We need to establish our American identity in our system of education. Our youth are Americans who want to participate in meaningful ways. They want to explore the world and connect with others, they want voice. American youth want to create meaningful change, and know they are capable. As older Americans, we may seek theirContinue reading “American Youth Are Unique – Let’s Play to Their Strengths”
Tag Archives: children
High School Dropout Can Fade Away
We need to start at the beginning – at the root – to grow strong, interactive engagement with our youth and rediscover the heartbeat of education that is alive with relevance. Without an overarching design that starts from the beginning to create a solid foundation, we will continue to falter and wander within a weakContinue reading “High School Dropout Can Fade Away”
Wildlife and Endangered Species
For some, the concern for wildlife seems peripheral; other needs must come first. This perspective would seem a blind spot to those who champion endangered species as one of many primary issues we must address as a people – a people capable of understanding the interwoven connections that make the whole of our worldContinue reading “Wildlife and Endangered Species”
Solution in Our Midst
My husband teaches language arts in our local middle school and he receives publications from NYSUT (New York State United Teachers). I was struck by the recent cover photo and the statistic: 1 in 4 children in New York live in poverty. When I think of poverty, the first thing that comes to mind isContinue reading “Solution in Our Midst”
We Can Start Now; We Don’t Need Permission
We can start now. We don’t need permission. There are no obstacles. We have everything we need: A unified service learning curriculum Schools nationwide Non-profits in every community Project originators Internet One office Service learning is an established methodology for coordinating traditional academics with genuine, real life, current time, community needs. Bringing genuine community needsContinue reading “We Can Start Now; We Don’t Need Permission”
Education and National Security
Two perspectives on national security stand out to me. Readiness to defend – military preparedness to do battle Preventative measures to avoid conflict – building trust and cooperation globally. For those who address our national security from the perspective of readiness to defend, we are weak and vulnerable. Mission Readiness describes itself as a “nonpartisan national securityContinue reading “Education and National Security”
Let’s Fix Food Insecurity
“An estimated 100 billion pounds of food, enough to totally eliminate hunger, is thrown away annually in the United States. It does not have to be this way.” AmpleHarvest.org It’s nothing short of amazing that we continue to allow this contrast to exist without correction. We have the supplies, tools, and intelligence to fix thisContinue reading “Let’s Fix Food Insecurity”
Youth Managing Community Needs
The K-12 national service initiative places our youth in the role of managing the overview of our community needs. Are youth capable of taking on this management role? Absolutely. Working with non-profit staff and teachers, youth can manage the overview of work and progress in specific areas. With a national projects checklist they can researchContinue reading “Youth Managing Community Needs”
Immense Social Good – Simply Unlocked
If we were a family gathered around the kitchen table considering a challenge or a set of problems, we would identify the resources we have and make some decisions to start down a path of solution, effective immediately. The process would be simple, straightforward. Translated to a K-12 service initiative, it would look like this:Continue reading “Immense Social Good – Simply Unlocked”
An Antidote to Bullying
Bullying that escalates to violence doesn’t cross the path of all our children. Violence sits at the extreme end of a spectrum of shades of insensitivity to others. Violence is the end result of an infection in full bloom, requiring aggressive measures to contain the spread of the infection. From a preventative perspective, we needContinue reading “An Antidote to Bullying”
