permaculture

[J Hobbs <hobbsj@efn.org>]

--

Hello All,

Been following the curriculum/certificate thread with interestŠ

I've been teaching PcDC's since 1990 - 2 and 3 
courses per year---- and have never repeated the 
same course twice.  It is an evolving process - - 
the orchestration of how and when to offer up the 
specific topics in the curriculum is an art- as 
well as a science.  The art is keeping folks' 
attention and the science is most of the material 
covered.

The focus of PcDC's are the Strategies it takes 
to develop WHOLE SYSTEMS DESIGN.... Permaculture 
courses offer the opportunity to develop frames 
of referenceŠ ways to evolve a more permanent 
culture.  One of the biggest challenges of 
teaching a PcDC is remembering our role is not to 
give details on every technique but explaining 
how to design a whole system by integrating all 
the elements that define the big picture of a 
place.

There is an expectation, by some participants, 
that the certification course is the be all and 
end all of learning about Pc (Is this the same in 
other parts of the world or just in the U.S.?) 
The time needed to really delve into any specific 
subject that is referred to in Mollison's Manual 
would take months-- just on one subject ---it's 
not practicalŠ.

It's essential to clearly state at the beginning 
of each course- and repeat throughout the course- 
the importance of dynamic thinking-- proactive 
learning and that we offer a 'taste' of 
permaculture-- providing guidelines (Pc 
principles), bibliographies, websites, and other 
resources from which folks can move forward in 
their own personal research.

The beauty of the design courses I have been 
involved with is that by the final presentation 
most participants understand it is the 
inter-relationship of these components and the 
decisions for closing the loops that will, in the 
long run, create positive change. (A goal of 
Permaculture)

Courses need to cover the topics in the Designer 
Manual -- and create opportunities for 
communities to develop so people don't feel 
isolated at the end of the course-
This is an enormous advantage of week-end 
courses--- We are currently teaching an 11 
session week-end series.  During class time we 
create break-out groups, times for networking, as 
well as, lecture, slides, and hands-on projects. 
There is also home study assignments. As a 
result, folks from neighborhoods will continue 
working together .. this is a way for the 
learning process to carry on, long after the 
certificates are handed out.

I realize that every attendees' expectations and learning styles are 
different-
We are casting seeds, not knowing where and which ones will germinate.

Couple other misc. responses:

-- It's my sense that Permaculture has actually 
been resurrected from the 'dust' of the late 
90's.   It is thrilling to hear the term 
Permaculture being recognized and honored when 
I'm reading journals, out in our community or at 
conferences (such as Eco-Farm- Tilth- Bioneers- 
etc)---- what a delight it is to hear people 
discussing how to bring these strategies to their 
farm or urban homesteads.

-- I have co-taught Teacher Trainings for the 
last four years: people in attendance do get what 
Pc is- and are there because they need/want 
guidelines for an effective way of sharing the 
information with others ---

-- We absolutely need more credible 
demonstrations -- we need to offer more advanced 
courses on a variety of topics-- water, soil, 
plants, invisible structures.. etc.

-- This conversation harkens back to why several 
of us instructors got together in 2002 to discuss 
the idea of a Western Permaculture Teacher's 
Association--- it was a dynamic interaction-we 
decided to meet again-and did so 2 years 
later-evolved the organization to the point of 
action-then the real world set in-too busy-not 
enough time to follow through with committed 
responsibilities----and so it sits idle-and here 
we are again-in discussion about how shall we 
have a credible global Permaculture organization 
with continuity of curriculum and peer reviewŠŠ.


Jude Hobbs
Eugene, Oregon

Thanks Lawrence, for all your work in 
facilitating this listserve- it is a valuable 
vehicle for exchange.