7 September, Biscuit Mill

A gay couple have a 10 year old ‘son’ who they are guardians of. They have raised the boy since he was 18months. He attends a public school and the standard of education is not very high. There have been incidences over the past while where the parents have had to query disciplinary procedures with the Principle. In the last few months they have noticed a change in their sons’ behaviour, insecurity and self-consciousness. They sensed a homophobic attitude from the Head, and feel this has trickled down to their son. This has proved to be the final straw in a number of ingredients which has let them to make the decision to move to a Waldorf school. The conversation continued to discuss that in New York, a “gay” school has opened. I’m not sure if it’s for gay parents, or for gay students. This opens juicy conversation over the coagulation of cultural groups which, being marginalised or misrepresented by the status quo, begin to create formal structures.

During the Education Theatre at the Open Design Festival, it was discussed how Design (as process) is a comprehensive, all inclusive, multi-disciplined approach and makes for a good argument to be a blue-print for education models. An example of a school in South Bronx (New York) [intuitively] used an urban gardens project to get the students enthused about learning, developing skills, engaging with their community and developing a business! Design encompasses broadly the standard ‘subjects’ which are demanded by school syllabus, and does so in a practical manner. In order to accomplish a design task a student would need to research and understand many subtle and complex systems, which seem to intuitively assemble as a result of need [to accomplish the task]. Learning becomes a by-product of engaging with life in a meaningful way.

A conversation with a Mother with two daughters at a highly reputed private school: The eldest daughter has graduated with a degree in fashion and is enjoying a successful ascent through the world of online fashion journalism and is a fashion curator for a designer . Her second daughter is in the process of choosing subjects for grade 10. The school has changed its education system to IB (?) Design is not recognised as an official subject. The subject electives are still in a conventional grouping of Science, language, math etc. The conversation led to examining the practical realities in the country: White female students who want to study at higher academic levels are severely marginalised and discriminated. [e.g.. of white students with full distinctions, not being admitted into courses because of racial quota systems]. The realities the new racial quo systems produce are hair raising, [acceptance of students into medicine with 60%!] We discussed how it is probably more appropriate for a privileged white girl to do home economics! and design. This would equip her basic skills which could feed into possible entrepreneurial avenues. Design could fill this gap.

Other Themes which were discussed:

The re emergence of elitism in education, only the ‘rich’ get a decent education

Home school as a growing and viable method of education, both locally and abroad.

Mowbray Police Station

There is a need to develop real, practical skills at school. Bring back the home economics, Wood-work etc.

Spoke with a Teacher from a farm school. She loves her teaching experience. Most of the learners have fetal, alcohol syndrome. Her class is small (18) and there are 48 pupils at the school. She said her experience is very rewarding, that she loves all her students.

An Iranian Woman who has travelled widely said that her education was far more traditional and conventional, to what she noticed in US schools. She has found that her general knowledge and depth of knowledge to be greater that what’s emerging from current systems. We discussed OBE, and she said that in Russia OBE was a system used for learners with learning disabilities (!?).

Two young women who matriculated before 2005 (then still under the National Curriculum with Higher and Standard grade) were highly critical of the systems that were later installed. They have found at varsity, the younger learners were poorly equipped to deal with the demands of higher learning.

A man has sent his two daughters to a Catholic private school, as it very important for him that they be educated within a religious/spiritual context.

Mowbray Police Station