Educational Communities

Educational Influences around Learning Communities

Much of my work involves learning in the setting of social relationships, of the social nature of teaching and learning, and the related view that we create, foster, a “community” that supports both practitioners and participants. I have a number of experiences that support this philosophy of education both from my own childhood as well as working with a variety of programs, working in classrooms, working to create environments that promote all levels of participants to become engaged. For me it’s about finding meaning, supporting a sense of purpose and participation, a sense of place, creating all those things so that each participant understands their many roles and takes their own responsibility to co-create a supportive community seriously.

Their are lots of versions of this but my current favorite, as we look at our program and what makes it work, is “Communities of Practice” (C of P), defined and then modified from Etienne Wenger. http://www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm

I have borrowed these ideas as I have tried to reflect on my own experiences, particularly as I try to make sense of ERN as both a camper and a staff member. Foundational to C of P is the sense of a place, both physical places such as camp but also one’s own sense of place within this domain. Camp created in its own history, stories and experiences a sense of both physicality as well as fostering a sense for campers that they belonged. “And you belong to El Rancho Navarro and El Rancho Navarro belongs to you” the song goes. And so an intentional community was created. But belonging is in reality just the first step.

The next crucial element is that you both belong and create the C of P. There is a sense of understanding of the purpose, the point of it all, and common mission. And this is true for adults, staff, directors, as well as children at ERN. Each has a purposeful sense of participation. Structures, rules, expectations, a developmental sequence for participation. And from this then comes leadership. You know the places, the purpose and mission, and then you each, regardless of level, step up as leaders.

The combination of place, purpose, an understanding of one’s roles, the opportunity to matter, to create, to be held accountable, responsible, to be integral rather than just ancillary, then all moves towards creating something for which perhaps no one person has the complete vision but each can understand. Reflective practice, part of something greater than one’s self, spirituality...

So how do we programmatically define this? If it is our goals to create this sense, of purpose, mission, direction, reflection, how do we create and instill this in others? This is the real conundrum for me. Part of the answer comes from a basic understanding of right and wrong as defined by the place.

The idea as I’ve tried to apply it is to clearly and strongly convey a direction and a process for reflection. To work to develop a participatory process by which the team defines and refines their understanding their role and their options. Because the key is options. Rather than define each element, we define what each must deliver. Rather than restricting the how we refine the why. And then we let each person find their own methods, reflect on their own experience and bring this to the experience. And we reinvest time and energy in this process. In this way the efforts bloom beyond the experience of the person in charge. Camp was greater than Irv and Edna’s experience because they didn’t instruct in such a way to restrict. Sure there was a clarity of direction and clearly defined boundaries, but within the realm of each person, they had a great freedom to both fail and succeed.

But the key element for me was that it free from definition. It in fact it was highly defined, both in terms of history and experience. And that many people defined this: Judy, Cole, Cheryl, Hal, Ray, Randy, Marshall, Ruth, and Carol, and many more...each contributed to an ever greater whole. And the newcomers, Michelle, myself, Paula, Bernie, and many more added their version.

Thanks again, Ryan