essense / essence
cards
source: american geological
institute - 1972 - with support of NSF
robert Samples ( Samples taught a one week
summer course at EIU around 1983 - 84 ? ) designed a unique set of
"science" cards for use with children who are probably not the creme
de la creme.
The title of the program is
entrenched in metaphors. The 'curriculum' is "environmental science"
-- known as "e-s." Since
the study of environmental science makes 'sense' -- the term "es-sense" came to be. But
the study of environmental science is the essence of our existence, so
"essense / essence" was
born.
but things aren't that simple.
What do you consider
"environment?" The basic problem with 'problem learners' is that they
cannot relate their own lives to the topic of study ... thus the
"environment" actually becomes themselves. Who are they and how do
they relate to the social / physical / biological environment around them.
Some of these cards are from the "PEEPHOLE"
set -- peeping thru a hole ... and
seeing yourself.
to quote Samples
teachers said they wanted guidance
in setting up more effective and humane environments; how they could become
more open and accepting.
These cards are designed to
do this. Read the TGuide carefully, particularly the pages about how human
beings tend to influence others with their values and prejudices.
You are in control. Kids
will do what you expect, or if you are really committed to accept the decisions
they make and these assignments will blossom ..if not
..give the cards to someone else.
such an approach is obviously
not based on the tenets of behavior modification (i.e. - the M & M
approach) but hinges on intrinsic motivation -- how the learner sees himself in
life.
perhaps the most important goal of
education is to produce autonomous learners ... people who are capable of
making decisions their own decisions ( with the consideration of others ) but
autonomous.
This best occurs when people
are intrinsically motivated rather than reaching for artificial behavior-
seducing goals ( A's; gold stars; smiley faces, etc.
).
Remember, if rewards are given for learning, then learning will stop
when rewards are no longer given.
some more
es-sential thoughts ....
+ be
a politician .. this
assignment nurtures an attitude of deferring responsibility ... can you
internalize responsibility for your actions and feelings? Who controls your
life: you or 'the man?'
+ a
very high trust environment is necessary for people to express themselves
honestly
+ i want you to ... vs ... you
should ....... i can't ... vs
... i won't ... a little difference
in speech pattern means big differences in behaviors
+ deferred judgment .. vs .. concurrent judgment: wait, listen, shut up ..
DEAL THE
CARDS, PLEASE
OUTSIDE / IN
* when people get angry / happy / upset / feel good,
they usually have something or someone or some place that makes them feel that
way. Make a list of feelings -- and relate people / places / events that MAKE
YOU feel that way. Now make yourself feel and emotion for an entire hour ...
day /week /lifetime .
EXPECTATIONS
* list some things that others expect you to do
without asking your permission ... and vice versa. Which of the above are fair
...and ... unfair ? Is it right to expect anything
from anybody ?
I
* speak only in the first person for a day, a week, an
hour ... keep track of how often you and others use the second or third person
... under what conditions does each type of speech occur ?
MANIPULATE
* list three people you manipulate .... and three who manipulate you. Can you manipulate others by
pretending that you are being manipulated ? Do some
people like to be the manipulator ... the manipultatee ?
Compare these words: influence, control --manipulate. What is the scope of each
meaning ?
* make
a list of your personality traits ... hobbies ... behavior patterns and decide if
they are 'really you' or if you were programmed to like / dislike certain
things by your parents / friends / society ...
* hang
up some paper in the classroom ... at home ... write graffiti on it. What kind
of things are recorded on it.. Does graffiti invite
change ... why do people write it ?
* write
three sentences about how you see yourself .. and call
this ME ... Now write three
sentences about how others see you ... and call this ... THEM.
Any differences
? Why do you suppose your perception of yourself doesn't match others
feelings about you ?
* during
the middle of a lesson ... STOP ...
and ask the students to write you a note to show you how / what they feel about
the subject matter ... and how it relates to them ... and the thoughts flowing
thru their minds at the moment.
* write
a list of behaviors you feel are ok for you .. but
others think are bad ... and who are these 'others' ... why do you suppose they
feel that way ? Are you ever the 'other' person judging your friends
?
* write
down some thoughts and feelings about the following terms: anger; boredom;
friendship; pain; money; parents; dating; future; past; today; tomorrow;
babies;
* write
down all the positive things that have happened to you today ... this week ...
this year
* write
down any changes you might have to make to be a perfect ... physical person ...
intellectual ... friend ... son ... daughter... student ... teacher ... team
member
* list
three things you do .. that you say you don't. Now
list three things you don't do ... but say you do. Do this with a friend ... a teacher .. mayor ... tvee
commercials ... mom. Write a lesson plan that will make your 'saying' and your
'doing' agree.
* there
is room at the bottom of this paper ... so write some of your own essense
activities' that you would like to complete ... and learn how others feel about
them ...
* what
have you learned about yourself thru these activities ? Do your answers help
sketch your portrait on a mirror. Do your responses
help you understand why things are going the way they are in your life? Do you
see any ways that you can cause positive changes in your life
?
STUPIDACTION
the action:
Make a list of the stupidest things that happen to you in school and a list of
the stupidest things you do in school.
Set up a plan to change both. Carry out your plan.
more:
Repeat, using the community, the state, the nation. What makes something
stupid?
What makes it smart?
Does it really matter whether or not you do stupid things? Who cares?
Why should they ? Why should you care
?
SECRET
the action:
Do something nice for someone in the school BUT KEEP IT A SECRET. After you
have done this, make a list of the feelings that you had while keeping the
secret. What did you find out about yourself by doing this?
Do the same thing with
someone who doesn't know you. Become a good spirit in your block for one week.
What makes keeping a secret difficult?
I
the action:
Speak only in the first person for a period, a day, a week.
more:
Keep a record of the number of times in a day that the second or third person
is used by someone.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEMS
the action:
Choose a person in your community like a teacher, policeman, secretary,
principal, etc. and find out what their most serious problems are and try to
work out a way that they could solve these problems.
Figure out what some of your
classmates' problems are and help solve them. What makes something a problem?
Discover a real problem you face that you. haven't
been able to solve... then get some help to solve it.
HONESTY
the action:
Find out what people do that they ------- say they don't do.
Find out what people don't
do that they ---- say they do.
Help them and yourself bring
doing and saying closer together.
more:
Do this with public figures.
Do this with movies.
Do this with TV commercials.
Do this with your teacher.
Do this with your principal.
Do this with yourself.
ROLE PLAY
the action:
Play the role of the PERFECT teacher (administrator, custodian, hall monitor,
parents, _____ and _____ and ______
Demonstrate the role to the
class.
more:
Become the role you play for a period, e.g., actually do the principal's thing
for a period.
TEACHER: Play a role of
someone and have the kids psych yo,u out. How can you
tell if someone 5 role playing? If
you are?
Is role
playing necessary in life?
Does role
playing ever become dangerous? When?
JOKES
the action:
Collect 5 to 10 jokes. Take turns telling them to the class. Figure out what
makes them funny.
more:
Can jokes be a put down ? How can they hurt someone's feelings
? Invent a way to classify lokes. Figure out some jokes that you want
particular people to hear. Why ? Try to make a funny
joke unfunny.
PSYCH -OUT
the action:
With someone who chooses to cooperate, try to reach as many conclusions as you
can about their personality from their life style and mannerisms.
Share your conclusions with
the person and check out your insight.
See if the whole class can
make a people-profile check list that can work on
others.
Invite someone from the
community in for the class to psych-out. Do not Role
play this.
Use a twenty questions
approach or . . . . .
HABITS
the action:
Figure out your best and worst habits. Add two good habits and drop two bad
habits from your life.
more:
If someone wants you to help them break a habit, figure out how to help.
Identify one of the teacher's bad habits and help him break it.
Identify one of the
teacher's good habits and help encourage it. Ask someone to help you break your
bad habits.
Where do your habits come
from? How long have you had each habit? Communicate what you found out about
your habits to someone you trust.
(When) are habits good? Bad?
Are habits necessary? Is it
possible to "eliminate" them entirely? What would it be like not to
have habits?
habits are usually actions we do
without thinking. Exposure and sharing must be voluntary and require trust.
12 / 11m / 95 --- 12 / 14r /
95 ---1 / 4r / 95