Dear All,

Alan, I like your idea of 3 wings. I certainly am interested in the 
education wing. Perhaps we should select wing co-ordinators in order to 
produce workable plans for each wing.

To find out a little more on the projects we are doing, check out the 
website.
http://tamilfoundation.org/main.htm
I am more directly involved with Scientific Explorers and Nature Campers. We 
are mostly volunteers.

Alan, we have found a new interest in students, esp the under priviledged 
one, to learning and wanting to know as opposed to exam oriented 'learning' 
with this new way of teaching BUT the journey is still long and we are far 
from getting to where we wanna go but in the words of Lao Tzu, "The Journey 
of a thousand miles begin with a single step".

peace
yunus


>From: "A.D.M.Rayner" <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Three Wings and a Prayer for FoW?
>Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2006 17:41:13 +0100
>
>Dear All,
>
>Just when I had decided to stay out of the Friends of Wisdom Kitchen for a 
>while, I have found myself reflecting further on the possibilities for 
>trying out new recipes and styles of baking (or half-baking). I suppose I 
>still feel that that there is a tremendous potential in this group to help 
>bring about real transformation in human understanding and the role of the 
>academic community in enhancing our sense of natural neighbourhood as we 
>face the implications of our human presence on this planet and much 
>self-inflicted pain. But I also feel that to realize this potential by 
>opening ourselves up to creative possibility, it will be necessary to let 
>go of some of our most cherished idea(l)s if they are not to be major 
>obstacles to our learning.
>
>I might explain that I have on several occasions myself tried to help 
>initiate novel educational programmes by way of a cross-disciplinary 
>International School (the 'Matran School' - linked to from 
>http://people.bath.ac.uk/bssadmr) based on e learning, and also an 
>'Itinerant University' consisting of a network of practitioners prepared to 
>'outreach' to local groups (as distinct from a Central University Structure 
>expecting the World to come to it). All have foundered so far through lack 
>of confidence, 'critical mass' and/or resources, but we may have gained 
>some useful learning from the experience that could be contributed to the 
>emergence of FoW as a truly transformative influence. Meanwhile I have also 
>had experience of helping to organize two innovative transdisciplinary 
>conferences, the 'Language of Water' in Spring 2001 and 'Unhooked Thinking' 
>in Spring 2006.
>
>This morning I woke up pondering about the diffuse nature of FoW's 
>explorations so far (not a 'bad thing' - it's a vital ingredient of all 
>successful foraging, as fungi - yes, fungi - provide an excellent 
>illustration of) and how to move on to a more coherent pattern of enquiry. 
>This led me first to reflect on the nature of wise leadership - which I 
>sent a separate message about. Secondly, I thought about how the 
>explorations might be focused around three distinctive (but not discrete!) 
>avenues or 'wings', which might be labelled 'educational', 'social' and 
>'philosophical'. Underpinioning these wings, so to speak, might be a 
>recognition of an implicit, indefinable, gravitational quality such as some 
>'see' in a common pool of what they variously call 'space', 'spiritual', 
>'divine', 'love', 'wisdom' or whatever, within which coherence can be 
>found. Here is how these wings might co-facilitate one another's enquiries:
>
>
>1. Educational Wing. Here the endeavour concerns how (and whether) to bring 
>about the radical transformation of approaches to learning and assessment 
>processes favoured, I think, by the likes of myself, Karl, Cherryl, Harvey 
>and Yunus. I honestly think that this transformation is both possible and 
>vital. Where there is a way there's a will. And there is a way, which 'real 
>learners' love.
>
>2. Social Wing. Here the endeavour is to to recognise how new understanding 
>can be developed, applied and communicated in a social and political 
>context. This is very challenging, as has been apparent from discussions in 
>this forum. But it is also vital.
>
>3. Philosophical Wing. Here the endeavour is to question and where 
>appropriate change fundamental premises affecting scientific, theological, 
>governmental, historical and mathematical theory and method. How helpful or 
>misleading are current methods and concepts in understanding nature and 
>human nature?
>
>
>If these three wings could be incorporated into the evolution of a new kind 
>of 'University dedicated to the cultivation of wisdom'....
>
>
>Just some hopefully helpful thoughts to be put to simmer on the back boiler 
>awaiting the Head Chef's or Chefs' attention.
>
>
>
>Best
>
>
>Alan
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

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