We do things because we are told to do things. Policy dictates how we need to teach and curriculum tells us what we need teach. These policies and curricula have created an education continuum. Students must learn X before they can learn Y. Sir Ken Robinson says 'we have become obsessed with this linear narrative.' If we believe as Sir Ken Robinson says, that 'life is not linear, it's organic,' then how do we fit that paradigm inside the very linear curriculum of education?
There are so many wonderful resources out there to help put us in the right frame of mind for the pages that follow. The video and graphic below will no doubt get us started.
I developed 'The Web of Rights' under the guidance of 29 Full Day Kindergarten students. From it we manage our actions. Every action that we make can be placed on 'The Web of Rights.' Here's a brief description of how it works.
Let's Warm up
Understanding that the web cannot be broken helps us reflect on our past actions and dictates our future ones. The rock throwing example in the video demonstrates how children have the right to play however they want, so long as it doesn't infringe on the rights of others. When it is determined that Steven's right to safety would be compromised if rocks were thrown at him, the child that wants to throw rocks needs to manipulate his/her play as to honour Steven's right to safety. Remembering that everything is connected and that we must honour our rights and the rights of others are the key takeaways from 'The Web of Rights.' If you sat down with your students and asked them 'what do you think you deserve? What would they say? How different would your class' web of rights look from this one?