Good, Least Harm—in April 2012. “Initially, students were intimidated and underestimated their ability to express their thoughts and concerns or debate issues with the adult participants. That challenge faded quickly,” remarks Karen Giuffre, founder and director of the progressive day school. Posing provocative questions like, “What brings you
joy?” and engaging in conversations in subjects like climate change, racism, recycling, green energy, genocide and war challenged the students to step up to become respected equals. “This demanded a lot from these young people, because the experience wasn’t only about absorbing complex issues and developing an awareness of the material, political, economic and cultural world around them. It was also about how they probed their minds and emotions to determine where they stood on issues and what they could do to change their lifestyle, or that of their family and community, to make it more sustainable,” says Giuffre. The students went on to help organize a peace confer- ence that entailed 20-plus workshops to inspire an individual mindful awareness of peace that motivates and empowers the peacemaker within. It was intended to incite collective action across generations, explains Giuffre, and was followed by community service to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
Answering the Call
Children or adults that participate in activities such as those created by IHE or the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Challenge 20/20 are developing what Peggy Holman describes as “change literacy”, the capacity to be effectively present amid a changing set of circumstances. Holman, an adjunct professional lecturer at American Uni- versity’s School of Public Affairs, in Washington, D.C., is co- founder of the Open Space Institute-US, which fosters whole- system engagement, and author of Engaging Emergence. “Conversational literacy—the capacity to talk and inter-
act in creative ways with others that are very different from us—is our birthright. However, change literacy, a necessary skill for future leaders, is learned via curiosity,” advises Hol- man. “In my experience, children grasp it more quickly than adults, because authentic expression and curiosity come naturally to them. Children don’t have a long history, and so are naturally more present when engaged in exploring things that matter.”
Global problems of deforestation, peacekeeping, conflict
prevention, terrorism, water pollution and shortages, natural disasters and mitigation, global warming, education for all, biodiversity, ecosystem losses and global infectious diseases
natural awakenings
April 2013
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