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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@gilanet.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Coalition for Self-Learning'
  • Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 07:31:17 -0700

DESCHOOLING SOCIETY / CREATING LEARNING COMMUNITIES

Like Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Margaret Mead, The Wright Brothers,
Abraham Lincoln, Ernest Hemingway and many other creative individuals, many
young people have learned without schools. This self-learning mode is the
hope of society's future. It is the theme of 'A Coalition for
Self-learning' whose mantra is "Deschooling Society / Creating Learning
Communities."

"Deschooling Society" comes from the 1970s book by Ivan Illich. It is
echoed in the concepts of John Holt in "Learning All of the Time," In Paulo
Friere in "Pedagogy for the Oppressed" in experiments by A.S.Niel, Marie
Montressor, John Dewey, John Gatto and many other social critics. They have
held that the school system is "dumbing us down." It prevents students from
answering their own need for being creative. Some 2 million American
students are now homeschooling and unschooling to escape the confining mode
of schooling. Many are drawing together in 'homeschool support groups.'
Some are taking the next step in creating co-operative community learning
centers and learning co-ops.

In spite of the growth of this self-learning movement, and in spite of the
fact that many creative persons like Bill Gates, and Dean Kamen have found
school stultifying, the movement has been ignored, and even stiffled, by the
maintream press, politics and education system. While millions of
foundation dollars are added to billions of government dollars to force
future citizens to stay in schools. There are few, if any, that support
self-learning.

'A Coalition for Self-Learning' spontaneously self-organized on the Internet
in 1999. As we discussed self-learning, a member in Japan suggested we
write a book. Twenty members agreed to author chapters for review and
consensus acceptance by the group. A member in Denmark offered to put each
chapter in his website for discussion. A member in Vermont offered to
publish the book. In August 2001 "Creating Learning Communities" was
published and released.

Few of us have ever met one another face to face. We see this project as an
experiment in doing something other that talk on the Internet. The proof
that cyberspace is more than a place for discussion is probably as important
as the themes of our projects.

The Coalition followed the book with a "Guidebook on Creating Learning
Communities" printed and distriburted November 2002. In 2002 the Coalition
has taken on the task of helping embryonic learning communities to find
sponsors and ways of supporting self-learning. It has developed material for
a second addenda on "Financing Learning Communities." Another task group of
the Coalition has just prepared Vol.1No.1 of a "Learning Cooperatives
Quarterly." The newsletter is now on the Coalition's website and
downloadable for printing and distribution by any of our now over 300
members.

If you can envision a society based on learning and knowledge rather than
matterialism and greed you may be one of us. We'd welcome your input and be
pleased to have you join the Coalition.

A Coalition for Self-Learning
Bill Ellis, General Coordinator
POBox 567
Rangeley, ME 04970
(207)864-3784
<tranet@rangeley.org>

Read more on:
<http://www.CreatingLearningCommunities.org>

Join our discussion on:
<LearningCommunities-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>

THE PEOPLE ARE NOT THE PROBLEMS, THEY ARE THE SOLUTIONS
IF THE PEOPLE LEAD, THE LEADERS WILL FOLLOW







  • [Livingontheland] Coalition for Self-Learning', Tradingpost, 11/25/2002

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