At DRC, along with redefining the concept of education, we are also reimagining the word play. This task really shouldn’t be as difficult as it has panned out to be considering many words in our lexicon are not used, today, as originally coined. Nevertheless, whether you call it brainwashing, cultural norms, or plain old stubbornness, education, play, as well as work are all words that have intensely emotive connotations, which currently drive western society ideals.
We go to school to learn the things we need to get a job to buy the things we need to survive, and, so we can play (goof around) on the weekend. In truth, we have it completely, dangerously, and categorically backward.
Play should be first in the line-up, in every single instance. We ought to be learning through investigation, exploration, experimentation, and discovery – all of which are pure and unadulterated play, but only when all of those actions are being taken on voluntarily out of natural curiosity and absolute joy – not in a coercive, teacher-centered system. Those of us who practice and provide self-directed education, believe that learning is as natural and easy as breathing and school is completely optional. Education driven by interest, aspirations, satisfaction, and contentment is meaningful and it grows happy, healthy, adults who are self-motivated to continue learning throughout their life-time. The countless benefits of unforced, life-learning, although well documented in the scientific and psychological communities, are still totally foreign to many in our society, especially to those who have the wherewithal to fund us. In the past few weeks, I have written several grants. One of the most common questions on grant applications is multiple variations of – (in 2000 characters or less) describe what is unique about your approach. I have spent hours crafting and honing this response.
Deep Root Center programs are unique in that they bring the concept of learner-centered, non-coercive, self-directed learning into the real world. Within a very loose structure, our students are supported and encouraged to explore the world on their own terms based on their interests and aspirations, which builds self-confidence, empathy, and helps them realize that they can affect change, along with aiding them to understand that a positive future is available to them. Every student will learn something completely different, because they are able to make observations based on their unique methods of investigation, perspective, and personal life experiences. They will then be able to express their new-found knowledge in distinct ways that will help to engage others in conversations about their experiences. We believe that through these one-on-one discussions, whether with family or community members, attitudes can be changed. You probably noticed the absence of the word - play throughout the entire passage. I don’t want to raise any red flags and give the wrong impression – you know - we are all messing around over here without responsibility or serious intent. However, you now understand the revised meaning, and know that we, in fact, really are all playing here – building lives full of meaning and affecting change within our community. To be clear, this is exhausting, challenging (at times frustrating), hard work, and, if it wasn’t such outlandishly, ridiculous fun – we, simply, would not be here, doing it.
In these last two weeks of the academic year, our student's focus will be turned to evaluating all of those unfinished projects to determine which ones are worthy of additional time, those that will be reimagined in the future, and the hopeless few that are destined for the recycling or trash bin. This is also the time we start thinking of future endeavors that will be implemented in the coming year.
This process of examining the detritus from the past nine months is always bittersweet, but more so this year as we look toward moving into a completely new facility before the end of the summer. This space has been the safe incubation chamber for innumerable ideas, art and crafts, stories, deep (and silly) conversations, lessons (those formal and not), and, most importantly, enduring friendships.
We are incredibly proud of the young people who call DRC their educational home and we look forward to creating an all-new inspiring facility with all of them. If your child is ready to be part of all of this ... contact us today!