FAQs SunWALK PDS People Development System

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IN ONE (long, highly-condensed) SENTENCE:

The SunWALK PDS (People Development System) is a holistic model of humanization (including spiritualization) that sees human development, children and adults, as:

the storied development of meaning, which is
constructed, and de-constructed,
physically mentally and spiritually, through
Wise & Willing Action, via
Loving and Knowing – developed in
Community, through the
‘Dialectical Spiritualization’ of
Caring, Creativity & Criticality processes, all undertaken in the light of the
‘Sun’ of chosen higher-order values and beliefs, using
best available, appropriate content.

Complete PhD is HERE

INTRODUCTION – GETTING THE GIST; getting to the heart of the site and of the SunWALK model – please read the FAQs & these summaries.

The site is not primarily about presenting my model. It is about presenting the questions that seem to me to be necessary in order to articulate (your/any) comprehensive model of (holistic) education. My SunWALK

model was my attempt – and working backwards from it helps to lay out the questions that I argue are necessary and indispensable.

This section of presents my various attempts to provide a crystal-clear summary of the SunWALK model. I have failed – but I’m getting closer – I hope. From the summaries and the FAQs you can get the gist of

what the site and model are about – the model and ideas toward which all of the other stuff is related.

I will keep trying and I would like to read any attempt to improve on my attempts – from you dear reader!

In addition to the FAQs there are to date 6 summary versions of the model:

MORE ABOUT THE SUMMARY VERSIONS of the SunWALK model – and some helpful TASKS for the student

Presenting a summary of a model

For many years I have been working at simple, clear explanations of the kind of model that is advocated, and represented, here. Several attempts at summarization are listed below.

The challenge is considerable. However I believe that it is not just because of the limitations of my ‘summary attempts’ but also because of the paucity of educational models (represented in ways other than just

words) and secondly because of the very deep and untested assumptions that people have when it comes to education.

Models of education are frequently assumed and rarely made explicit in ways that go beyond mere words. They are rarely presented in ways that are useful to teachers, learners and researchers actually engaged in

the processes of education.

I deal HERE with models and modelling in the 30 module-session course.

THE NEED FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT IN EDUCATION

Assumptions, and the set of assumptions we call a paradigm, are another, very important, matter in transforming education.

TASK:

List the assumptions about education that you think are ‘hidden’ and rarely made explicit in your society.

At random I suggest a few assumptions that are made but rarely tested. Children need to go to school in a special building called a school. The State is the best body to arrange almost everything. Children should

sit in desks in rooms in groups of approximately thirty. Socio-economic prowess and status should be the over-ruling driver of education. The spiritual and moral require few resources, little time, low status and can in

effect be done as a ‘bolt-on’ extra (the message in effect is that socio-economic skills are always more important than ‘character’) Etc.

See HERE http://www.taketheleap.com/define.html for a basic account of the idea of a paradigm shift.

In 1962, Thomas Kuhn wrote The Structure of Scientific Revolution, and fathered, defined and popularized the concept of “paradigm shift” (p.10). Kuhn argues that scientific advancement is not evolutionary, but rather

is a “series of peaceful interludes punctuated by intellectually violent revolutions”, and in those revolutions “one conceptual world view is replaced by another”.

Think of a Paradigm Shift is a change from one way of thinking to another. It’s a revolution, a transformation, a sort of metamorphosis. It just does not happen, but rather it is driven by agents of change.

To shift or not to shift that is the question – do we need to move toward a new paradigm of education?

My model is based on a set of assumptions which I have made as explicit as possible.

I make the assumption here that we have an old paradigm of education in the UK/the world and that we need a new one to contribute toward the kind of transformations that are desired – greater security and peace,

more equitable development, more effective care of the vulnerable, less corruption, violence, suffering etc.

Others might question the assumption that we need a new paradigm but we should remember that when an old paradigm is hidden, and its assumptions untested it is like the 9/10 of an iceberg that is below the

surface.

When an old paradigm is really outdated however many bits of ‘tarting up’ are bolted to the face of the old paradigm and its insufficiencies remain.

It is the needs and insufficiencies of the present time indicate the characteristics that the new paradigm of education should address.

This could be as radical as the difference between Newtonian physics and post-Einsteinian physics.

However part of the shift includes re-claiming past wisdom – and making it re-newed.

MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS: In the work on this site the new paradigm includes the following major characteristics;

Basing education on process – on the flow of the life-force from within each individual and from within the total ecology – local, regional, global.
This constitutes basing education on a model of the human spirit – external suffering will not end until there is integrity internally.
The focus consequently is from the inside out as much as on ‘stuff out there’ – interiority as much as exteriority.
Emphasis on the contemplative as well as the academic/intellectual.
It centres on basing education on the three voices of the human spirit through which we come to know:

The I voice TheWE voice TheIT voice
subjective truth ‘moral’ truth empirical/ reasoning truth
The Arts TheHumanities Science

Reducing the materialistic in education – creating a sense of service to the wider community.
Reducing the mechanistic in education – emphasizing principles such as self-management, experiential and cooperative learning
Reducing the fragmentedness of education – basing education on integrative principles
Basing education on living challenges instead of just dead (ening) information.
etc.

Really basic assumptions might include ‘Education’ – but what does someone mean by it, or by ‘teaching’?
We also need to ask “from whose ‘eye-view’ is any given model constructed?” And why? What values and world-view is under-lying the model?
My model is constructed primarily from the teacher’s-eye-view – in fact from within her/his consciousness, as s/he tries to maximise the cultivation of the consciousness of those for whom s/he is responsible – by

creating an atmosphere, a learning environment a sequence of challenges etc.

1 SunWALK: is a model of what it is to be (positively and fully) human
We are (positively and fully) human in our caring, creativity and criticality – which we develop and express, in community.

2 SunWALK: is a model of (holistic) education
The SunWALK model of spiritualizing (or humanizing) pedagogy sees human education as:
the storied development of meaning, which is constructed, and de-constructed, physically mentally and spiritually, through Wise & Willing Action, via Loving and Knowing – developed in Community, through the

‘Dialectical Spiritualization’ of Caring, Creativity & Criticality processes, all undertaken in the light of the ‘Sun’ of chosen higher-order values and beliefs, using best available, appropriate content.

3 SunWALK: is a model of (holistic) moral education which says:
The SunWALK model of spiritualizing (or humanizing) pedagogy sees moral education as:
the storied development of meaning, which is constructed, and de-constructed, physically mentally and spiritually, through Wise & Willing Action, via Loving and Knowing – developed in Community, through the

‘Dialectical Spiritualization’ of Caring, Creativity & Criticality processes, all undertaken in the light of the ‘Sun’ of chosen higher-order values and beliefs, using best available, appropriate content.

I will continue to attempt summary versions.
Here again are the ones so far:
Summary & Diagram 1 – this has the diagram-logo-mandala which should be used when reading any summary.
Summary & Diagram 2
Summary 3
Summary 4
Summary 5 – 19 Most Important Principles
Summary 6 – the one-sentence summary that links to more material on all of the concept-elements so that youcan go as deep or as wide as you want!

FAQs in Section 26 – extensive Questions and Answers about SunWALK

———————————————————————————————————-

Click here to take 60 seconds of contemplative time-out.

GETTING THE GIST; getting to the heart of the site and the model – read the FAQs & the summaries.

The site is not primarily about presenting my model. It is about presenting the questions that seem to me to be necessary in order to articulate (your/any) comprehensive model of (holistic) education. My SunWALK

model was my attempt – and working backwards from it helps to lay out the questions that I argue are necessary and indispensable.

This section of presents my various attempts to provide a crystal-clear summary of the SunWALK model. I have failed – but I’m getting closer – I hope. From the summaries and the FAQs you can get the gist of

what the site and model are about – the model and ideas toward which all of the other stuff is related.

I will keep trying and I would like to read any attempt to improve on my attempts – from you dear reader!

In addition to the FAQs there are to date 6 summary versions of the model:

MORE ABOUT THE SUMMARY VERSIONS of the SunWALK model – and some helpful TASKS for the student

Presenting a summary of a model

For many years I have been working at simple, clear explanations of the kind of model that is advocated, and represented, here. Several attempts at summarization are listed below.

The challenge is considerable. However I believe that it is not just because of the limitations of my ‘summary attempts’ but also because of the paucity of educational models (represented in ways other than just

words) and secondly because of the very deep and untested assumptions that people have when it comes to education.

Models of education are frequently assumed and rarely made explicit in ways that go beyond mere words. They are rarely presented in ways that are useful to teachers, learners and researchers actually engaged in

the processes of education.

I deal HERE with models and modelling in the 30 module-session course.

THE NEED FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT IN EDUCATION

Assumptions, and the set of assumptions we call a paradigm, are another, very important, matter in transforming education.

TASK:

List the assumptions about education that you think are ‘hidden’ and rarely made explicit in your society.

At random I suggest a few assumptions that are made but rarely tested. Children need to go to school in a special building called a school. The State is the best body to arrange almost everything. Children should

sit in desks in rooms in groups of approximately thirty. Socio-economic prowess and status should be the over-ruling driver of education. The spiritual and moral require few resources, little time, low status and can in

effect be done as a ‘bolt-on’ extra (the message in effect is that socio-economic skills are always more important than ‘character’) Etc.

See HERE http://www.taketheleap.com/define.html for a basic account of the idea of a paradigm shift.

In 1962, Thomas Kuhn wrote The Structure of Scientific Revolution, and fathered, defined and popularized the concept of “paradigm shift” (p.10). Kuhn argues that scientific advancement is not evolutionary, but rather

is a “series of peaceful interludes punctuated by intellectually violent revolutions”, and in those revolutions “one conceptual world view is replaced by another”.

Think of a Paradigm Shift is a change from one way of thinking to another. It’s a revolution, a transformation, a sort of metamorphosis. It just does not happen, but rather it is driven by agents of change.

To shift or not to shift that is the question – do we need to move toward a new paradigm of education?

My model is based on a set of assumptions which I have made as explicit as possible.

I make the assumption here that we have an old paradigm of education in the UK/the world and that we need a new one to contribute toward the kind of transformations that are desired – greater security and peace,

more equitable development, more effective care of the vulnerable, less corruption, violence, suffering etc.

Others might question the assumption that we need a new paradigm but we should remember that when an old paradigm is hidden, and its assumptions untested it is like the 9/10 of an iceberg that is below the

surface.

When an old paradigm is really outdated however many bits of ‘tarting up’ are bolted to the face of the old paradigm and its insufficiencies remain.

It is the needs and insufficiencies of the present time indicate the characteristics that the new paradigm of education should address.

This could be as radical as the difference between Newtonian physics and post-Einsteinian physics.

However part of the shift includes re-claiming past wisdom – and making it re-newed.

MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS: In the work on this site the new paradigm includes the following major characteristics;

Basing education on process – on the flow of the life-force from within each individual and from within the total ecology – local, regional, global.
This constitutes basing education on a model of the human spirit – external suffering will not end until there is integrity internally.
The focus consequently is from the inside out as much as on ‘stuff out there’ – interiority as much as exteriority.
Emphasis on the contemplative as well as the academic/intellectual.
It centres on basing education on the three voices of the human spirit through which we come to know:

The I voice TheWE voice TheIT voice
subjective truth ‘moral’ truth empirical/ reasoning truth
The Arts TheHumanities Science

Reducing the materialistic in education – creating a sense of service to the wider community.
Reducing the mechanistic in education – emphasizing principles such as self-management, experiential and cooperative learning
Reducing the fragmentedness of education – basing education on integrative principles
Basing education on living challenges instead of just dead (ening) information.
etc.

Really basic assumptions might include ‘Education’ – but what does someone mean by it, or by ‘teaching’?
We also need to ask “from whose ‘eye-view’ is any given model constructed?” And why? What values and world-view is under-lying the model?
My model is constructed primarily from the teacher’s-eye-view – in fact from within her/his consciousness, as s/he tries to maximise the cultivation of the consciousness of those for whom s/he is responsible – by

creating an atmosphere, a learning environment a sequence of challenges etc.

1 SunWALK: is a model of what it is to be (positively and fully) human
We are (positively and fully) human in our caring, creativity and criticality – which we develop and express, in community.

2 SunWALK: is a model of (holistic) education
The SunWALK model of spiritualizing (or humanizing) pedagogy sees human education as:
the storied development of meaning, which is constructed, and de-constructed, physically mentally and spiritually, through Wise & Willing Action, via Loving and Knowing – developed in Community, through the

‘Dialectical Spiritualization’ of Caring, Creativity & Criticality processes, all undertaken in the light of the ‘Sun’ of chosen higher-order values and beliefs, using best available, appropriate content.

3 SunWALK: is a model of (holistic) moral education which says:
The SunWALK model of spiritualizing (or humanizing) pedagogy sees moral education as:
the storied development of meaning, which is constructed, and de-constructed, physically mentally and spiritually, through Wise & Willing Action, via Loving and Knowing – developed in Community, through the

‘Dialectical Spiritualization’ of Caring, Creativity & Criticality processes, all undertaken in the light of the ‘Sun’ of chosen higher-order values and beliefs, using best available, appropriate content.

I will continue to attempt summary versions.
Here again are the ones so far:
Summary & Diagram 1 – this has the diagram-logo-mandala which should be used when reading any summary.
Summary & Diagram 2
Summary 3
Summary 4
Summary 5 – 19 Most Important Principles
Summary 6 – the one-sentence summary that links to more material on all of the concept-elements so that youcan go as deep or as wide as you want!

FAQs in Section 26 – extensive Questions and Answers about SunWALK

———————————————————————————————————-

DIAGRAM TO ACCOMPANY THE 6 SUMMARY VERSONS

———————————————————————————————————–

SUMMARY 1

The SunWALK model

ver Feb 2006

‘NON-EDUCATIONAL JARGON’ – short summary

At its shortest and simplest the SunWALK model says :

We are failing our children (and our society) through valuing material things too much, and through ‘chopping up’ life into bits, primarily so as to control as much as possible and to get richer.

We are not nurturing our children so that they have the abilities and commitment to help tranform the world toward greater peace, stability and sustainability.

Not excluding the material necessities, we need to shift education from concern for life as bits (of this and bits of that to concern for the flow and process of the human spirit. In the SunWALK model the ‘inside’ of the

human spirit is seen primarily as three ways of engaging with life:

1) caring – living for others as well as for ourselves,

2) criticality – doing all those things that we call science – initially this is learning the names of things, counting things and analyzing situations etc., and

3) creativity – which is expressing feeling and thoughts from your point of view.

Viewed from the ‘outside’ we have all of those expressions of the human spirit that we call the sciences, the arts and the humanities.

Currently school subjects are not currently organized around the ‘inside’ of being human, Caring, Criticality and Creativity and the fourth C, Community, – i.e. doing these things with others team-work etc. They are

organized around ‘private banks’, private banks of information that are jealously guarded by special interest groups called ‘subject specialists and subject examiners’. Notice, the focus, the valuable stuff, is the

information not the children, and teachers, as people. Yet what do you remember most from school – not the stuff of information but the relationships especially the school-mates and teachers that you loved, and the

ones you hated.

All the techniques, from reading to engineering, are vital but need to take place within the human story of becoming positively human.

The ‘bittiness’ of subjects means that most children, even the ‘clever’ ones, withdraw from connection with ‘life-as-a-whole’ and just respond to demands from teachers and examiners to ‘get through it and get a good

job’. Getting through it and getting a good job is not in itself bad but we need to improve our society more – quality of life for many is still wretched in the most affluent nations – bootstraps and bicycles are not all that

is needed to improve the quality of life for everyone – including those who are vulnerable. We are developing the same kind of crisis in and with young people that the Americans have managed to develop.

The SunWALK model suggests we organize knowledge and abilities around Caring, Creativity and Criticality – in Community so that human concerns such as ‘moral education’ and ‘citizenship’ are intrinsic to the

educationaal process – as opposed to being ‘bolt-on extras’. Integration of school bits can be achieved in the ‘story of stories’ – the story of becoming better human beings.

The ‘Sun’ bit in SunWALK is the values that light up what we do. The WALK bit – Willing, and Wise, Action through Loving and Knowing – is a general goal for developing people – people who have the Caring,

Criticality and Creativity sides of their human nature developed, in a balanced way, who can use their abilities for the good of the Community, as well as for themselves.

THE SHORT SUMMARY WITH ADDED ‘EDUCATIONAL JARGON’!

At its shortest and simplest the SunWALK model simply says :

a) We need to WALK the path of life with learners (we are all learners and teachers) in dialogue and in the light of our ‘Sun’ of higher-order values (or virtues) – that is true education.

b) Your ‘Sun’ (or mine) = the spiritual sources (philosophers, religious leaders, poets, family) that energise us to act in the world with others in Caring, Critical and Creative ways. The spiritual is the source of the will to

act morally – or courageously or lovingly or honourably etc.

c) The ‘teacher’s task is to nurture the growth of abilities in the 3 ‘voices’ in which civilized humans express themselves;

the WE voice of Caring – ‘other-centredness’/morality – gives us social knowing (culturally called ‘the Humanities’),

the IT voice of Criticality – naming/sorting/analysing etc – gives us objective knowing (culturally called ‘The Sciences’) and

the I voice of Creativity – expressing personal experience – gives us subjective knowing (culturally called ‘The Arts’)

All three Cs are seen as ways to reality if used in conjunction with each other. This emphasizes the need for balance between the 4Cs.

d) We come to know via dialogue – through internal dialogue (meditation) or external dialogue (consultation) – or creatively through dialogue between the germ of inspiration and the material and the self.

SOME OF THE KEY IDEAS in the SunWALK model – in note form

1 What’s wrong with the education that we’ve got? – i.e. what negatives in society provide the challenge for the kind of solutions (& questions) that SunWALK suggests. Such negatives include the view that our

society & education is too fragmentary, too mechanistic, and too materialistic etc.

2 Aims and Design criteria of the model

The aims of the model derived from 25 major criteria (defining characteristics)

Western approaches – parts – whole – individualism v individuality

‘Eastern’ approaches – whole – parts – harmony and complementarity – West & East as two wings.

3 SunWALK – the name is also a mnemonic and the shortest version of the model

Sun – metaphor for the source of the individual’s higher-order values

WALK = Wise and Willing Action through Loving and Knowing

SunWALK also embodies the idea of education as a life-journey in the dialogic company of our teachers

SOME OF THE MODEL’S SUB-MODELS

a) An ‘interior’ ‘chi’ or ‘flow’ model of the human spirit.

b) A model for re-positioning education within ‘being & becoming human’ – in the world with others.

c) A general model of the curriculum – for primary, secondary and higher education.

d) A framework for the analysis and evaluation of teaching episodes or projects, and for placing all pieces of research within a general ‘map’.

e) A model of education that makes spiritual education and moral education intrinsic, not bolt-on extras.

4 The outer ring of the SunWALK logo combines two dimensions:

a) 1 ‘Community’ i.e. the social, inter-personal dimension of interaction with other individuals or groups.

b) ‘Cultural sources’ including such dimensions as traditions, the political & the legal, but particularly those ‘store-houses’ we call ‘the arts’, ‘the sciences’ and ‘the humanities’.

The three major divisions of the arts, sciences and humanities are here thought of as the stored, yet dynamic, accumulation of knowledge and beliefs and procedures – everything from galleries to written laws of

physics that the individual can draw upon or be influenced by. This is the ‘stuff out there’ rather than the interiority of consciousness. It is the nest of contexts but also is the source of texts.

5 In SunWALK everything within the inner circle = a representation of;

‘interiority’, i.e. human consciousness – the ultimate expression of the human spirit – presented intra-personally as

Three ‘voices’ (SEE Ken Wilber) – 3 modes of being & of engaging with

reality &

knowing –

The 3 modes/voices emanate from the singleness of

‘heart-mind’ –

metaphorically the 3 modes/voices are presented as the ‘primary colours’ of Creativity (the yellow of inspiration), Criticality (the blue of reason) & Caring (the red warmth of love)

6 Creativity is the ‘I’ voice of subjective engagement via an artistic medium – it is particularly related to the core virtue ‘beauty’ and to ‘the Arts’ as the subjective way to insight into reality.

7 Criticality is the ‘IT’ voice of objective engagement which enables progress in the Sciences (& Math, Philosophy & ‘critical’ studies) – concerned with objective knowing – related particularly to the core virtue ‘truth as

the objective way to insight into reality’.

8 Caring is the ‘WE’ voice which enables moral engagement – for progress in the moral domain and in service of others. It is concerned with social knowing – related particularly to the core virtue ‘goodness’ & to ‘the

Humanities’ as the moral-relational way to insight into reality’.

9 Other dimensions of the diagram and of the model

Each individual develops her/his I, WE and IT voices, the 3Cs, via socialization, starting in the family, the local community and then later in formal education.

A sense of justice is seen as paramount intrapersonally as well as interpersonally – because it enables us to engage with that which is beautiful, good or true with balance, clarity & due weight.

Process – The essential process in all 4Cs is multi-level dialogue. In the case of the individual dialogue is seen as meditation, reflection and inner-talk. In the case of groups it is dialectical process via consultation

(informed by higher-order values).

The ‘Celtic’ knot that surrounds the central shield indicates that the 3Cs are simply aspects of the one human spirit – singleness, the flow of ‘heart-mind’.

The white ‘shield’ at the centre represents the meditative state in which there is no ‘focused’ engagement via one of the 3Cs – and in which there is relatively little of the ‘white noise’ interference that we experience in

the unquiet mind. This can enable us to ‘go beyond ourselves’, i.e. transcend our normal knowing – any of the 3Cs (I, WE or IT modes) can be a pathway to the transcendent and to subsequent improved insights into

reality.

The black dot at the centre is the ‘well-spring’ of consciousness. For artists (and great scientists) it is the Muse. For religionists it is the voice of God within (albeit distorted by the dust of self). For non-religionists it

is the inner source of spirit as energy & inspiration – the bits of realization and insight that come to us for which we don’t make an effort.

10 Teaching & Learning

Educating the human spirit is seen as nurturing the life-force which culminates in the developed human who, through higher-order consciousness, realizes abilities from within Caring, Creative or Critical engagements.

Teaching is seen as nurturing and cultivating what is normally present, almost from birth, & certainly by the time we go to school – namely the flow of spirit expressed in nascent forms of Caring, Creativity, and

Criticality – in Community with others.

Learning holistically takes place when the learner uses Creativity, Criticality and Caring – in Community – inspired by higher-order values – in dynamic combinations such as Creativity providing texts for criticality –

which then, via dialogue, produce the spirit for more creativity.

Spirituality is intrinsic in the model not a ‘bolt-on extra’ – In SunWALK spirituality is not a dimension; it is the model as a whole. In SunWALK moral education is not a dimension – they are one and the same. The

SunWALK logo can also be seen as a mandala, or even as a plan drawing for a fountain or an ‘arts centre of light’! SunWALK is a major shift to a process view of the world, of being human and of educating our young

people. It rejects a worldview that is limited to the mechanistic, the ‘human-as-computer, the fragmentary and the materialistic; seeking instead modelling that is based on flow/process, holism and the spiritual.

11 Holistic schools and colleges need a number of pre-requisites including;

“Spirituality is the source of the will to act morally.”

A partnership between parents, children, staff and wider community.

Periodic consultations involving all stake-holders. They should only be concerned with setting broad policy & should then leave the rest to the staff. From these agreements the Board of Governors & the staff draw

their authority.

Respect for the many ways that people are nourished spiritually is important, but agreement on core values is what really matters. In SunWALK these are seen pre-eminently as commitment to justice, truth, beauty &

goodness plus such other values as good manners etc. – as are decided in ‘stake-holder’ meetings.

Spiritual and Moral messages are communicated to the children, and others, through a variety of means including;

how the staff treat each other, how the staff treat the children,

how the staff treat all others, the children’s participation in assemblies –

the head’s talk and the children’s celebrations,

policies & decisions made,

content chosen etc.

12 THE MODEL AND THE PROCESS IN ‘ONE SETENCE

The SunWALK model

of spiritualizing pedagogy sees

human education as

the storied development of meaning,

which is (‘texts’) constructed, and de-constructed,

physically, mentally and spiritually, through

Wise &

Willing

Action, via

Loving and

Knowing – developed in

Community, through the

‘Dialectical Spiritualization’ of

Caring,

Creativity &

Criticality processes, all undertaken in

The light of the ‘Sun’ of chosen higher-order values and beliefs, using best available, appropriate content.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————–

SUMMARY 2

SunWALK model of holistic Education

NB This is a bit more cryptic

A SUMMARY OF THE MAIN ELEMENTS of the SunWALK model of education logo is on the following page.

One Page Summary of the main meanings of the elements in the SunWALK ‘logo-diagram-mandala’ – a teacher’s process model

The SunWALK model brings aspects of ‘Western’ & ‘Eastern’ world-views into harmony. The ‘Sun’ = our spiritual inspiration & values source. WALK = Willing & Wise Action through Loving & Knowing – here seen as

the general goal for education.

The logo combines the following sub-models:

a) An ‘interior’ model of the human spirit – in relation to ‘the world’.

b) A model for re-positioning education within being & becoming human – in the world with others.

c) A general model of the curriculum – for primary, secondary and higher education.

d) A framework for the analysis and evaluation of teaching episodes or projects.

e) A model of education that makes spiritual education and moral education intrinsic.

THE MODEL AND THE PROCESS IN ONE SENTENCE: – the SunWALK model of spiritualizing pedagogy sees human education as the storied development of meaning, which is constructed, and de-constructed,

physically mentally and spiritually, through Wise & Willing Action, via Loving and Knowing – developed in Community, through the ‘Dialectical Spiritualization[1][1]’ of Caring, Creativity & Criticality processes, all

undertaken in the light of the ‘Sun’ of chosen higher- order values and beliefs, using best available, appropriate content.

THE OUTER RING of the SunWALK logo combines two dimensions:

1 ‘Community’ i.e. the social, interpersonal dimension of interaction with other individuals or groups.

2 ‘Cultural sources’ including such dimensions as traditions, the political & the legal.

The three major divisions of the arts, sciences and humanities are here thought of as the stored, yet dynamic, accumulation of knowledge and beliefs and procedures – everything from galleries to written laws of

physics that the individual can draw upon or be influenced by. This is the ‘stuff out there’ rather than the interiority of consciousness.

THE INNER SECTION

In SunWALK everything within the inner circle = a representation of ‘interiority’, i.e. human consciousness – the human spirit.

The human spirit is presented intrapersonally as 3 ‘voices’ – 3 modes of being & of engaging with reality & of knowing – that emanate from the singleness of ‘heart-mind’ as (metaphorically) the ‘primary colours’ of

Creativity (the yellow of inspiration), Criticality (the blue of reason) & Caring (the red warmth of love):

Creativity is the ‘I’ voice of subjective engagement via an artistic medium – it is particularly related to the core virtue ‘beauty’ and to ‘the Arts’.

Criticality is the ‘IT’ voice of objective engagement which enables progress in the Sciences (& Math., Philosophy and ‘critical’ studies). It is concerned with objective knowing – related particularly to the core virtue ‘truth’.

Caring is the ‘WE’ voice which enables moral engagement – for progress in the moral domain and in service of others. It is concerned with social knowing – related particularly to the core virtue ‘goodness’ and to ‘the Humanities’.

The physical dimension is seen as the instrument for the flow of spirit in all of its forms – e.g. via dance drama & PE.

Each individual develops her/his I, WE and IT voices, the 3Cs, via socialization, starting in the family, the local community and then later in formal education. A sense of justice is seen as paramount intrapersonally as well as interpersonally i.e. it enables us to engage with that which is beautiful, good or true with balance, clarity & due weight.

The essential process in all 4Cs is multi-level dialogue. In the case of the individual dialogue is seen as meditation, reflection and inner-talk. In the case of groups it is dialectical process via consultation.

The ‘Celtic’ knot that surrounds the central shield indicates that the 3Cs are simply aspects of the one human spirit – the flow of ‘heart-mind’.

The white shield at the centre represents the meditative state in which there is no ‘focused’ engagement via one of the 3Cs – and in which there is relatively little of the ‘white noise’ interference that we experience in

the unquiet mind. This can enable us to ‘go beyond ourselves’, i.e. transcend our normal knowing – any of the 3Cs (I, WE or IT modes) can be a pathway to the transcendent and to subsequent improved insight into reality.

The black dot at the centre is the ‘well-spring’ of consciousness. For artists (and great scientists) it is the Muse. For religionists it is the voice of God within (albeit distorted by the dust of self). For non-religionists it is the inner source of spirit as energy & inspiration – the little bits of realization and insight that come to us for which we don’t make an effort.

Educating the human spirit is seen as nurturing the life-force which culminates in the developed human who, through higher-order consciousness, realizes abilities from within Caring, Creative or Critical engagements.

Teaching is seen as nurturing and cultivating what is normally present, almost from birth, & certainly by the time we go to school – namely the flow of spirit expressed in nascent forms of Caring, Creativity, and

Criticality – in Community with others. Holistic Learning takes place when the learner uses Creativity, Criticality and Caring – in Community – inspired by higher-order values – in dynamic combinations such as

Creativity providing texts for criticality – which then via dialogue produce the spirit for more creativity.

In SunWALK spirituality is not a dimension; it is the model as a whole. In SunWALK moral education is not a dimension – they are one and the same. The SunWALK logo can also be seen as a mandala, or even as

a plan drawing for a fountain or an ‘arts centre of light’! SunWALK is a major shift to a process view of the world, of being human and of educating our young people. It rejects a worldview that is limited to the

mechanistic, the ‘human-as-computer, the fragmentary and the materialistic; seeking instead modelling that is based on flow/process, holism and the spiritual.

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SUMMARY 3

Spiritualizing Education as working with the human spirit;
a perennial philosophy-inspired, integrative, model of holistic education

Copyright – pre-publication material – if you want to use please contact me at rogerprentice@bigfoot.com One page overview ver 6.11. 2001

KEY METAPHOR =”The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of mystery.” Anon

My work presents a model of holistic education articulated, autobiographically, from the experience of 30+ years of teaching children & adults. It is inspired by a wide range of writers, but particularly by perennial

philosophy, that is the teachings held in common by the great wisdom traditions.

The model argues that all teaching can be seen simply as a matter of nurturing, and challenging, the 3 ‘primary colours’ of the human spirit. These three, Caring, Creativity and Criticality are seen as the primary

ways we engage with self or others, investigate reality, learn & come to know and develop.

Caring is that ‘primary colour’ of the human spirit that enables us to be concerned for the welfare of others – ‘other-centredness values’. Through this mode we learn to develop what is needed to work in a team, &

other such group-living abilities. Creativity is that ‘primary colour’ of the human spirit that enables us to express, via a variety of media the subjectivity reality of being oneself. Criticality is that ‘primary colour’ of the

human spirit that enables us to gain the objective skills, as in philosophy, mathematics and science. These 3, Caring, Creativity and Criticality, I recently found, correspond to Wilber’s (2000) Big Three, which he

further relates to other ‘triads’;

…the Big Three of ‘I’, ‘we’ and ‘it’. Or the aesthetics of ‘I’, the morals of ‘we’ and the ‘its’ of science. The Beautiful, Good & the True; first-person, second-person & third-person accounts; self, culture and nature; art,

morals & science.

All abilities are seen as admixtures of these 3 primary colours . These 3 intrapersonal modes are, of course, developed interpersonally, with others, i.e. in Community, which is the fourth ‘C’, & via physical

expression. In all education the rest is information, task setting, dialectical process & evaluation.

Teaching is seen as nurturing and challenging of the four Cs in a balanced way, & in the light of spiritual sources, religious or otherwise, that provide higher-order values. The spiritual, religious or otherwise, is seen

as the source of the will to act morally. In my experience children & adults who have deep, balanced, development in the 4 Cs tend to be strong morally as well as critically & creatively.

The teacher’s task is to utilize the highest possible quality of information, in dialectical & dialogic process, for the purpose of developing the 4Cs. It is argued that all ‘technical’ education should take place in the

context of being human, in the world, with others – & in the light of the spirituality of higher-order values – the model centres on what it is to be human in the fullest, most positive ways.

‘Reality’ is seen as (being, and becoming, in) a range of virtues, chief amongst which are love, justice, truth, beauty and goodness etc. The chief aim for learner, and educator, is seen as the challenge of being in

the world, with others, and seeking, through practical means, to serve those key virtues for the good of family, community, and the human family as a whole, as well as for oneself.

Notwithstanding the claims of post-modernist critics, individual integrity & the holism of Holistic Education is seen as deriving from narratives, narratives of seeking to be human via living out higher-order values, in

the world, with others. The challenge in pursuing these perennial virtues, the core teachings of the wisdom traditions, is the essence of everyone’s story & therefore a binding narrative – fit to be the basis for modelling

education.

The core aim, within the model as a whole named SunWALK, = Spiritualizing Education as Willing & Wise Action through Loving & Knowing in the light of the ‘Sun’ of higher-order values. The core process =

nurturing the 4Cs via caring & service work for others, creative work & PFC.

Meaning-making, that which distinguishes humans, wisdom, morality, knowing & learning are all seen as whole-person developments via ‘oscillations’ between ‘The island of knowledge’ (reason/Logos/’left-brain’),

and ‘the shoreline of mystery (heart/Mythos/’right-brain’).’

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SUMMARY 4

Can we say everything important to do with re-humanizing Education on one page?

TASK: Write down on one side of A4 everything that is important to you about education/teaching/learning.

Create a composite model with a study partner (by negotiation).

Create one with 4/8/16/whole group of people (by negotiation)

Look again at your individual version.

Express what you learned.

HERE IS MY ATTEMPT:. Yes it does fit on one side of A4 (v. small typeface) – approx 950 words.

PUPILS/STUDENTS: Children first and foremost are whole human beings – from birth. They are not simply incomplete adults.

They care, they create & they are critical – & they learn to do this in community i.e. with others – starting with parents & siblings.

Gradually they acquire basics in the ’I’ vice of Creativity, the ‘WE’ voice of Caring (morality) and ‘IT’ voice of Criticality (science).

BEING & BECOMING HUMAN (Caring, Creativity, Criticality & Community) AS THE

FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION = The ‘4Cs’ provides a definition of being human, & a structure for teaching & learning. ‘Community’ means social relationships + culture.

THE HUMAN SPIRIT needs to be cultivated. All suffering flows from lack of justice or from cultivation of the human spirit.

‘Cultivation’ means the development of virtues – the positive side of human nature. Children’s wisdom requires the 4Cs in balance.

We show, & develop, the positive side of our humanity via caring, creativity & criticality – and we need to do it with others i.e. in community.

The individual, from a good home, gradually assumes responsibility for cultivation from parents, teachers & community – self-development.

Intrapersonally the 3Cs = primary states of being & modes of engaging with the world. Culturally they are the Arts, Sciences & Humanities.

All Ed. (inc. Moral Ed.) requires action-experience derived from deep engagement with higher-order texts using all of 4Cs + spiritual sources

WHAT IS EDUCATION? The basic ‘stuff’ of ed. is the human life-force, & secondly it is the wider life-force i.e. the world at large.

Education is the process that transforms potential into higher states of consciousness and into higher levels of abilities.

Education channels & usefully shapes the life-force. Bad education diminishes the life-force or leads into destructive ends.

The shaping is ultimately a matter of teaching abilities within a raising of consciousness & a development of sensibilities.

The technical, from reading to mechanical engineering, needs to be taught in contexts of being (positively & fully) human.

The technical comes as texts – texts include stories, theorems, films, problems, sculpture, dances….

The 3 activities of education are 1) constructing (creating) texts, 2) de-constructing texts (‘reading’) & 3) having dialogue about 1 & 2

THE WEAKNESS & INSUFFICIENCY OF TODAY’S (UK/Western) EDUCATION = its excessive materialism, mechanistic world-view & fragmentation.

The solution to fragmentation is making rich meaning from realizing wholes within wholes (Wilber says ‘holons), contexts within contexts.

The solution to a mechanistic world-view is a process world-view – that realizes the wholes within wholes, the contexts within contexts.

The solution to materialism is a transcendent spiritualization – but one that is above and beyond specific teachings of faith communities.

RELIGION OR PHILOSOPHY that leads to injustice, lies, ugliness, evil and all other such virtues is useless – and needs dumping.

The spiritual must be shown to be that which enables action in service of; justice, truth, beauty, goodness and all other such virtues.

The most important knowledge is that we live with humility, with not knowing, & uncertainty, paradox & metaphor, whereas fundamentalism = lust for certainty. Fundamentalism, Western & Eastern, is as big a

challenge to a peaceful, sustainable world as is global warming.

EDUCATION AS WALKING PART OF THE LIFE-JOURNEY IN CONVERSATION or DIALOGUE

Education even before it was called education was people conversing. Conversation intensified is dialogue. True, deep ed. is still within that ancient, perpetual discourse – and extends it. Dialogue with others, about

texts & contexts, is the chief instrument for realizing abilities.

MEANING, KNOWLEDGE, TRUTH & REALITY Dialogue is an exchange of meaning. It draws upon meaning, culturally, and creates or extends meaning personally (and even culturally). Violence at one level is the

inability to effectively exchange meaning. Illness can be lack of deep meaning in a world of excess shallow meanings. Rich meaning motivates.

Meaninglessness alienates. Alienation or meaninglessness is at the root of much criminality & much illness.

Knowing and truth is objective in science, subjective in the arts and moral in the humanities – this corresponds to the 3Cs I, WE & IT voices.

Reality consequently is construed via 3 ways of knowing. All that we know, we know in the context that really unites us un-knowing/Mystery

TEACHERS: De-professionalizing teachers is a crime against humanity. De-professionalization de-humanizes those who act as key models

The dynamic heart of education is the continuum of decisions that flow from the teacher’s consciousness & sensibilities in 4Cs dialogue.

The teacher’s professionalism is rooted in her/his humanity i.e. in Wise Action via Loving & Knowing – dialogued in the class as community.

Task setting that is challenging but not over–powering is the primary ability of the teacher – needs to be a balance of the 4Cs.

Educating teachers is primarily a matter of developing their abilities via a 4Cs raising of consciousness & sensibilities.

CURRICULUM: Structure education as a story of stories – story is the mind’s primary organizer of experience.

Make being and becoming human the living context of all technical learning. The physical, dance, drama etc., is continuously vital.

We must remember & celebrate individual lives and the history of communities. Memory enables identity.

LEARNING comes from deep dialogic engagement with high-quality texts enacted in a high-quality 4Cs framework of processes.

SCHOOLS: We need to appropriately involve, & balance the interests of, all those who have a stake in the child’s education.

Contractual obligations of all parties, including support needs, authority & consequences of bad behaviour, must be clear and agreed.

Evaluation should be a balance of the 4Cs involving all stake-holders not just agents of the State. All good things flow – from love & unity.

To arrange a talk or lecture or course email rogerprenticeATbigfoot.com replace AT with @

NB Two much fuller sets of questions and answers are to be found HERE and HERE

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SUMMARY 5

THE MOST IMPORTANT 19 PRINCIPLES in the SunWALK model

Copyright Dr Roger Prentice Email: rogerprenticeATbigfoot.com (replace AT with @)

SEE the SunWALK diagram-logo at http://www.SunWALK.org.uk

1 SunWALK is an energy model, a process model. Perhaps it is compatible with a Daoist perspective? http://www.ctr4process.org/

2 In SunWALK Education is Moral Education. Education without a moral dimension is mere training.

3 Children come to us as whole human beings – not as incomplete adults – they are ‘meaning-making energy systems’ – within larger energy systems. Meaning-making is close to the heart of being human. Virtues

help make meaning-making positive.

4 As teachers we are choreographers of the human spirit – in this we must respect and work with the children’s mystery and potential and history as well as their manifest capabilities. The focus is on interiority & the

raising of consciousness.

5 The Human Spirit as Caring, Creativity & Criticality – in Community – for teachers it is useful to think of the Human Spirit as the 4Cs in order to plan, manage, evaluate & research.

6 The 4thC = Community includes relationships (the social) and the cultural ‘sea’ of the group.

7 We should place all technical learning in the context being human – i.e. of the best models of being positively and fully human.

8 The three Cs = three ‘voices’ – I, WE and IT. All expressions (unless pure information) are in one of these three voices.

9 I, WE and IT voices are three kinds of discourse, three kinds of dialogue

10 All teachers need to have command of all three dialogic forms – even though they might major in one form of discourse.

11 Truth Beauty and Goodness are the three cardinal virtues that correspond to the three voices-discourses.

12 Justice needs to be an interior quality as well as a group judicial need – SunWALK places justice over other virtues or dimensions as a ‘conditioner’. However justice is about caring as well as black & white

judgment.

13 The Arts, The Humanities and the Sciences are the cultural sources of the I, WE and IT voices – they become ‘voices’, internalized ways of engaging with reality, in the individual through processes of socialization.

14 Learning then becomes the development of capabilities within the framework of the 4Cs

15 Teaching and Teacher Education then becomes the development of the ability to nurture capabilities in the 4Cs.

16 Curriculum and content development is then within the framework of the 4Cs as a story of stories and a vision of visions.

17 Spirituality in all of these principles is seen as obtaining inspiration to develop the will to act – justly and with goodness, beauty & truth.

18 The ‘Sun’ and ‘WALK’ combine interiority and exteriority – and indicate a general goal.

19 The Sun = any source of inspiration that enables the individual to act justly and with Truth Beauty and Goodness – in Community. We should not say that I or she is a Taoist, Christian, Baha’i, Buddhist, Marxist,

Humanist etc – instead we should show in action the core virtues – the 4Cs – and then because we are all imperfect we should forgive each other and ourselves!

Copyright Dr Roger Prentice Email: rogerprenticeATbigfoot.com (replace AT with @)

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SUMMARY 6

SunWALKing – another way in to the model

This presentation of the model is to be developed via live links from the ‘one-sentence’ of SunWALK. The first level that each linked term will show will take you to a cryptic summary of the importance of the term within

the model – plus links to broaden and deepen understanding of the term and its field.

Everything on this site is aimed at giving force to a paradigm change in education.

The, albeit complex, one-sentence version of SunWALK as a model of (holistic) education reads thus;

The SunWALK model of spiritualizing (or humanizing) pedagogy sees human education as:

the storied development of meaning, which is constructed, and de-constructed, physically mentally and spiritually, through Wise & Willing Action, via Loving and Knowing – developed in Community, through the

‘Dialectical Spiritualization’ of Caring, Creativity & Criticality processes, all undertaken in the light of the ‘Sun’ of chosen higher-order values and beliefs, using best available, appropriate content.

If we present this one-sentence version as a list we have this:

The SunWALK

model of

spiritualizing (or humanizing)

pedagogy sees

human

education as:

the

storied

development of

meaning, which is

constructed, and

de-constructed,

physically mentally and spiritually, through

Wise &

Willing

Action, via

Loving and

Knowing – developed in

Community, through the

‘Dialectical Spiritualization’ of

Caring,

Creativity &

Criticality processes, all undertaken in t

he light of the ‘Sun’ of

chosen

higher-order values and

beliefs, using

best available, appropriate content.

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FAQs – 2 sets of FAQs are HERE and HERE

Complete PhD is HERE

Click here to take 60 seconds of contemplative time-out.