service in the real world is essential to learning

David Gribble, a UK educator, once observed that "the kind of education that honors kids’ interests & helps them to think deeply about questions that matter is of course appropriate for affluent children. For disadvantaged children, on the other hand, it is. . . essential."

ALL children, in order to mature as thoughtful adults, must have opportunities to be of real service to family and community. This applies as much to the affluent (who often escape such opportunities and responsibilities) as to those children we categorize as disadvantaged. "Disadvantaged" children often take on responsibilities while the "advantaged" child may be sequestered and indulged.

"To think deeply" as suggested by Gribble requires that the things kids think about actually matter... that they are real, and drawn from engagement in real life. So the simple way to get kids to think deeply is to offer them the opportunity to do real things.

Over the weekend local members of the Northwest Arkansas Master Naturalists began installing birdhouses our students made at the Lake Leatherwood City Park. We can hope for more bluebirds to be nesting successfully in the area.

Make, fix and create...