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From the Observation Deck

by Dee Dickinson

 

For most people, the last few months have been times for deep reflection. Serious questions come to mind about how recent violent events of catastrophic proportion have changed our views of the world--of our country--of our personal lives. Do we each now have new responsibilities that go beyond anything we have ever done? What kinds of support systems do we need to create a community, a society, a world in the form of the highest good for the greatest number of people? What is good? What is evil? Do we each have both within ourselves? What kinds of personal homework must we do?

What is now the role of educators? What do our children need to learn in order to survive and thrive and participate in creating a more positive future? What tools do we as educators both in the home and classroom need in order to equip new generations for this critical undertaking?

Is it now essential for inclusive communities of educators to form in every school to dialogue, to share best practices and useful ideas, to discuss problems and how to deal with them? In essence how can educators create support systems for the most challenging of all tasks, i.e. preparing students for a world that requires well-educated thinkers, problem-solvers, and decision-makers who are guided by principles of compassion, integrity, honesty, and responsibility--and who can look ahead to both the short and long-term consequences of their actions.

How can such communities be networked? New Horizons for Learning offers a venue for this process. We invite learning communities to share their processes and discoveries in each issue of our online Journal, beginning with the March issue.

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