Short overview of our renewable education philosophy 

(draft in progress)

Sustainable Habitat Incorporating Renewable Education, or, living as a part of your ecological community and teaching others to do so.  Without an ethical and honest education one cannot be expected to be either a community member or a steward, both of which makes one a citizen of the Earth.  In constructing an educational model we have found our greatest strengths in our faith in the natural genius inherent in us all, and in the overwhelming desire to learn and grow in the absence of trauma.  In that spirit we offer-

Educe:  to draw forth

The SHIRE’s education model has at its core a pedagogy with strong ties to the philosophies of Paolo Friere (in our belief in praxis, in dialogue, and in conscientization) John Gatto (in our critique of schooling, and our reversal of the major schooling trends as he outlines), Howard Zinn (in that our education model is grassroots and liberatory), and Derrick Jensen (in our sense of purpose and of truth). Along with a strong focus on ecology and sustainability, we offer an education model that encourages process, self-worth, joy and depth. We take institutional example from the Summerhill School and Ruskin Mills School in the UK (democratic and experiential), along with the 826 National after-school programs throughout the United States (development of writing skills within various joyfully themed learning environments, including pirate, superhero, space travel and monster “supply stores”).

The Core Curriculum includes the following five principles-

Patterns: the interrelationship of all things, and its use as a pedagogical tool.

Critical/Creative Thinking: the Input/Output of our education model. How to deduce, and how to produce.

Traditional/Visionary craft: looking back upon what has worked historically, and what will work indefinitely, through the lens of ecoogy, equity and economy

Purpose: learning all the aspects available of a subject through the lens of purpose, no learning in a vacuum

Presence: a sense of awareness, self, must be cultivated, the big questions processed within oneself, sense of lifespan

The essence of the school is self directed learning, but with a novel additional structure that supports the fruitful passing along of wisdom and experience. 

PRIMARY-for the youngest students needing little direction, with the focus on play, on discovery, and on preparation for a lifetime of learning.

SECONDARY-

ACADEMY

John Gattos seven lessons/our response
1.Confusion/Purpose (consistant premise)
2.Class Position/Classlessness (ecological equity)
3.Indifference/Passion (deep sense of praxis and purpose)
4.Emotional Dependancy/Presence (self worth, sense of self)
5.Intellectual Dependancy/Presence (self initiation)
6.Provisional Self-Esteem/Presence (unconditional self love)
7.Surveillance/underlying trust (commitment to trust)
The core of our education model is balance, on an ecological level, between self, community and the world.