Personal Story

Personal Story

I am very appreciative to get to know more about Dr. Becker’s life as well as the personal story posted by PMF. I found several connections to Dr. Becker’s post. First of all I am a parent as well. As a parent you seem to always be in a state of questioning if what you are doing is in the best interest of your children. I have always been dissatisfied with many aspects of the public school system in Hawaii. I have always wanted an alternative form of education for my children but unfortunately the Waldorf experience that I would have liked to provide for my children is way out of reach for me financially. After home schooling for awhile I enrolled my older children in West Hawaii Explorations Academy in Kona. This school is a charter school and a great alternative for my children. The school is a laboratory school that emphasizes science and marine education with an entirely hands on approach to learning. My son has designed and planted a garden with the rest of his class, and they go on weekly fieldtrips. My son and daughter are receiving a good education on environmental issues. Last week both my son and daughter visited a sustainable farm right outside Kona. I am really happy that my children are receiving an education that provides an awareness of environmental issues beyond just purely textbook learning. In Dr. Becker’s post there was a link to the charter school New Roots which is dedicated to sustainability and social justice. A school that focuses on social justice provides such empathetic and community minded learning, not possible in a traditional school setting. I wish that these types of alternative educational methods were the norm. The hope that high schools such as this offer is that these teens will grow into adults who have a deep understanding and care for global issues. These environments foster social entrepreneurs who have a solution based mindset and want for positive change. These alternative education systems so differ from the norm which still unfortunately focuses on individual progress measured by defunct tests.
I truly love the concept of ecovillages. I have spent many an hour exploring information about Living Routes which Dr. Becker presented in her post. I think these communities provide not just a means of connection but also a change in cognition where self mindedness comes second place to community mindedness. Prior to this class I had not heard of this positive type of community living and it was a wonderful surprise to see these communities are not just thriving at Ithaca but there are ecovillages around the world. I have never really experienced community living. I have a limiting disability that often prevents such connections. I read beyond our assigned Gaia readings one day to read about the special support women receive in these communities when they are pregnant. What was mentioned was that the pregnant women were surrounded by a community of support. From mothers who had already gone through childbirth to women offering a foot massage. For my first two pregnancies I was young and involved in a very physically abusive relationship with no support. When my last son was born in 2007 for the first time I experienced support especially from the midwives that I saw throughout my pregnancy. I can only imagine the wonderful experience this time would have been in a community like Ithaca. Like Dr. Becker I find this type of community so important for children. There is so much of a disconnect in society that an idea of a functioning, sustainable community seems so far from the norm. I think it would be wonderful to raise children in an environment, a community where everyone supports and cares for each other in order for the community to function. What a great way for a child to grow up!