Sharing a vision for education
“I absolutely believe that it's time for a reimagining and we can do so much better. We cannot keep regurgitating the same old curriculum and expect you know, these incredible humans to come out at the other end. Who's gonna change the world and make things better or be better humans?”
– Vicky Laurencine
As part of our research we interviewed over 40 parents, educators, young people and experts. We were regularly flawed by what was shared throughout these conversations. When I sat down with parent and holistic therapist, Vicky Laurencine, and asked her to reimagine education, she absolutely delivered the goods. I’ve shared an excerpt from the interview below.
M: I'm going to ask you to travel 20 years into the future, where remarkable positive change has happened. What do you think school looks, smells, sounds, tastes and feels like?
V: Oh, my gosh, it feels like home. It's a space where you can really just be yourself. You can be curious, and that's encouraged. You can learn about what matters, what matters to you, as well as the collective in terms of what's required to make things better, better for self, for people, and for planet. It's a space where it smells earthy because it's open, green and natural. We're connected to nature because it's our biggest teacher. Any lesson you need to learn, the answer’s in nature and how she operates.
Oh, it tastes healthy because, you know, we understand that food is medicine and medicine is our food and we plant and consume from that foundation. We teach our children to understand that connection with what they consume means they're a part of the earth, and they're making choices. It smells clean, crisp and open because there's lots of air flowing through. You can smell the wind. It feels like all the textures that we experience in nature, because that's what we need to be a part of to grow. It feels safe, where it’s safe to ask questions and not feel stupid. It feels safe to excel and actually have a space to kind of expand into.
It’s a place where you learn from those who have gone before you. Where you realise wisdom isn’t possessed by one person standing at the front of the classroom. We invite members of the community who are wise and have lived experience that can be shared with the young, and they appreciate that. Reciprocal learning takes place.
It's a place where you're taught how to learn, not what to learn. Content isn’t deposited; instead, you're taught how to navigate content, to truly understand from a place of wisdom, not just knowing, where it can be applied to the lived experience. A place that doesn't teach you to seek validation outside of yourself through marks or a pat on the back for being a good student. It's a model that teaches you to find your own compass. How do you learn what is authentic and true? What does that feel like? How do you navigate so much content out there? It's a place that sparks joy.
I think it is absolutely necessary from as young as possible that we teach the children what they are made of. We’re made of nature, right? So we have to connect to nature. That's how we ground, that’s how we find peace. That's how we solve problems, where we can get clarity.
I think it's essential for children to know we're made of atoms and this electrical circuit, this chi that we can use. We need to learn how to calm it down, but we need to learn how to invigorate it as well. I think it's essential that we bring in the kind of wisdom where we teach children to self-regulate, to meditate, to activate their vagus nerve so they can connect to the body and mind. We need to teach children that there's a wheel of emotions and we're not one-dimensional beings. That experience isn’t just anger or joy; we actually can experience all these emotions simultaneously. Every one of them is energy in motion and they’re here to tell us something about ourselves. So if we're angry, what are we personally angry about? To introspect, to not blame, not shame, not attack the other person in the situation, but bring it back and go, oh, I'm angry. What am I angry about? Am I hungry? Am I tired? Is it because I'm frustrated I'm not getting this right, as opposed to hitting another child or doing something else? We need to teach children that it's safe and it's so normal to have a so-called ‘bad day’, to not be okay, that sometimes some of the grey emotions can take over, but they pass just like this energy motion. It takes 90 seconds for them to come through our body and leave if we don't attach a story to them. This is a wisdom that our children need to know, so that they can manage themselves and equally interact respectfully, compassionately and with kindness. If we can show up kindness and compassion for ourselves, then we can do so with others, but we can't give something we don't have.
It would be lovely to have gratitude practices at the end of the day to finish the day with three things you're grateful for, something you'd like to do better and most definitely something you're proud of. Teach our children to be proud of themselves, of what they do, not from a place of arrogance, but a place of expansion and joy.
What is your vision for education? We’d love to hear it! Fill out the form here or let us know on Instagram and Facebook.
