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  • From: Andrew McSwain <aeromax.way@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Designing a Movement
  • Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 03:25:13 +0430

I definately was not aware of all of this. I doubt that many others are in
this group. These observations, strategies, and pedagogical methodologies
should definately be incorporated, or at least considered, during the
formulation of our solution to how to keep permaculture from becoming
watered down and developing a reputation as being somewhat less than
professional and unworthy or unqualified to collaborate in the design
process.

points i noticed:
common faults in teaching how permaculture would be taught
common flaws in how permaculture is applied

Solutions:

In how to teach how to teach: The end-of-course presentation to critique and
evaluate the pedagogical methodology of the student

In how permaculture is taught: Perhaps the 72 hour intensive is not enough
time to pass permaculture. We should not expect that everyone will fill in
the gaps of a shoddy permaculture course with dedication to self study. A
solution to this could be the Modular addition to the 72 hour Intensive
course.

The apprenticeship is another solution to the lack of depth of the course
due to such a small teaching time, but how is this integrated into the
curriculum. Is it required? Is there a distinction for the increased
teaching time?

What about further certifications and knowledge evaluations? For example, A
test or some other mechanism that evaluates your knowledge of a specific
subject related to permaculture.

The third prong that you mentinoned: the permaculture-to-public prong, as
currently realized by the PmC networking association. a tool for
socio-ecological change and to weave together all those, individuals and
associations active in this area into a major force who could push along
designed change at a local , predominantly, and national level.

I would consider your way of doing permaculture design for private clients
as another way to realize the prong of permaculture-to-public. That way
would be: "Personally I no longer do designs for others as I have found it
more efficient to teach a 'customer' how to design themselves and then guide
them to unfold the design from them. This does mean I earn less money but
then I'm not in this for the money."





On Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 12:23 PM, steve read <permaculturefr@free.fr> wrote:

> On 15/08/2010 08:12, Andrew McSwain wrote:
>
>> Are pedogical methods
>> and theories, teaching techniques, included in the course to become a
>> certified permaculture instructor?
>>
>>
> With the Diploma system here in France and Belgium, as we are giving the
> 'right' to someone to teach a PdC when the receive the Diploma they are
> required during the presentation of their work to show how they would teach
> a PDC . We also have regular teacher training sessions .
>
> Our global PmC movement would seem at the moment to be working in a two
> pronged way , Designers designing/installing and teachers teaching others
> how to design. Personally I no longer do designs for others as I have found
> it more efficient to teach a 'customer' how to design themselves and then
> guide them to unfold the design from them. This does mean I earn less money
> but then I'm not in this for the money.
>
> In terms of the two prongs the following are some things I have noticed and
> which concern me.
>
> * Designers who seem to have a standardised design in their head and
> which they seek to squeeze onto each site they work with.
> * the overuse of 'fashionable' techniques and strategies where
> others would have been imo more adapted to place and people.
> * A lack of willingness to work with other professionals, engineers
> and suchlike.
>
>
> * Teaching courses that leave out chunks of the syllabus, for
> example courses in cool-temperate areas which don't cover the
> material on other climate areas or all the stuff around invisible
> structures etc is left out. This is a particular concern as the
> next generation of teachers hasn't been exposed to this material
> and hence don't cover it either .
> * Where all the syllabus is covered the pre-dominance of gardening
> and growing over things like buildings, roads, dams etc.
> * Pedagogies that are predicated around discredited ideas. For
> example left/right brain hemispheres.
> * That a teachers personal favourite techniques are expounded to the
> detriment of others. Food forests, straw bale building and swales
> are current examples of this.
> * Projects that present themselves as permacultures and host courses
> but which aren't and when subsequently revisited show no evolution.
> * Courses that are too expensive for local peoples which then have a
> tendancy to be only open to the middle classes.
> * PmC teachers who seek to earn their living teaching courses, I
> have a tendancy to see teaching work as something that comes out
> of the 'give away surpluses' part of our ethics. That if I'm good
> enough as a designer my project/life will be generating sufficient
> surplus that I don't need to charge a lot for courses, if it
> isn't then maybe I shouldn't be teaching.
>
>
> These concerns inform how we are trying to evolve our systems here in the
> Euro francophone areas. For example we are working to put into place a PDC
> system that is modular and students spend 2 or 3 days working on projects
> with project leaders/teachers who have particular areas of expertise whilst
> also being well versed in PmC generally. This system would lie alongside the
> current one of 72 hour intensive courses. We have also the Compagnon
> apprenticeship scheme where post pdc students travel around the world
> working on projects with experienced teachers to gain a wide range of
> experience, knowledge and ability.
>
> 'Teaching in teams' seems also to be the way we are moving forward,
> currently in Belgium the PDC is being lead by a mix of the French and
> Belgium teaching teams, whilst individually they don't have my 20 years of
> experience designing and teaching , the sum is greater than the whole.
> Different modules are being taught by permacuteurs whose main jobs are for
> example eco-construction and pisciculture.
>
> This is especially interesting for me as it means that local people,
> speaking the local language, versed in the local climate and culture,
> charging the local rate for courses can start running pdc's in teams much
> sooner. Of course the teaching teams have with them someone who has the PmC
> Diploma and experience in designing and teaching to help and guide.
>
> The Université populaire de permaculture has as a vision courses that are
> 'prix libre' people pay or not what they can. This is the tradition of the
> 'Popular Universities' here in France , which was almost destroyed by de
> Gaulle. in the short term we are seeking EU funding, in the longer term our
> activities will be from funds generated from the exchange of surpluses and
> also surpluses generated from an infrastructure of land and buildings,
> designed, installed and maintained by the UPP apprentices. This copies the
> model of the Hospices de Beaune in Burgundy.
>
> Another 'prong' of our approach is being developed through Brin de Paille,
> the foremost PmC networking association in France. The assoc aims to present
> Pmc to the general public as a tool for socio-ecological change and to weave
> together all those, individuals and associations active in this area into a
> major force who could push along designed change at a local , predominantly,
> and national level.
>
> I have taken the time to write all that as it seems that many in the
> anglophone world are unaware that PmC is well installed in many other
> countries/language areas and that these countries are evolving systems and
> approaches that may inspire.
>
>
> Steve Read
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--
Andrew Edwin McSwain
055(11)6785-1176 (São Paulo)
01(501)681-0439 (United States)




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