Famously opposed educators come together:
"Our macro-level differences do not interfere with our mutual respect for each other’s work.
That itself is something we hope our schools can help teach young people.
Our differences helped us consider ways to rethink our ideas and find places where those holding different views might compromise, and perhaps learn to live under one umbrella.
What we hope to model is the idea of democratic engagement, the notion that citizens need to think about and debate their beliefs and values with others who do not necessarily share all of them.
We want the issues connected to schooling to be a matter for discussion among all people who care.
We don’t have it in our power to solve the problems that confront American education—not those that take place within the schoolhouse, much less those that have a direct impact on children’s ability to learn, such as their unequal access to health care, housing, and myriad other life necessities.
But we hope that we have it in our power to provoke the thinking that must precede, accompany, and follow any attempt to reform—perhaps, even better, to transform—our schools."
It's tough making the
It's tough making the realization that the affluent society we live in has come at oppression of others. It makes you think twice before making any decisions. Thanks for mentioning Kiva as a practical way of breaking the behavioral patterns of generations before us. You've given your readers a unique opportunity to do something very practical, something that has the potential to REALLY make a difference. Take heart, it seems like a lot of work needs to be done, but small victories add up!
Tim (volunteer with Kiva.org)
p.s. Perhaps you would consider extending the shelf life of Kiva's message by placing a permanent link or a small banner on your site for reading who keep coming back (easy to apply code can be found at Kiva.org).