Quote of the Day from Ludwig von Beethoven

“How happy I am to be able to wander among bushes and herbs, under trees and over rocks; no man can love the country as I love it. Woods, trees and rocks send back the echo that man desires…Nature is a glorious school for the heart! ‘Tis well; I shall be a scholar in this school and bring an eager heart to her instruction. Here I shall learn wisdom, the only wisdom that is free from disgust; here I shall...find a foretaste of heaven… Among these occupations my earthly days shall flow peacefully along until I am excepted into that world where I shall no longer be a student, but a knower of wisdom.“

-  Ludwig von Beethoven

Quote of the Day from Terence McKenna

In a poetic rebuttal to the purely mechanistic worldview of classical physics, the late Terence McKenna noted, “Modern science is based on the principle ‘Give us one free miracle and we’ll explain the rest.’ The 'one free miracle' is the appearance of all the mass and energy in the universe and all the laws that govern it in a single instant from nothing.“

–Terence McKenna, Ethnobotanist & Author

Quote of the Day from Arthur Koestler

"Einstein's space is no closer to reality than Van Gogh's sky. The glory of science is not in a truth more absolute than the truth of Bach or Tolstoy, but in the act of creation itself. The scientist's discoveries impose his own order on chaos, as the composer or painter imposes his; an order that always refers to limited aspects of reality, and is based on the observer's frame of reference, which differs from period to period as a Rembrant nude differs from a nude by Manet." 

-Arthur Koestler, 1970, p. 253

Building New Cultural Paradigms

We live in a cultural context that continues a to provide a very narrow definition of ‘rigorous academics.’ ‘quality education’ and ‘college readiness.’ Despite a vast body of research on the importance of nature immersion for healthy human development[1], the vital role of social emotional skills in effectively navigating life[2], and the effectiveness of interdisciplinarity in sustaining student engagement and fostering deep learning[3], most of the prestigious colleges in America continue to automatically reject applicants who do not have high standardized test scores. Those tests (the SAT and the ACT) measure a narrow band of human capacity, namely academic competence in literacy, numeracy, and science. Because of this ongoing bias at the most elite levels of higher education, the ‘trickle down’ is felt pedagogically and culturally, and our schools (as well as our beliefs about learning) continue to favor a narrow band of human capacity. This remains true, despite extensive research that challenges these views and practices.

The programs at Manzanita School emphasize deep nature connection, interpersonal competence, stewardship, and interdisciplinary study because these are consistent with the best practices in human development, not just in education. We are well aware that this means we are often ‘swimming against the current’ of what the culture-at-large believes to be “good schooling” and “an educated person.” We are unapologetic about this. That said, it is vital to state as part of our Accreditation Review that our priorities and practices may appear very different from the majority of schools, whether public or private. For example, we devote fully 40% of our instructional minutes to “applied human ecology” and “land stewardship.” The outcomes of this substantial instructional commitment is “embodied” learning; something not readily (or necessarily) measurable by what a student can do, remember, or say. This embodied learning is more about “who a student is,” “how they feel,” and “what they value.” Our accreditation self-study continues to explore the best ways to identify and measure these attributes, to articulate them through our 12 Student Learning Outcomes, and to purchase and/or develop test instruments that can show us how our students are doing in these areas so that we can adjust instruction and programs accordingly.

We are very proud of our commitment to nature connection and interpersonal competence in our students, yet Manzanita also offers rigorous academic study in literacy, numeracy, science, and humanities, as our 100% college acceptance and attendance rates attest. However, we know it is not our academic programs that most define us as a school, and with the prevailing winds of culture blowing against programs that could be perceived as frivolous, unconventional, or ‘not academic enough,’ we have found that it is essential for us to speak with ongoing force and conviction -as a community dedicated to bringing out the deepest gifts and strengths in our youth- about our school’s commitment to embodied-learning through nature connection, land stewardship, and social emotional programs. We are at an unprecedented moment on the human journey, facing a difficult-to-see future. How we tend our youth has tremendous implications for how well we can collectively face the unique challenges ahead.

At Manzanita School, mentoring arises most consistently when a young person has regular opportunities to interface with wild nature, and to then receive skilled guidance from a learned elder (or “older”) who can help the youth make sense of the questions and curiosities that arise in the exploration of nature. The assumption here is that the human being’s most conspicuous source of inspired inquiry has always been the physical environment of evolutionary adaptedness (the EEA, as it is called in Evolutionary Psychology[4]), which is the ecosystem of wild nature most proximate to where the young person is growing up. For Manzanita students, that would be the Southern California coastal chaparral of the Santa Monica Mountains. We build on the work of Evolutionary Psychologist Dr. Darcia Narvaez[5] of the University of Notre Dame, who has developed the theory of “Optimal Nest” (evolved developmental niche) which is an ecological term referring to the most biologically appropriate ‘nest’ that a species can grow up in. It is the nest we have inherited from our ancestors. In the case of humans, wild nature is the ‘optimal nest,’ as it was our home for over 99% of our history as a species. The overriding understanding at Manzanita is that a young person’s engagement with wild nature will offer the most consistent context for a deep mentoring into their healthiest and most fully-developed selves.

Manzanita School sent its first acceptance letter on April 18th, 2014. Written on the bottom of that letter (and included on every acceptance letter since), are these words from our school’s mission: “Embedded in the bio-diverse setting of undeveloped chaparral, beneath ancient oaks and a weathered rock face, the local ecosystem and unique geologic terrain will serve as a primary learning context for the study of science, natural history, and human ecology.” This mission remains central.
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FOOTNOTES

[1] Shepard, Paul Nature and Madness (1998 edition)

[2] Durlak, Joseph A., and Others. Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning: Research and Practice, 2016.

[3] Science Europe, “Symposium Report: Interdisciplinarity” 2018, at this link: https://www.scienceeurope.org/media/yv2huvp1/report-of-2018-science-europe-symposium-on-interdisciplinarity.pdf

[4] Cosmides, Leda & John Tooby, “Evolutionary Psychology: A Primer.” 1997, found at: https://www.cep.ucsb.edu/primer.html

[5] Narvaez, Darcia, “The Evolved Nest (Evolved Developmental Niche; EDN)” at: https://www3.nd.edu/~dnarvaez/EDST.htm

 

A New Story to Move the Human Project Forward

Enjoy this brief overview of why humanity needs a “new story” to account for itself, and to move the human project forward. The old story, premised on the idea of ‘human progress through science,’ has lost its effectiveness. We are in need of a new story, and we have the knowledge to tell that story. This overview is presented by the renowned mathematical cosmologist Brian Swimme. 

What is our cosmic story? In the last 100 years, science has provided more information on life than in all of recorded history. But what are we to do with that information? Cosmologist Brian Swimme explains why we need a new cosmic story that explains what we now know about the universe, and how that story can provide a pathway into the future of a vibrant life.

Quote of the Day from Dr. Malidoma Some

“Whether they are raised in indigenous or modern culture, there are two things that people crave: the full realization of their innate gifts, and to have these gifts approved, acknowledged, and confirmed. There are countless people in the West whose efforts are sadly wasted because they have no means of expressing their unique genius. In the psyches of such people there is an inner power and authority that fails to shine because the world around them is blind to it.”

–Dr. Malidoma Some, Dagara Elder and Medicine Man

Quote of the Day from Theodore Roszak

Ecopsychologists have identified what they call the ‘ecological unconscious’ in every human being. This is an intrinsic sense we all have of being earth stewards. We are born with this belief that it is one’s duty and honor to take care of the living planet. However, our removal from wild nature through the emergence of civilization, has made this ecological awareness ‘unconscious.’ Noted historian Theodore Roszak, argues that, “repression of the ecological unconscious is the deepest root of the collusive madness in industrial society; open access to the ecological unconscious is the path to sanity.”

-  Theodore Roszak, from his book Voice of the Earth, 2001

Our Planet | Official Trailer

In recent years, with the advancements in remote sensing cameras, miniatures, and drones, nature photography has moved to new and exciting levels of aesthetic. The “Our Planet” series (on Netflix) captures some stunning images and events within the natural world. (And narrator Richard Attenborough still has the magic!) Watch the trailer here.

Share the wonder of the extraordinary place we call home. Utilizing the latest technology Our Planet was filmed entirely in Ultra High Definition in over 50 countries. From exotic jungles to the deepest seas, open your eyes to the connections we all share. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

Quote of the Day from Gus Speth

“I used to think that top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that thirty years of good science could address these problems. I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a cultural and spiritual transformation. And we scientists don’t know how to do that.”

-  Gus Speth, Author and Top U.S. Advisor on Climate Change

Digital Screens and Our Youth: What is Happening with Group Text?

One of the greatest commitments of the teacher is to foster the building of deep community in the classroom. Young people need guidance in so many areas. One especially critical focus of a teacher is on how students speak to one another.

For all of us, the words we speak require attention, care, and refinement over the course of our lives. It is natural for young people to express themselves spontaneously and without filters. It is one of the jobs of the teacher to help kids find appropriate ways to speak, to give them awareness, to interrupt unhealthy dialogue, and unpack hurtful words. Conversations with confusing messages can create lasting fissures in the community if they are not tended quickly.

Children usually mean well, but lack both the tools to express themselves effectively, and an understanding of the impact of impulsive communication. So teachers must pay very careful attention to what kids are saying. And they must intervene often. However, there is a new problem in our digital age.

It is extremely concerning for those of us in the business of building community. It is a problem without precedent. Today’s youth have Smartphones. But that’s not all. They also use those phones for group texts (or ‘chats’). Ask your child if they are part of a group text. If they have a smartphone, they probably are. The conversations on a group chat can happen anywhere and anytime, if students have their phones.

Much of this is out of ‘earshot’ of parents, teachers, or other thoughtful adults. When conflicts arise in a group text, something that happens more often than people realize, there is usually no adult present to intervene and support constructive healing. When kids return to the classroom, there can be secret fissures that remain untended. This is a very new problem, maybe two or three years old, and it is wildly unprecedented for those of us seeking to foster deep and connected communities.

Please enter the dialogue with us. Please talk to your child. Please consider where privacy should be honored, for a child needs privacy. However, can young people have privacy in their written diaries, or in personal phone calls and conversations, but have their group texts read by adults? A group has a different dynamic than a one-on-one conversation. A digital group chat is an even more complex dynamic. This is a new frontier and we parents are all navigating it. Here is an article to begin expanding our thinking.

Jill Bolte Taylor: My Stroke of Insight

Enjoy this fascinating video about a Neuro-anatomist, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, who suffered a massive stroke and then committed her life to understanding the epiphanies that befell her when the stroke quieted her linear mind. This video points to a tremendous potential in all of us to step out of the machinations of cognitions, and perceive the interconnectedness of all things.

Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened -- as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding -- she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story about how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another.