First of all, let's review what we mean by an educational program. As I pointed out in the opening chapter, there appears to be a lot of confusion over that term. An educational program, as opposed to a collection of activities, should be a non-random, cumulative sequence of learning experiences focused on specific outcomes. And almost by definition it should be synergistic, that is, the whole should be more than the sum of its parts.

. Sunship Earth awakens the feelings and imparts the understandings that will help young people better fulfill their responsibilities as crew members and passengers of this wondrous vessel of life that we share. For 4-5 days both leaders and learners embark on a re-training mission, getting to know their place in space and how they can go about keeping it healthy.

In the introduction to Sunship Earth I suggested that our field has produced lots of candy to choose from, but precious little in the way of programs. I suspect most people confused the means with the ends. They thought all that candy displayed for them at the workshops and conferences was the goal instead of a possible vehicle for achieving the goal. Of course, their confusion may be understandable when you realize that some of the folks producing the candy failed to point out to them what they were getting. Instead, they often handed out the bags!...

... Folks, bagging up a bunch of the candy that has been produced in our field and calling it a program is like tape-recording a batch of unrelated sounds and calling them a symphony. In earth education we aim to make each program a genuine, carefully-crafted symphony on living more harmoniously and joyously with the earth. That doesn't mean our programs are bereft of candy. It's what you do with the candy that counts. Perhaps the artfully arranged interior of a box of candy would provide a better image for what we should be doing, for a genuine educational program contains related pieces that are organized sequentially to produce a specific, cumulative effect. In a programmatic container everything is carefully ordered to support and enhance the desired outcome.

Such programs already exist in the educational community as a whole (there are some good ones out there in other fields like reading, math, etc.), so why do we suggest in our area that a program is little more than a couple of unrelated activities and a discussion (plus the obligatory poster in the hallway)? It's a mystery to me.

Make no mistake. Program building is tough work. It just won't do to bring some teachers together, toss some money at them and expect them to create good programs (not very often anyway). That is one of the worst mistakes we ever made in education. Designing a good instructional program is not the same as teaching one. You can be an excellent teacher and a terrible designer. They involve different skills. Most teachers have been trained in the area of content and delivery, not in design and development. So please remember, just because you are a good learning helper doesn't necessarily mean you are a good program builder as well. For example, I am a much better builder personally than a helper. I tend to be too intense for lots of younger children (and some college students too!). I intimidate instead of motivate. But the important thing is that I realized this from the beginning and formed a team of good learning helpers to assist me in piloting the programs I designed. Who was the "Jimmy" in chapter two that I hid up in the trees at the edge of the marsh and watched twenty some years ago? He was a fourteen year old natural -- a learning helper with the marvelous ability to put kids at ease, to coordinate and direct their energies without dampening their spirits. He still is. And we still work together today.

In this chapter we are looking at some tools to use in building an earth education program. In previous chapters we have erected the framework for the structure. We hope you will be able to use that framework and those tools in constructing a good program for your own setting and situation. However, if it doesn't seem to come together very well for you, please don't give up. Start looking around for some assistance....

Continue... Environmental Education Vs. Earth Education

Earth Education... A New Beginning Copyright © 1990 The Institute for Earth Education. All Rights Reserved.