SOS Asheville

Fall 06 SOS Report 
TOPIC:Sustainable health/healing social systems
Conveners: Laurel Reinhardt/Charlotte Anthony                                            

Participants:Christina, Kathy, Rainer, Beth

Past History of this Topic (if applicable)

Laurel: From previous immersion in health care system as both consumer and provider, I have long been concerned about/interested in the need for a different  paradigm, one in which consumer and provider realize that, together, with their intentions/beliefs/expectations/emotions, they are creating a field which can be healing or can slow the healing process.

Charlotte: In the Design Science Lab, the education team decided to do aseembly programs and after school programs with community service based participation for the students. The DSL had specific programs (school gardens, green roofs, energy in a box) that it wanted to disseminate, but with the particular vantage point of the kids owning those programs for themselves.

Started seminars: Taking Responsibility for Your Health. Also, advocacy for people who were sick, and reminding them of their beingness.Key Discussion Points:

1. Eight assembly days program using open space technology to focalize community service based action by students, using clubs and other existing structures, as well as addressing concerns of teachers/principles (i.e., how will this improve the students’ test scores). Sir Ken Robinson is talking to governors across the
   U.S. re: creativity being more important than test scores for corporations’ current and future needs. (Matthew Fox is also talking about after-school programs in which what is not taught during school can be learned.) The process would, hopefully, draw in parents who, upon seeing their children, might be intrigued and be able to begin thinking outside their boxes of how to do things. Mentioned one woman’s model for working with “learning disorder” labeled kids, and how they begin to do things no one, including them, thought they could do. Pilot program done in Buncombe County with youth going into prison system. Use internet to report on: intent, problems, solutions, outcome, recognize.
2. Health—teaching/coaching people about personal responsibility and collaboration. As a healer/coach with “end stage cancer”,
   Charlotte began with people’s pain issues, then moved on to the whole issue of life/living..

Lawrence Le Shan/Turning Point: what is right about the patient, vs. what is wrong?

Cancer as blocked life force; how to unblock it.

The paradigm of Prepare for Surgery: relax and visualize a positive outcome. Get physicians involved in this on their end.Conclusions or Recommendations for Action:

Creating support teams (ala Barbara Scher) to support people in brainstorming/barnraising.

Once it’s in community space, it’s owned by the individual being supported

 Cannot make value judgments.
You commit to what you commite to; if you don’t do it, group asks what you need.

Aim for mainstream nursing association.

Report #:7

Name of Topic:

Transforming Public School Systems: teaching and learning for teachers and students

Name of Leader: Lisa Watson

Names of Participants:

Amy, Veronica, Lisa, Bret, Kathleen, and Lynn

Previous story regarding this topic if there is one:

Lisa, an educator for many years, also holds a background in drama & theatre.  She began to see that drama and theatre, when used in the classroom, could motivate children and keep them interested – learning was happening.  As her professional career developed, she gained cultural and scholastic experience.  At this point, she develops programming for educational groups such as public schools.  She developed the group topic because she wants to use the ideas developed as she creates innovative programming.

Other members of the group brought a wealth personal experiences as teachers, program developers, board members, and visionaries.

Highlights of Discussion (present story unfolding):

Vision

Clean water, food, and shelter for people

All children should be praised and excited

It should be “OK” to make mistakes

Children and adults both need to experience opportunities for growth so that synergistic learning can take place

Character development is paramount to successful learning

Kids have the capacity to meet the challenges! They are smart!

Challenges in Public Schools:

Children aren’t engaged

Children are protesting the system, dropping out

Children don’t always have support at home

Teachers aren’t always motivated

Administration is “old school” and does not want to change paradigms

Children don’t feel challenged

People have disparaging thoughts about the system – think it is a failure – based on prior experience

The school system is hierarchical and not self-guided

Funders (such as Bill Gates) are looking to fund traditional ways of doing things, which does not encourage innovations

Solutions – ideas that are forming

Develop the character, Self-Esteem, and Emotional Intelligence of students, families, and teachers

Use mentoring relationships to model how to live life, which includes time to “just be” without rules and plans.

Discard the old way of doing things – be willing to change the classroom to the student’s needs and strengths.  Learn about how every child in the classroom learns.

Use a variety of methods in the classroom – visual, physical, auditory, mental…and invite people with experience in those areas into the classroom to support the teachers (could include therapists, for example)

Abolish tenure, and increase the pay scale for all teachers.

Students should be allowed to evaluate teachers, with results being that teachers with good evaluations stay.

Provide physical education – sports, dancing, etc. – to develop character.

Offer programs with less emphasis on testing

Provide workshops to help teachers recognize children’s issues and help teachers respond creatively to children.  Provide ongoing support in these endeavours.

Create a welcoming atmosphere for parents – “family learning”

Teach children more about how to work with money

Future Action/Next Steps:

Develop an ultimate Frisbee league for local high schools to develop personal character and leadership. (bret)

Work with local public schools and funders to develop innovative programming (Lisa)

Read the book “The Customer Comes Second” to learn about a way to help a system reflect what we want the students to learn.

Use the passion of teaching to teach other teachers how  to tap into their creative power. (Veronica – will consider this)

Check out Swain Educational Center for Family Learning as a local example for including families/parents in student education.

Stay in contact and join forces with other concerned individuals to voice the need for children to be taught well to politicians.

Encourage volunteering in schools by community members, parents…

Check out “The Real Game” a program developed that puts children in realistic simulations that foster development of decision making, financial, team work, etc. skills

Build/Enhance collaboration between churches & community groups and schools to develop great after school clubs.

Share these ideas with decision makers.

Resources Required (who should be involved, finances, non-paid labour, other):

Big question. Not enough time to get that specific.