[will try to come back later and fill in holes, etc - so rich]
holy cow.
does each book i read really get better? is the order really this divine? or am i just finally drinking in life.. each day.. and that's how it works..
Emmerson - live ever in a new day.
so Yaacov... wow
what esp resonated were the personal stories:
- the kid who played soccer for 3 years, the parents were worried and decided to take him to another school. Yaacov told them one thing - he would be successful wherever they took him. and he was.
- Elad, coming in as severely learning disabled. stops talking at home. even though the parents aren't asking about school, he still feels defined as disabled, by that square, we call school. once their true feelings are shared, Elad is released to be himself. ends up teaching himself to read, said at that point it was cake, got a masters in history. his mom said - she had been so concerned about treatments, she had missed knowing her son.
- people wondering what the heck you are doing, wondering why you have no definite solutions or answers to their questions, swimming in the unknowing, the growing, yet longing for solace to those seeking quick fixes.
- believing in kindness, no matter how ridiculous.
- trusting in learning, no matter how far removed (from our squareism)
- trusting in the learner - to get what they need
- working with a system who's mission statements say they want what you are doing, but aren't giving it enough space/trust to happen/flourish
- believing in random paths of learning per learner's choice
- learning how connected we all are, how related different people (student, parent, teacher, admin, community member) are to the same process
- failing to see what you are ridding in yourself
- the intense love for people
- freedom shock
- overachiever
- at home
agree with what parents/adults need to do:
- give space, even with your eyes
- model areas of growth yourself
absolutely get the box within the world that we try to fit everyone in.. outside the box is considered lazy, ridiculous, unworthy, not credentialable - loved where that mayor asked if you believed surfing was worthy of credentialing
huge confirmation that if school wants to be good for people, the world, it needs to be non-compulsory, it needs to do a get-pivot gyration of zooming into an interdependent status for personalization and zooming out to the community/world for generosity
4 basic parts of the spiral of not knowing:
- not knowing area
- discover area
- knowing area
- doubt area
my questions...
- does a focus on human rights create the need for procedures, is it possible to focus on a culture of trust rather than rights
- in my ignorance, in my not knowing - it felt meeting heavy
- can we get to a place where we're just living.. taking care of issues as they come, on the spot, as human beings, rather than needing to call a meeting
- same for prof development, can't it just come as naturally as the kid, playing soccer, doing their thing
- i do feel we need a time of detox, because most of us have been intoxicated by the square, but once we've reconditioned our minds (as in unleashing them) will we need all this call to order - parliament procedure? i honestly don't know. my gut says no, but that's just my gut
- they all had their own keys.. love it
year 1: search (notice?) year 2: deepening (dream?) year 3: production (connect?) year 4: application (do?)
i want to go to Israel. i want to see Yaacov's eyes. (thought i feel i have.)
i want to hug Elad. i want to embrace his mom.
so ... i will do all of that here.
we're doing that here Yaacov. we love your voice and your story and your strength and your commitment to do and to search.
thank you deeply Yaacov. Sheerly.. Yaniv