MANIFESTO

We need a fundamental rethink on what education is for. 

• It is NOT about filling empty vessels (students) with knowledge
• It IS about inspiring young people as life-long learners and preparing them as citizens of the world
• The old model of teaching history as a canned and contained version of the past

ALL young people have the right to learning in a way that makes them feel seen, supported and inspired in their growth.

• That young people should be heard with their clear demands for an education that prepares them for a world of complexity, and should be engaged as stakeholders in the design of learning that works

Schools should be incubators of compassionate and pluralistic citizenship, where we all learn to develop respect across differences and practice conversation with people with whom we disagree.

History must be taught as something that is complex and always looks different from different perspectives.

• Enabling young people to find, filter and evaluate information as evidence for arguments and decision-making purposes is more critical than ever before
• That young people should be taught to discern and distinguish between ideologies and political arguments, but not indoctrinated in any one direction

That high-stakes testing in its current form is limiting our ability to achieve this goal, and that we need a new conversation about what is measured as the success of our educational system. 

It takes a community to raise a child, and that experiences in and with the community should be a part of school learning, not only relegated to “after school”.

• That intergenerational connections are critical learning experiences to strengthen the fabric of our communities
• That cultural institutions are critical partners in delivering learning that inspires and engages young people to pursue inquiry, analysis, problem-solving and action.

That changing a system starts with every individual committing to a new way of thinking and operating:  collaborative, creatively, and with a focus on weaving a community out of many diverse individuals

That change can emerge when we love fully and develop trust. 

That the time to act is NOW.