Children
“In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” - Eric Hoffer
We are at a very crucial and pivotal time in human history. We feel that the world our children will be inheriting will be very different to the one that we have grown up in and know now. When it comes to “education” we feel that with an informed and intuitive foresight of what is to come, it would be irresponsible to not prepare them on some level for the coming changes.
It is our joy and privilege to witness and nurture our children’s natural inherent curiosity for learning, their playfulness, their freedom of expression, their creative imagination, their unique talents and their “gift to the world”. At Khula Dhamma we are shaping a rare environment where we can only feel gratitude and excitement in bringing children into this world. Indeed, children who grow up in the loving support of a mindful and diverse community that cultivates a deep reverence for Nature and a relationship with all of Creation, are in quite a unique situation.
We are all here to learn- regardless of our age. We learn about ourselves, from our “mistakes”, from each other and, probably most pertinently, from Nature. Learning has no beginning and no ending. With regard to “formal education” there seem to be some very useful guidelines coming from existing “alternative” methods such as Montessori, Steiner, Freire etc. While these and other methods present many valuable insights and practices, we also feel it’s important not to attach or limit ourselves to any one methodology or system. We feel that this is a time of incorporating the available knowledge and experience into an intuitive and boundless progression that is in tune with humanity’s evolving consciousness.
On the practical level, education is about acquiring knowledge and learning how best to use that knowledge. A community with so many different projects and skills is a perfect environment for applied learning. On the reflective level, education is about imparting ethics, compassion, mindfulness, generosity, self-reflection and other such life skills.
As children grow so do their interests and the more they learn to actually govern their own learning process the more they will be empowered, independent and confident to explore wherever their heart takes them.
Structure and routine may be helpful for some at some time, but this is never imposed. Children may form their own “study groups” where common interests are shared. These groups may or may not be guided or supported by an elder.
We would like to see all elders interact with each child as if he or she were “their own”. This would mean assuming a level of responsibility (comfortable for them) for noticing opportunities to spontaneously integrate applied learning. Or, if it feels right, to creatively trigger an opportunity.
How we as elders intend to support and guide our children’s learning:
• To spend ample time playing together and having FUN!
• To create a space where children can go, either alone or with others, and choose from a variety of games, learning materials and creative materials to play with or engage in at any time.
• To offer- just offer- collective or individual projects for children that will incorporate various aspects of learning. i.e. reading & writing, problem solving/ lateral thinking, creative thinking, maths, biology etc.
• To be receptive and responsive to integrate learning and sharing with children into our community projects, activities and practices.
• To not just give answers, but to reflect back their question in a way that they may discover their own answers.
• To ask them probing questions.
• To be clear and consistent about behavioural boundaries
• To be clear and consistent about safety issues.
• To integrate mindfulness, presence and self-awareness
• To offer structure and/or routine as and when needed
• To relinquish all structure and/or routine as and when needed.
• To share meaningful stories related to co-operation, sharing, communication, conflict transformation, communing with Nature.
• To explore and inform them of the different approaches to social, economical educational structures.
