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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Power Circles

Every primary school in the Netherlands has 'individual coaching', 'individual training' or 'individual adaptations' in its program for children. Hurray! 

Hurray? It all depends... on the goal of the individual approach. Most often it means that the child that is deviating from the mass, especially when it is functioning below average, will be pulled or pushed in the direction of the mean, so that it will fit in, in the bell curve, at an acceptable distance from the average.
Only rarely will a school state that it will help the child deviating from the normal range, to stay away from the mass and make its deviation even more pronounced.  Unless the child has a high IQ, the overrated trait in this rational society. Yet for some children it would have been the better option.
There's a hidden message in moving a child towards the mean and away from its own spot in the graph. It tells the youngster it's not a good child. That in order to be appreciated it has to do what others like or are good at. That its own inclinations and senses are wrong.

OK, so the extra lessons brought Mary's grade in maths from 2 to 6 ( from E to C) ... that's only good for Mary if she can now calculate with as much ease as the other kids. If she has to struggle for every 6 / C... how healthy is that?  In class she has to concentrate so hard, that she can't join in on the jokes and 'illicit' communications. She gets home tired and grumpy, Her class mates avoid her, so she is playing alone most of the time. She's not exactly developing her social skills.... all she is learning is that she'll have to walk on her toes the rest of her life. Don't be surprised if she's burned out at fifty... not knowing why.
Jack never liked learning, being in the classroom makes him feel overwhelmed, left out and a good for nothing. He is now doing a home schooling program. A little bit of learning, lots of playing... slow progress, but he feels relaxed, happy, proud. People really like this 'urchin' and chances are he'll get hired somewhere some day, and he'll grow into his job at his pace, making a living after all.
Davy likes painting more then anything else in the world. He is not good in English and abominably bad at geography and history. How easy would it be for his  teacher to say that he should do geography while the rest of the class is painting. Because Davy doesn't need to learn anything about that...he's a natural.   No, his teacher knows that Davy's eyes will shine energetically after half an hour of painting and that this good feeling it will help him battle his way through geography and history. And if Davy can learn more history through making a painting of a medieval castle, rather than writing a paper about it... the teacher will ask Davy to make that painting. Davy is allowed put his talent to use, he can stay in his 'power circle' and learn from there. It;s not likely he'll get a burn out at midlife. More likely he is a painter then, because his teacher taught him to believe in his own talent.



Thursday, November 8, 2012

Taking a Break

... at home.
Yes, I have to do it. Go on a holiday at home. Simply lay down my worst chores and trade them for some things long overdue.
It's not my son who is tugging at my sleeve, nor my mom or brother. It's me I can't say 'No' to.

I'm trying to build three cities in one day. And when it's not finished before midnight, I'm so annoyed with myself. Suppose I would succeed... it would be done by 'overcropping'. My buildings would be there, but their foundations would be shaky.  And I'm getting to be like that too. By listening to that silly part of me that uses fear and greed as motivators.

I'm retracting my 'short notice' of two weeks ago, I'm going on that holiday!  Where am I going to? I'm going to see  [ sea ;)  ]  whether letting go and NOT working on my dreams with full force is more constructive for them than all my latest investments have been. Funny... I've been here before, I'm back at the well once more

I've already started packing my suitcase: I bought two large plywood planks today... Never worked with my planks on an easel, but I have my mom's easel for working with pastel standing downstairs. Starting this weekend... I'll have dirty hands and jeans but there'll be a tune humming in me. My 'Heartsong' as Matty Stepanek called it.


Jo

Friday, November 2, 2012

Suitcases 4

This train has reached it's final destination...





No matter how you call it, how you write about it: if you really feel you're doing 'something' wrong,   
try taking a look at it from different angles...


(c) 'Lantern Pole being curious' by Jene Jasper.



in any which way. It doesn't have to be by packing your suitcase.
Now , if you come up with ideas for a change for the better... 

- Make sure that this time these ideas are truly yours. Not suggestions taken from others. else you can't stand for your choice when the going gets tough... and it  will get tough if you choose for 'Change'.

- It doesn't matter whether you decide to slowly introduce them or go for the big bang.
Just the plain fact that you are changing course, or tracks, means that your life IS different from now on.

- Don't give in on these ideas, not even after 300 failed attempts... after all, there is beauty even in the attempt: the attempt in itself means you are being true to yourself.  

If the journey means nothing to you, and you are only focusing on reaching your desired destination ....   boy you are closing your eyes for the biggest part of your life. And  you might be disembarking at station "Disappointment" if you turn down the unexpected switches offered to you in your journey.
God [or Fate or Life or Love] 
     may have a better destination in mind for you, than you do yourself!