A Time for Bridging
By Jill Bittinger
May 2017
As the environmental bell rings ever louder, many realize it is a time for bridge-building as never before. The multiplicity of environmental and social crises call upon us to understand that we cannot continue to turn a blind eye without consequence. At the tipping point, it becomes a question of the continuation of life itself. We are forced to grapple with the question of just what will it take to preserve sustainable life upon our planet. How to bridge to our inner Selves, one another, and to Nature in the process of making meaningful change becomes a paramount question.
Education becomes of paramount importance in the process of preparing children for a future we yet do not fully understand as adults, yet are compelled to address. It is essential that if we are to prepare our youth for the global shift upon us, we must consider them on all fronts: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. We must help connect them to a sense of their own personal power—calling to it to help make a dynamic difference.
One front that we can see these kind of changes taking hold is through the Whole Child Model and Global Education that has now been espoused by the ASCD for ten years. (www.ASCD.org). Not only does this framework take into account education of the Whole Human Being, it also calls for it to be put into meaningful ACTION. Learning about your self and others often takes place best through being of Service to Others.
Real world service-learning is embraced within the Whole Child Model. Service learning brings the vitality of Youth together with Soul-ful teachers that yearn to step beyond the bounds of their classroom alone. It connects ideas to real situations, to real people, making relationships in the process. Relationships help us to feel the truth of our interconnection in this world, and attunes us to the joy available within those connections.
Many are feeling the inner call to address this bigger picture, yet feel little personal power to know how to address it. Often teachers are already on overwhelm in just managing the expectations as they already are, in balance with having a life of their own outside of the classroom. These are examples of the kind of Barriers to this change that may be encountered. What are others?:
—Not knowing or understanding the value of the Whole Child Model
—A plethora of technology in children’s use from very young ages—perhaps reducing their critical thinking skills
—Overcoming rigid institutionalized curriculum that limits creativity and joy for both students and teachers.
—Excessive necessity to focus on the test, administrative issues, or feeling lack of money.
—A sense of overburdening already maxed out teachers with “one more thing.”
— Hierarchy can be part of the problem. There may be fear of the Principal, and a sense of what difference can only a single teacher make.
—For those who do feel the call to make a change, there may be questions as to how to present such a mindset as attractive to educators and provide the opportunity to be trained and explore in new realms.
What might answers to these issues be?
—Empowering students with a sense of Agency, the need for their voice and energy in the matters at hand.
—Re-envisioning Pedagogy: paying attention to the models that are working to inspire and empower meaningful change.
—Understand that the role of teaching is to build Creators, not just Consumers.
—Orient towards other targets than profit alone
—Cultivate project-based learning in real world matters.
—Have teachers and Administrators come together and plan their approach to tie in with the Whole Child Approach model, including the community aspect it is based within.
— Understand it is the job of the principals and directors to be concerned for touching the heart and soul of the institution and instigating a shared sense of Leadership that invites in individual inspiration.
Fundamentally, we need to understand that education needs now to truly move into a prioritization of over all well-being. We can no longer follow the factory-based model in which we’re just turning out “work-force ready” students. Instead, we must have self-reflective, empowered, world-citizens, ready to add the positive difference they can make into the world.
Now is a time of intense urgency in this process in which the Leaders of the school are called to activate this force. The Whole Child Approach is critical in this process. There is much research and work that can be aligned with if we only take the energy to do so.
Students, Teachers and the Community at large must be impressed with a collective sense of Shared Stewardship for our Future. The national tendencies must be able to reach beyond to a Global perspective. There are many professional organizations that can partner with schools in this process. One such example is www.EarthCharter.Org. Here there is an ethical framework with the well-being of all, and a Vision of Hope that we can align with. http://www.H2OforLife,com is another example of people making a profound difference through many small steps that link meaningful global education with personal experience and empowerment through personal contribution.
Add your Voice! Transformed Education is to serve as a forum for those of us pursuing the conversation of Soul Power and Transformation within an educational context. Share your success stories. Share your challenges. Understand that you are not in isolation, but are a part of a Brilliant Planetary Awakening! There is a unique role for each individual to play, as guided by their intuition—a voice within that attunes to the unique gifts that you have to contribute. taking place. Listen to the guidance of that inner voice and welcome a new and larger life.