Brave Work

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Seth Godin's recent blog, If your happiness is based on always getting a little more than you've got..." suggests that by following the "system" you have unwittingly turned your happiness over to the gatekeeper and "prevented yourself from the brave work that leads to a quantum leap."

 

Think about education.  

What is the message underlying the daily experiences of children in school?

 

Is it reinforcing those behaviors and attitudes that equate fulfillment and happiness with high scores and awards? 

Or is it guiding children to develop their unique potential, embracing learning as the path towards a lifetime of doing their "brave work?"

 

 

 

Moments of Significance

Kudos to my friends, Karen and Tom Brenner who are looking at Alzheimers through a different lens.   At the 20th Annual Alzheimers Education Conference, they presented their findings on using educational principles developed by Maria Montessori with patients with Alzheimers. Maria Montessori saw the connection between the hands and the brain and understood the power of incorporating the senses into learning.  For patients with Alzheimers, the Brenner's are seeing that holding an object that has some real-world significance for the patient often stimulates a memory that helps to lift the fog and for a moment brings the patient pleasure and comfort.   Success is measured by  "moments of connection and communication." Karen tells lovely stories about her work in this area; stories of people that she holds in high regard.

Someday I may be a person with Alzheimers.  I hope someone hands me a few large, colorful, beautiful beads...

The Human Potential

Albert Einstein said that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting to get different results.
Take education.
Despite significant changes in cultural and global needs, traditional school models and outcomes have remained pretty standard over the years. What do you think the world would be like if schools valued creativity, innovation, dedication and flexibility over single dimensional test scores?
Sir Ken Robinson (a featured speaker at two upcoming Chicago conferences; ISACS in November and AMS in March) challenges us to explore new educational paradigms. Maria Montessori's educational philosophy (while over 100 years old) is a wonderful model of an educational environment designed to unleash the potential within each child.
If you have a few minutes, watch this RSA Animation of Sir Ken Robinson's lecture.
I can't help but think that Montessori schools are part of this new paradigm of learning. How about you?

500 likes by 10-1-2010. It starts with YOU...pass it on!

On 9/10/10 Maria Montessori was featured on
Voices/Education Project: Creating Peace One Story at a Time. 
As of this writing (6:30 a.m., 9/11) there are only 9 "likes" and  3 comments on the Voices Facebook page.
Let's show the world that there are many people who know about Maria Montessori's Education for Peace.
It is an easy way to call attention to and get the attention of others about Montessori.
It will only work if YOU go on the Facebook site, and check "like."
Tell everyone about the promise of Montessori!
Then pass it on.
We can get the word out if we work together.
500 "likes" by 10-1-2010...oh, yeah!
It starts with you.
Go!