Note : I have prepared a Petition to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia following the guideline sent to me by the British Columbia Office of the Clerk.
The petition can be found here.
If you are interested, you can print a copy of the Petition, sign it, perhaps even get several signatures, and mail the Petition to me (send me an Email and I will happily provide my Address). My apologies for the bother of having to mail me your signed petition. Petitions require original signatures, in pen, to be considered by the Assembly (otherwise, I would have an online petition). The signed Petitions are then presented by an MLA to the Legislative Assembly.
Once tabled by the Legislative Assembly, Petitions become public property. This does ,in fact, mean that anyone would be able to look at the Petition and the signatures & addresses it contained. Please do not sign the Petition if you feel that this fact makes you uncomfortable. I feel it is pertinent to indicate, however, that Petitioning the Government is an old practice and that if it had been subject to a great deal of privacy complaints, it would have been discontinued. Furthermore, if you feel passionately about changing the school system, I think signing this Petition is an excellent step on the road to doing so, and worth a little, barely tangible discomfort.
I have revised the presentation of my idea for a new approach to schooling introduced in my 3rd pamphlet. This new outline should make it easier to get a good idea of what The Velja Approach to Schooling proposes.
What Does “Velja” Mean?
“Velja” is Icelandic for “Choose”. So, in other words, this new approach to schooling could be called : The “Choose” Approach to Schooling. I think “Velja” sounds cooler though. Also, Icelandic has Viking influence, and Vikings evoke images of strong, adventurous, confident individuals, exactly the kinds of student school should be producing.
What Is The Velja Approach To Schooling?
Simply stated :Student-Directed Learning. Students decide what they want to study. Teachers are sought out by students for guidance, but studies are Student-Generated and Motivated.
How Would It Work?
When students finish Elementary School and enter Grade 7, a specific pre-established curriculum is abandoned and a student's education is placed firmly and confidently in their hands.
Students have access to all the school's facilities and can use them at their own discretion.
Students have unrestricted use of their time and can dedicate it to engaging in whatever activities they wish.
Students can seek out the guidance of Teachers when they have questions in a particular subject.
Oh, and there is no School Bell tyrannically dictating anyone's day.
For The Adults
The Velja Approach requires and needs adults to have complete faith in their pre-adolescent.
Think back to when you were a preteen. How much could you have accomplished if the adults around had truly believed in you and given you the freedom to pursue those things that captivated and inspired you?
Were you lazy? Did you need your hand held? Did you like being forced to attend classes in areas you weren't interested in? Were you old enough to tell adults what you found interesting and what you did not? I think you could have guided your education just fine. I think your kids can too.
Why not give them that chance?
A Vitally Important Question :
Does School Succeed In Teaching?
I suppose the definition of “learning” varies from person to person, but I propose a very simple test to determine if school genuinely imparts knowledge to students.
Give an adult one of their old school tests and see if they can pass.
Anything beyond reading/writing and basic arithmetic will do, so anything beyond around Grade 5 or 6.
The result of the little test will be, sadly, with almost certainty, the poor adult could not pass.
Is that why that show is called Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? I don't think the title of the show was meant to be complimentary to adults or the school system which supposedly prepared them for life.
Adults who do succeed in passing an old test of theirs, will do so if it is in a subject which they were interested in. One which they did extra reading in, just because they loved it. One which they did extra assignments for, just because it was fun. One which they pursued in University, because they wanted to make it their life's work. Where's the magic of learning come from? Being interested. Being captivated. Being enchanted.
What Are Teachers Doing?
While students are spending their day directing their own learning, what are teachers doing? The same thing. Just because humans become adults does not mean that the thirst for knowledge slackens. In The Velja Approach teachers are spending their time not teaching further advancing their own knowledge. Teachers are in the library. Teachers are in the various school laboratories (chemistry, biology, cooking, computer). Teachers are in the Gym or running laps on the track. In The Velja Approach school is a Place of Learning, not just for the students, but for their teachers too.
I mean, hey :
“Why shouldn't students and teachers have lunch together in the cafeteria?”
They would if they spent time shooting hoops together, sharing Brownie recipes, or having a music/jam session.
3 Short-Stories : Student-Life In The Velja Approach
Justin loves Basketball. During the beginning of the year, he spends most of his time in the Gym practicing. He's on the school team and practicing for nearly 6 hours a day has made him an excellent young player. By November though the routine is becoming somewhat boring. Justin continues to attend practices dutifully, but he finds 6 additional hours everyday too much.
Justin's girlfriend Ashley encourages him to come join her in the Chemistry Lab and try out some experiments together. Ashley prepares a simple Volcano experiment with Vinegar & Baking Soda to show Justin what happens when an Acid & a Base mix. Ashley teases Justin that's what his stomach looks like when he eats the hamburgers he loves because the digestion of Carbohydrates requires the stomach's digestive juices be Basic, and Proteins require an Acid solution. Ashley is glad Justin has gotten Basketball out of his system somewhat so she can explain digestion to him and get rid of the Rolaids she always has to carry in her purse.
Ethan is forever in the school's Computer Lab. When he's not playing World of Warcraft, he's rapidly teaching himself C++ and Python because despite the fact he's 13, he's already decided he's going to program games for a living. His buddy Nick is in the school's Drama Program. They belong to the same guild in Warcraft and go adventuring together often. Nick doesn't find raiding quite as much fun as Ethan does though. In November, Nick joins Ethan only a handful of times for a raid; Ethan wouldn't admit it, but he misses Nick's company. Nick, being an empathetic 13 year old, senses this and encourages Ethan to come down to the school's Theater and lend a hand with the program's production of Romeo and Juliet. Ethan finds Warcraft less fun without Nick around, so he relents and tries it out. Ethan finds the program fascinating. Not only does he get a lot of exercise (which he finds he actually does enjoy), but he gets to watch an epic story unfold in real life! He also secretly has a crush on Janika, who happens to be playing Juliet (but so does the entire male portion of the 8th Grade). Still he gets to watch her up close everyday. = )
Ethan is still going to be a programmer when he grows up, but maybe he'll get into design too...and start working out...
Melissa loves Italian. It's not her first love though of course. She already has an excellent grasp of French, Spanish, and even some Latin, having studied them with an insatiable appetite nearly all day, everyday, for the past 4 years, but Italian is her heart's latest captor. She and her friends ,Noemie and Jade, are actively raising money for the Language Program's trip to Italy over March Break. All 3 girls are 16 and have already succeeded in raising a lot of money for the trip with after-school jobs and tutoring Spanish and French speaking exchange students with English difficulties. Their final financial push will take the form of a Soccer Tournament. The girls have already formed many friendships in the Spanish and French speaking communities (both rabid Soccer afficionadoes). Both communities will be fielding numerous teams for the Tournament. Both the girls and boys school Soccer team will be participating and even some teams from other schools. The school's own Awesome Rock Band has offered to play a free concert for the after-party, with the Carpentry Program contributing a beautiful, hand-made Kitchen-Furniture set as a prize. The school's Fashion Program is donating a totally unique, new Wardrobe (all student designed) as a prize. The school's Automotive Shop is donating a package of free Tune-Ups and Oil Changes as a prize, and the school's Animal Lover's Club is donating vouchers for free Dog-Walkings (which they love to do anyways). The girls are sure they'll make plenty of money for the trip and have a blast doing it too!
This is the power of giving bright, infinitely energetic students the complete freedom and adult-faith to do what their young and curious hearts and minds draw them to.
This is what real school should be, and must be, to raise happy kids.
The Meditation Room
The Velja Approach does propose adding one additional facility to all Secondary Schools : a Meditation Room. In this soundproofed room, students would be able to sit down in a comfortable chair or on a large cushion and allow their mind to rest peacefully or focus with greater vigor.
There might be Environmental Music playing in the background, and the décor would be serene and contemplative.
When one's surroundings are quiet, and the body is at peace, one can hear one's inner truth speak.
Good for studying. ; )
