Metaphors

Check out this video clip -- it's my favorite poem, my favorite actor, and my favorite metaphor . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n3n2Ox4Yfk

Fear?

I keep thinking about the discussion we had today following our viewing of the Frontline and Spike Lee films on Hurricane Katrina. It's frightening to break down an event such as this to its components such as structure, leadership, race, class, and underlying assumptions. I think it is relatively easy for us to look in hindsight and see the flaws and the unconscious (or conscious) immoral decisions (or lack of decision) that took place. I wonder where in the equation enters the very human reaction of fear -- as I try to imagine myself in a place of so-called power in a situation such as this, I wonder if I would have been paralyzed by fear into a state of indecision or irrelationally reacting by attempting to assert control upon the situation -- It is clear that the events following Katrina were inhumanane, however were they fed from the very human state of fear at the unbelievability and very chaos of the situation?

There has to be a better way . . .

So much of the mechanization model of organizations is alive in education and schools in the United States. The political environment that surrounds our schools frustrates me to no end, as I fear it really holds us back from making true progress. It's like viewing the fractals and trying to affect change from the middle -- when we need an entire paradigm shift in education. We need to rethink what it means to be a "teacher" and a "student." We need to rethink the idea of what a "school" is. Some of our conversation today touched upon how schools are starting to take on additional roles in servicing children and families - with healthcare and food programs, etc. What about having schools that instead of focusing on academics as their primary concern, they are focusing on the general well-being of the child and his/her family? Can you imagine sprawling complexes of related services open to a common area courtyard? In this community center called "school" children's needs would be met allowing them to be open to learning. Does learning need to occur in a classroom? Think about how learning occurs in a tribal culture. Through working and living alongside more experienced members of the community . . . observing, questioning, trying, doing. It's flexible. It's not preconceived. It's based on real-life needs and interests of the learner. Is there a place for learning basic skills and what we think of as more "traditional" learning? Perhaps, but I don't think that is what true education is. We need to start asking bigger questions and not take for granted the paradigms that envelop us as being the only, or the best, way. We need to step away from the chaos that is our current model of education and see the patterns that have been put in motion -- we need to get to the true "cutting edge" in order to affect real change.

Chaos Theory

I found today's discussion around Chaos Theory to be extremely interesting. The whole idea of change and growth only being possible through turbulance or discord is so true and applicable to all areas of our lives. I have a quote that I have stuck to the corner of my computer by Juan Ramon Jimenez. It states, "A permanent state of transition is man's most noble condition."

I know that I need to place an Amazon to get some of the books that Tony recommended. I wish I had more time to read the many, many titles we've been exposed to.

July 1, 2008 My First Blog . . . About The First Idea

Well, this is my first blog entry. I am extremely tired this afternoon. I was up date finishing up The First Idea and the lack of sleep has caught up with me. I actually enjoyed reading the book -- particularly the last part which focused on the organization of groups, the changing view of history, and the global interrelatedness of societies. After writing a ten page analysis of the book, I don't have much left to say about the book . . .