tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post5852631277996707765..comments2024-03-26T07:07:14.304-07:00Comments on Teacher Tom: Why I Teach The Way I Do (Learning To Be Equal And Free)Teacher Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14606781724784785338noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-77837442828504406542012-08-28T07:27:04.223-07:002012-08-28T07:27:04.223-07:00Hey Tom.
Thanks for going overt!… I wonder what c...Hey Tom.<br /><br />Thanks for going overt!… I wonder what comments you'll get on this post because it is not pitched at the level of technique (how-to), but pitched as overall values etc, and also because you lay bare your critique of contemporary American politics.<br /><br />For me, there is such a massive gap between what you describe as healthy everyday communal self-governance and what goes by the name of 'democracy' in America and for that matter other first world nations (I live in Australia). Lobbying, adversarial two-party systems, mega-money, popularist, short-term-ist, etc… It's such a gap that I find it hard to equate what you hope for as being anything to do with democracy at all. Added to this, when I think about various local communities around the world that might embody some of your ideals, they would not necessarily come from nations that call themselves democratic nor would these communities necessarily describe what they do as democracy. <br /><br />That said, I'm definitely I'm liking what you value: "we decide we must do it together, day-to-day, thinking critically, speaking honestly, listening passionately, and acting as if we are, indeed, equal and free."<br /> <br />If you think that's what human life should be like in general, no wonder you want the Woodland Park experiment to be like this too. I also want to live like this, with my communities, family, work collaborators and that's what I want for the (alternative) school where my kids attend with me as contributing parent.<br /><br />This seem very much the sentiments/drivers that led to Italian villagers of Reggio Emilia to develop the approach they did.<br /><br />One thing I'm struck by is the lack-of-a-boss (or super hero) in your ideals. And this is a big different between big-society representational democracy (with a boss / elected officials / president) and a small-community direct democracy (with perhaps facilitators but no one pulling rank). This I think might explain why some people, when they think about educating for 'democracy', think it must need top-down control structures (since representation democracy has a lot of that) and/or externally-imposed moral compass.<br /><br />LukeLuke Jaanistehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02364124720159969857noreply@blogger.com