Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Irresistable or not?

In my family, where we have my son 50%; and his school is NOT conductively oriented; it has been a long, somewhat sad road. I've been asking his teachers for YEARS to consider doing things a different way. I've been met with a cascade of yawns and blank stares. Finally, this year, he has ONE TEACHER who is willing to give things a try. So, we start by introducing them to Blue's legs; and after a few months, now they are waking up and really getting interested in it.  The application of CE in this case is fundamental.  It makes sense, and brings a smile not only to Blue but his teachers as well. It is, for lack of a better word, irresistable. That also could be read as "attractive."
       I am used to defining my son and our situation as kind of hopeless; but now some things are starting to happen which wonderfully are looking like they can't be stopped.  Much of it would not have happened had we not been exposed to CE when he was three years old, and the use of his legs and hands, and voice, etc. hadn't begun in earnest long before he was glommed onto by the school system. The upkeep and continual learning at home was the key element. What is happening in the school, though I am glad to see it, is frankly; very litte and very late. I won't rain on their happiness. Blue is happy about it, but I have seen what has happened with some kids who are free from the politics and stodginess that has hampered my boy. I know things could have been more remarkable for him; but that is a rather heavy and sad line that is somewhat unproductive to follow.
       The key is the irresistability. As individuals, we have often been turned away by folks who don't want to bother with CE. I have seen the largest public school district in BC, Surrey; ask me and Anne for a pilot project proposal and once they had it, nothing happened. I have seen a school  (the Mediated Learning Academy, which was founded on a method that walks perfectly with CE) plug their ears when a conductor appeared. The founder of mediated learning, Feuerstein himself; has gone very public with his love and respect for CE; yet the practitioners of his method here became somewhat offended when one of our families brought a real, live conductor in as a helper and advisor for their child. Feuerstein would surely have had something to say; but of course, nothing happened; and two families who were paying dearly for a place at that school pulled their children out. And the same challenge awaited them at the next school. How to get the conductor through the doors?
     It did happen at the new school, but CE still seems to be an activity that happens on the fringes. So even though we, upon discovery, fall in love with CE; it is unfortunately VERY RESISTABLE to the 'system' and those in it who have no desire to sprout new wings or change things up.  British Columbians who care about CE need to become more than a loose collection of folks who have heard of each other; regardless of how we are doing CE. CE is still CE, and that is worth standing up for; pun intended. Zsipp-Zsupp!

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