education schools the emphasis remains on content, somewhat on pedagogical practices, and just a bit starting with who the child is.
As you might expect I can offer insights as to why this is so. But enough for one email.
Take care, ba
I deeply know of the problem you are bringing forth. Thank you. It cannot be overstated. With respect, children enter a new field of knowing, a new way of organizing their world during the ages you name. Rather than respond to the inevitable and mistrust of conventional school we can participate this field of knowing, I do not mean the catalogue of behaviors so common to conventional approaches to development, but to their consciousness, their way of perceiving and organizing their world. In this way, the inexorable and ever present wellbeing will be their reality.
I really appreciate this perspective — especially your framing of walking alongside the child’s shifting consciousness as they grow, rather than only responding to behaviour or academic performance.
I think part of what becomes difficult for many children is that their way of perceiving and organising the world changes, but the systems around them often become less responsive and less relational at exactly the same time.
If we could build educational structures that stayed more attuned to children’s development in this deeper sense, I suspect we would see very different outcomes.
I’d also be really interested to hear if you know of examples where this is being done differently in practice.
Thank you so much for reading so thoughtfully and taking the time to comment.
Couldn’t agree more. I homeschool my teen for this very reason. I’m in Australia and found that every year of her primary education chipped away at her little spirit and confidence in herself to become a compliant pleaser. I’m spending time unraveling that now. It took a while to recalibrate for both of us!
Thank you so much for reading and commenting. I am deeply sorry that this was your daughter’s experience, I wish so much it wasn’t a common pattern but I know it is, hence why I had to write about it. But I’m so delighted that you are now carving a path for her to get that spark back, it is certainly possible. Wishing you all the best on your journey together! PS. @The Educating Parent is a fantastic resource for Australian (and all) home educators, you might want to check her out if you haven’t already :-)
Thank you!
My daughter coped in Reception and by the end of year 1 she could no longer attend school. You have quite literally described my experience with my daughter.
I would say I’m glad it resonates, but I’m not glad, because I’m sorry your daughter had to go through such difficult experiences :-( It’s a pattern I saw over and over again, that’s why I had to write it. Yes children have differing needs, but many are deemed problematic when it’s the unrelenting pressure of the academic funnel that is really to blame.
This is a great read Gem
Thanks Gem! 🙏😘
Thank you for sharing :-)
I have been contemplating the comment "the systems around them often become less responsive and less relational at exactly the same time." This applies to parents and teachers primarily is they are most important in "the system', deliverers of the system, and most often suffering from their lack of a responsive system when they were younger. In our schools parent education was mandatory. While at times somewhat effective, lasting embodiment happened for only three that I now recall. Eight years ago Josette and I produced as podcast called Meetings with Remarkable Educators. I interviewed Nel Noddings, sixty five years old at the time. her career included the most esteemed professorships s at both Columbia Teachers College and Stanford, the two most influential educational institutions in America. she was also revered in the Holistic Education community. she is credited to championing the critical importance of relationship in learning. Bleeding a bit from the partial successes and challenges in our own schools I asked her of the success in her work. BTW- she was a remarkable person to engage. "I am happy," she said "if some teachers bring a bit of relationship in the classroom. Most do little or nothing."
Such is the challenge. In my research I not find ind one Teacher Training syllabus in the United States that recognized the importance of relationship.. There are some better programs such as project based learning, but they do not touch the question that you brought forward.