Here’s to the wildflowers
“Just as flowers are beautiful, children are genius. We don’t give a flower its beauty. It is beautiful because that’s its nature. In much the same way, we don’t give children their genius. It is already there. Like flowers, children are destined for beauty and growth.”
– Gholdy Muhammad
At the start of last year, I asked the group of young people we work with to tell me the difference between two images, one of a field of sunflowers and another of a wildflower meadow (see images below). Predictably, they pointed out that in one photo, the flowers were all the same, and in the other, they were different colours, heights and shapes.
I then explained that the sunflower field represented school, where students are expected to learn the same things at the same time, behave in the same way, and all receive fairly similar support. The wildflower meadow, on the other hand, was how I saw our group: a diverse and unique bunch of humans who respond to the changing world around them, require different conditions to bloom, and contribute to the group in valuable ways.
The garden analogy, where the teacher carefully nurtures the soil and the conditions for growth, is well used in education. We want to rewild this analogy so that agency, responsibility, and reciprocity are shared amongst all members of a learning community. Typically, a garden is carefully curated, shaped, and controlled by the gardener. A wildflower meadow, on the other hand, is a living, breathing, dynamic ecosystem where diversity and interdependent relationships create the conditions for life.
A Wildflower Meadow is Connected to Place and Time
In a wildflower meadow ecosystem, each element is distinct, and the system constantly evolves in response to its environment and the natural cycles of the Earth. Similarly, each learning ecosystem is unique, from the people who comprise it to the community it’s embedded in and the natural environment it’s located in.
Grounding learning in place and time gives it purpose and connects young people to a deeper sense of belonging. This might include building relationships with First Nations people and learning about the stolen land we live on; celebrating the harvest of a community garden in autumn; exploring the names and roles of local plant and animal life; learning about and preparing for climate disasters like floods and fires; or organising an event to fundraise for a local cause. A learning ecosystem should be dynamic and able to respond to and connect with the ever-changing world it is a part of.
Wildflowers Bloom Under Different Conditions
In a wildflower meadow, each flower species requires different conditions to bloom. There needs to be sufficient water and nutrients available, and the soil must be healthy. Some will bloom at a specific time of year when the days and nights are a particular length, and others will bloom at a certain temperature.
Like flowers, each young person requires specific conditions to thrive. What supports one young person to achieve their goals may leave another frustrated and confused. What lights up one young person may cause another to switch off completely. What takes one young person 5 minutes to understand may take another 5 days to comprehend. And all of this is more than OK! Diversity of the human condition is a pretty remarkable thing. Through nurturing curiosity and trust, we can co-create a learning ecosystem that supports young people to feel safe in who they are and doesn’t shame them for not achieving success in a prescribed way.
Wildflower Ecosystems Thrive Through Reciprocal Relationships
A wildflower ecosystem is relational, and all the beings within it are constantly interacting with each other. From the fungi in the soil to the birds in the sky, each element has a role to play and contributes to the balance. Flowering plants support pollinators, provide habitat for tiny insects or microorganisms, and increase the health of the soil. If pollinated, these plants can go on to produce seeds, nuts, and fruits that feed animals and insects.
Likewise, each person within a learning ecosystem has the responsibility to use their genius, skills and knowledge to support a thriving community. This could look like a young person who is an expert at coding tutoring someone who only knows the basics; chipping in to keep the shared facilities clean; baking a cake for another young person’s birthday; joining a local beach cleanup group; or organising the schedule for an excursion. A learning ecosystem built on reciprocal relationships allows everyone involved to have dignity and feel valued, empowered, and connected.
Initially, I wasn’t sure how the young people we work with would respond to the wildflower meadow analogy. You can never really predict how these things are going to land. But we were surprised and delighted when they referenced it throughout the year, and later, they decided to make it the theme of our end-of-year celebration. It paints a colourful picture of what is at the very heart of our vision, a place where young people can be themselves, receive the support they need to thrive, and give back to our community, people and otherwise, in ways that honour their spectacular genius.
What do you think? Do you agree that it’s time to rewild education? Let us know on Instagram and Facebook.
