tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1015624733411379608.post7832254225898744617..comments2007-07-21T03:25:58.123-07:00Ronnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1015624733411379608.post-5702644662627202922007-07-21T03:25:00.000-07:002007-07-21T03:25:00.000-07:00Hi Ron<BR/>please could you explore Reggio Emilia experiences for PathsOF Learning.net to offer truly fresh and stimulating encounters via your blogs!<BR/>Hope we can have conversation that can be shared both in India(www.flame.edu.in) and Singapore(www.street11.org.sg)<BR/>Inspired by Ron-we will find a way to connect with you ! vashima@mac.comvashimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683031269532262848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1015624733411379608.post-56932313909056369152007-01-21T14:45:00.000-08:002007-01-21T14:45:00.000-08:00I wanted to add... There were a lot of valuable resources on the old Paths of Learning website that I'd love to see available again if at all possible. Most valuable to me were the bibliographies and the path guides. It was wonderful to find a place where people could seek or offer mentorship. There aren't enough opportunities for that, and to me this movement is also about encouraging and fostering different kinds of learning relationships in everyday life, making them more accessible...Jason Howardwww.freewebs.com/learninbeautynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1015624733411379608.post-86091332848627531292007-01-20T18:22:00.000-08:002007-01-20T18:22:00.000-08:00Dear Ron,<br /><br />I just discovered your blog. I saw you do the keynote at the AERO Conference last year and read your book What Are Schools For. I'm also part of the group working to start the Stone Soup School in Worcester MA. I want to encourage you to keep writing, and as long as you are, I'll be reading. Someone recently inspired me to think about starting my own alt ed blog... so perhaps I'll give it a try. I'm also thinking about bringing alt ed to the world of podcasting. How about a podcast which addresses broader concerns (i.e. outside of education), but frequently focuses alt ed issues, to bring in a wider audience?<br /><br />I'm excited about the idea of building an educational rights movement. I think such a movement would be most successful if we can first move beyond our own strictures and make a case to people in other movements that these are issues they should care about (even if they don't have children or any already vested interest in education). We need to make a case that education -- not just the fact of it, but the question of the form in which it takes, is crucial for social change and a positive human future. Even in ecology and sustainability spheres, where people tend to share many of my values, I feel like I'm speaking a foreign language when I speak of non-authoritarian education. I'd love to see you and other alternative education people speak at conferences like the Bioneers, and other places where we'd be well received, but where people really have never had the opportunity to think about these ideas.<br /><br />I also think we need to perform studies of people who have been alternatively educated. Something that would measure their satisfaction, success (in college, as adults, salaries, etc.), something with both quantitative and qualitative components and that profiles them in interesting ways. We need to find ways to address parents' concerns of how their children will succeed in alternative settings. So far, I haven't heard of any such studies, but it's been something I've been interested in a while, and if anyone is inspired, I'd love to talk to you about it.<br /><br />Jason<br />dewiniaeth@gmail.comJason Howardhttp://www.freewebs.com/learninbeautynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1015624733411379608.post-6617010458603469172007-01-17T17:21:00.000-08:002007-01-17T17:21:00.000-08:00Hi Ron, I must say that I really like your idea of thinking in terms of an educational rights movement. Just calling it that begins to raise questions. An educational rights movement? What are my educational rights? What might an educational bill of rights look like? Are such rights being adequately protected by our government? Is there a constitutional change that we are seeking that could be clearly articulated, and could we create a test case to put before the supreme court? I think it has great potential to be far more unifying for the various alternative educational approaches than “holistic” education. How exciting! I look forward to reading your articles about this in the near future.<br />Ruth LopezRuthianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1015624733411379608.post-61968916621840149092007-01-16T09:04:00.000-08:002007-01-16T09:04:00.000-08:00Glad you are starting a blog Ron. We need more venues like this to have this sort of discussion.<br /><br />I like your idea of trying to gather all the different flavors of alternative education under one common set of principals so that we can challenge the prevailing education culture together.<br /><br />The idea I want to bring to the table is that of liberty for youth and fostering many paths of learning, including school and alternatives to school, that they can choose from. This concept of liberty is a key one in the founding of our country, and gave these former British colonies tremendous energy and moral legitimacy.<br /><br />But as you point out in your book, "What are Schools For?" and John Taylor Gatto addresses in his book "The Underground History of American Education", our current public school system, as conceived in the early 19th century is not a product of the idea of liberty, but of the ideas of industrialization, centralization, and social engineering.<br /><br />So I would put forward, that in looking at learning and infrastructure to help youth with learning (what we call education), we need to reassert the concept of liberty. Learning is something that an individual has the right to choose a path and pursue. It is not something that the government, even as it is intended to be an instrument of the people's will, has a right to impose.czalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16688020665183020868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1015624733411379608.post-6764517379493846122006-12-17T18:42:00.000-08:002006-12-17T18:42:00.000-08:00Hi Ron! Cyberspace seems somehow smaller when I can check out a new blog site and see names I know - Shelley Vermilya, Anne Adams, Ron Miller - (hi everyone!)<br /><br />In the future, hope to see a lot of new names too, which might suggest that the community of kindred spirits is growing and connecting.<br /><br />All the best in this new endeavor - we've come a ways since PeaceNet, right?Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12587588583588736787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1015624733411379608.post-91915436131360686482006-12-12T11:43:00.000-08:002006-12-12T11:43:00.000-08:00Thank you for this beginning. I look forward to being part of this dialogue on an on-going basis.<br /> <br />For further info on me, you can go to the wisdom website and read parts of my dissertation, Systemic, Integral Education and an article I wrote for the Journal of Conscious Evolution.<br /> <br />http://www.cop.com/wisdompg.html under <br /> <br />WISDOM, THE ACADEMIC ENTERPRISE, AND EDUCATION FOR WISDOM<br /> <br /><br />I feel it has a lot to do with keeping the conversations for holistic/integral education alive and well distinguished....and wide spread<br /> <br />I am committed to bringing together the people around the world who are practicing integral/hoistic practices in education.<br /> <br />Anne AdamsAnne Adamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00475191325336411185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1015624733411379608.post-30161993197968106562006-12-11T09:27:00.000-08:002006-12-11T09:27:00.000-08:00Good for you for taking the plunge with your blog! I've been experimenting a bit myself in recent months.<br /><br />Shelley Vermilya, my UVM instructor (and also Goddard faculty), gave me the heads-up about your plans. I am finishing up a UVM M.Ed. program with an independent research project evaluating a grassroots online educational initiative that's been operating since 1990. I'm particularly interested in how multicultural education manifests in virtual communities.<br /><br />Professionally, I have worked for the last several years with Vermont educators; I'll let others know of your interest in fostering this dialog.<br /><br />Good luck to you!<br />Nancy StefanikNanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07994555181200483215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1015624733411379608.post-6350075023832978312006-12-11T08:04:00.000-08:002006-12-11T08:04:00.000-08:00I like it, Ron! I will be sending you a quick screen shot of how the new logo could work with the blog.<br /><br />Keep on Blogging!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17868175893930910255noreply@blogger.com