Etikettarkiv: children

9/24 – A game of survival

Publicerad den av
Svara

survive

Look at the world, right this moment, with millions on the run, from famine and terror, from war and discrimination. Families torn apart. Young children travelling alone for months on end, in the hope of getting to a safe haven, somewhere. All alone, far from their parents and other loved ones.

There are those who’s survival actually hinges on the choices they make.

But if a business gamble fails for you and me, what’s the worst that might happen? A set-back in time, a lost investment, but really – nothing truly important. Such as not being able to put food on the table for your children, having them go to bed hungry, perhaps even starving. The risk of imminent death is a reality for many on this planet, and they have to be very careful not to make rash decisions, gambling with the life of themselves or their loved ones.

But for you and me? What if I go out on a limb, and it doesn’t work out? There’s always another option. I can get a job, if need be. I can save up enough to pay back my debt and then some, so I can go out on a limb again. I can try, and try again. Over and over. And I know that my children do not run the risk of starving to death, because I choose to try this or that.

It’s simply not a game of survival for you and me.

So why then are we so afraid to try?

Reflection #9 of 24 from the notes I took and the experience I had at the Seth Godin Q&A-session in London, November 2015. These reflections will constitute my Advent Calendar for 2015, and will be posted daily from December 1st to the 24th.

Podcast 11/52 – what am I blinding my children to?

Publicerad den av
1

I’ve already recommended the entire Invisibilia-podcast series in one of these podcast recommendations, and I do suggest you listen to each and every show. But here’s a specific episode which is just mind-blowing. At the end, the hosts had me dancing in the street (was outside taking a walk while listening) as I answered YES to the question:

Do you think if we changed our expectations blind people could come to see?

The episode is called: How to become batman and centers around Daniel Kish, a blind man (since he was 13 months old) who since early age uses echolocation to get around.

BoldomaticPost_What-am-I-blinding-my-childreWhen I listen to how his mom raised him, I got really quiet, and looked deep within at how I raise and have raised my children.

Paulette Kish faced the question if she was going to raise him like a seeing child, allow him to explore his world with very few restrictions on him for blindness?

Now. My children are not physically blind. So that specific question has never been a question for me to ponder. But still, as I listen to this show, and hear the story of Daniel, and of his mother, I cannot help but wonder what I am blinding my children to, by the expectations I place upon them? And correspondingly, what am I opening them up to, by other expectations? Are these expectations intentional or unintentional from my part? How aware am I of my expectations, and the result that can spring from them?

Preparing for life

Publicerad den av
1

Alan Seale wrote about Preparing for life, a 17 minute long film about a Waldorf school in California, The Waldorf School of the Peninsula, in his newsletter. He wrote about it in a way that spiked my interest and curiosity, so while having lunch I watched the film:

Now. There’s a lot going on in my mind as I watch this, as I take in what I see and hear. Some of those things are questions like:

  • Is it just this school or is this film representative (in spirit, if nothing else) of all Waldorf-schools? *how I wish for the latter*
  • Why haven’t I found a school like this for my children to attend? *feel sad, that I haven’t*
  • Is there even any schools like this in Sweden? I know there are Waldorf schools, but are they truly like this one? Same same but different, perhaps? *hoping I will find out from friends who work in and with Waldorf schools in Sweden and Norway*
  • Why don’t all kids get a chance to go to a school that truly give’s them access to this:
    To know the world is to know the self, and to know the self is to know the world.

But also thoughts such as:

  • Within the existing school system paradigm, this is probably as good as it gets.
  • But still, how strange it is that we toss kids together with other kids the same age, and sprinkle in a handful of adults, and keep them all in a classroom, or two, within the confines of a building called a school house. This is not natural for humans, it’s not what we are wired for, physically or psychologically.
  • Not surprised that the TV-reporters use dramatic words of ”totally unplugged school” when that is not what the teachers and students are saying at all. But headlines require the use of drama to get attention right?
  • Amazing eye sparkles going on here, as well as relationships, learning, and creations – I mean, witness some of those paintings and sculptures – they look like they were made by a professional!

All in all, Preparing for life leaves me with a feeling of hope. It show’s me it is possible to make something really great out of the concept of school, as it stands today, and looking forward, there’s every opportunity to create a school system where all children truly will be able to thrive and explore their human potential.

What are you left with after watching the film?

Vision and the inner voice

Publicerad den av
1

The importance of a vision, closely linked to the soul of the country, or company, is one of the thoughts reverberating in my head after my meeting with Richard Gerver yesterday afternoon, together with Susanne, Ann and Therese from #skolvåren back office. I only missed Ninna, who was with us in spirit, not being able to get away to join us.

Meetup with Gerver

Richard shared the story of his meeting with Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, who said, the real failures of Google, have come about when they tried to act based on the fear of what someone else is doing – Facebook are launching X, we must have something similar! – rather than go deep within to find what they, Google, want to do, regardless of what others are doing.

And that’s what Richard asks Sweden:
Find your vision, believe in you path ahead, and stick to it. Don’t copy cat Finland (now slipping in the ranks of PISA), to move on to copy cat Singapore (latest fad school system everyone want’s to learn from), to move on to….

Vision

No, stop right then and there. Ask instead:
What do we want?
Where are we?
Where do we want to go?
What are the needs of Swedes and Sweden, for a school system?

Discover our Why, find that vision, and stick to it, Richard passionately asks of the hundred or so of teachers, principals, school developers and #skolvårare, in the audience in Huddinge.

I have more thoughts to sit with, after an hour listening to Richard, but this one is top of mind at the moment. But I’m fairly happy to just sit with it, not really doing much at all to act upon this, at this very moment. I’m on a school break, with my kids, enjoying them and their company immensely.

And you know what, the message Richard wants to get across is extremely relevant here as well. So I’ll do what I can to make sure my children know how to listen to their own voice, to find their passion, rather than believing life is about going after someone elses dreams. Because it’s not. Listen within, and there is a voice somewhere, sometimes whispering, other times shouting loudly.

What might happen in the world, when more of us wake up to that inner voice?

What does society want?

Publicerad den av
Svara

Children should see education as an opportunity, not a straight jacket, is the heading of an article in The Telegraph.

We should look at the disjoint between what schools are producing, often by placing children under duress, and what employers, universities and, dare I say it, society wants. – Peter Tait

It’s an interesting article, and it pinpoints many of the issues we are facing within the school systems today, on a global scale, I dare say. However, I am less inclined to ask employers and universities ”what they want”, as the basis of forming a learning system, that will better serve us today. However, when it comes to society, I agree. But the thing is this: 20140225-161259.jpg My answer to that question: Society is made up of me, and you, and my kids, the neighbors, the bus drivers, janitors, brain surgeons, and so on. There isn’t any anonymous mass to point the finger to, because we all partake in the creating of the society we live in. So, since you and I are a part of society – what type of society is it that we want? When did you last ask yourself that question? And if you haven’t ever pondered it – why not start now?

Obedience!

Publicerad den av
Svara

Saw part of a quote on Facebook, posted by True Activist.20131113-142317.jpgHere’s the quote, spoken by Banksy, in its totality:

The greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules. It’s people who follow orders that drop bombs and massacre villages. As a precaution to ever committing major acts of evil it is our solemn duty never to do what we’re told, this is the only way we can be sure.

I would lie if I said it isn’t ”easier” with obedient people. Of course it is. Obedient people don’t ask Why, they don’t challenge me, they don’t talk back or question my actions or orders.

Children, by their very nature, seems to be full of Why’s. But something happens along the way to adulthood, somewhere the desire and curiosity sparking the question Why is trampled upon, frowned upon, ridiculed, considered a nuisance. So the children, as a means to survive, stop asking Why. They hold their tongue, and slowly start to die, to become something other than themselves. Finally the day comes when they have forgotten their true self, and have completely conformed to a society demanding their obedience.

But beware the inherent danger that comes along with said obedience!

I’d much rather have a world full of people asking Why, than a world full of obedient people blindly following orders. Which world would you prefer? And what steps are you taking to creating that world?

Part 4, Seth at On Being

Publicerad den av
2

Seth Godin on On Being with Krista Tippit, part 4. I have gotten a whole lot more from this podcast, but these four blog posts are what made it into visible form.

They end their talk with talking about how we encourage or discourage children to contribute to society. Seth ponders:

Kids’ role as a contributor to society starts now when they are ten, not when they are twenty four, and that the trail they leave behind starts the minute someone snaps their picture.

If we can teach children that there isn’t this bright line between off duty and on duty, but that life is life, and you ought to live it like people are looking at you, cuz they are. Then we trust them, and we trust them to be bigger than they could be, because they chose to be bigger.

And it’s that teaching, I think, that’s so difficult to do as a parent, cuz what you really want to do is protect them and lock ‘em up until it’s time, but the bravest thing to do is have these free range kids, exploring the edges of their universe, but doing it in ways they are proud of, not hiding from.

Wow, I must say that to me defines the shift we need to take in society, to start to build a sustainable and constantly learning society. Let us encourage free range kids, kids who explore the edges of their universe!

Sia in i framtiden

What might happen if you expored the edges of your universe?