I've been using my work with kindergartners in a public after-school program to experiment with these ideas in a practical way. I've come up with some great activities, and I'm always working on more. The challenge for me is to gain a wider perspective on the issues at hand, and I believe the Pachamama Facilitator Training creates just that, a deepening of this conversation about where we're going and an invitation to look closely and mindfully at our motivations and the impacts of our actions.
I will add updates on the blog about my training and subsequent curriculum development, so people can see how my work with the children is
progressing, and also to invite dialogue and share ideas.I'm already in on some yahoo groups that are discussing ideas and I've been talking to facilitators from the symposium I attended as well. When it comes to creating lasting change it's hard to think of a better way than through mindful education of the young.
Below are some of my activity outlines along with some pictures, as well as commentary .
In the works now is a Storywheel I'm constructing that will allow the children to create a story of their own invention, made up of elements they’ve expressed interest in learning about. Each element, once selected, will have a factoid card with it that will feed plot twists into the story line as we act it out together. I'm also including a list of these elements so that folks can get an idea of what 5 year olds are curious about when asked "what do you want to learn about?"
Trees & PlantsVolcanoes, Rocks, Clay, the Earth
Fish, Crabs, Shells, Oceans, Tidal Waves & Rivers
Dinosaurs, Snakes, Lizards, Frogs (and what they do on Christmas)
Dogs, Cats (wild and pets), Monkeys, Horses
Diamonds & Gold
Candles, Teepees, Balls
Things that Fly, Rockets
Outer Space, Black Holes, Rocketships, Spacesuits, Aliens
Princes’, Princess’, Mermaids, Super Heroes, Unicorns & Pegasus’
MOMS
Our Bodies, eyeballs, what’s inside of us (organs etc...)
not to mention the power to send someone to the moon until they can be nice to trees!
Kenneth Fischer January/February 2008
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