Curriculum at Sovereign Locality School

I strongly believe that local communities need to have a direct influence on the curricula their schools follow. At Sovereign Locality School, materials reflect the cultural values of the community. Subjects taught include mathematics and music, language arts and communications, science and nature, art and geometry and sensory awareness, physical education, health, and spirituality (study of world religious practices and philosophies), and social studies and community awareness. 

All subjects are taught in application. If a student learns a simple mathematic process, the student is expected to applying it in a project as part of the learning process. Applying inductive and deductive reasoning is introduced when the cognitive development for such reasoning manifests in the student. Learning scientific and mathematic vocabulary would not be confined to math and science study but would be included in language arts subjects. Emotional maturity would be introduced through storytelling, literature, and teacher mediated day to day situations. Outdoor activities would be integrated into the curriculum through the focus on application. 

Community would be fostered through the sharing of resources from class to class for particular areas of application. Cooking science would require a fully functional kitchen shared by multiple levels of classes, developing skills and interests which would feed into a science lab for the later grades. Older students would be combined with younger students frequently to foster a mixed age learning environment. 

Field trips to community members' workplaces are encouraged at every opportunity. The School garden functions as an arena for learning as well. 

An example of assessment might be a student group building a physical structure meeting specific requirements such as a small shack that can withstand five teachers' pushing on each side, or creating a chemical product that meets specific requirements that can be tested. If the products of such products fail to meet the end requirements, then the group must re-assess. All required standards of the projects would reflect the mandated standards. Along with the product, students would submit their calculations, thoughts, ideas, and their general portfolio of the project. So, it would be necessary to get the "desk work" correct, but then the students would need to follow through with a physical product using that "desk work." 

I suspect classical musicians of harboring resentment and cultivating a sense of indignation toward monetarily successful "folk" musicians and "folk" music teachers. I expect a judgement of condescending indignation from a classically trained musician when the first discover that I teach and perform folk music exclusively. So, I prejudge classically trained musicians in the following ways: 1) I assume that they will hold me in musical contempt because I lack their "level" of education and understanding of Symphonic and Orchestral history and musical application. 2) I assume that they believe that the music I play is inferior in quality and value. 3) I assume that they believe that my understanding of "their" music is cursory and rudimentary at best. 4) I assume that they believe their musical purpose and application is of greater universal value, superior in technique, and of greater use to anyone who wishes to learn about music or seek a greater understanding of music in general. 5) I assume that they believe "folk" music or ethnic music is lower in the hierarchy of universal musical value. 

I generally do not announce these prejudices in any company. I tend to engage classically trained musicians with caution and I don't volunteer any musical information about me. I don't treat them poorly, but I don't seek out conversation with them about musical specifics. The social rules of Irish traditional music (the music I play) are very different than than the social rules of classical European art music. I don't discuss these differences with classically trained musicians without their inquiry. 

So, generally I prejudge that such musicians will prejudge me. So I behave accordingly. 

As a teacher my aims in the classroom are to provide and teach students skills. Whether the skills are math based, social, physical (such as handwriting), or language based. Such skills are tools for the student to use while learning and living. Equally important, however, is that the students feel safe, feel respected, and learn how to respect each other. So I must provide a room designed to encourage the development of these skills, and a rewards system and a routine that are consistent from day to day. 

I believe that if a teacher can gain the trust of her/his students, the students will strive to achieve the goals the teacher asks of them. I believe that such trust depends upon the teacher's sincerity, teaching skill, and ability to judge when a goal is appropriate but also challenging for a student. Continual reassessment must occur. Joy, too must be expressed and shared in the classroom. Successes must be celebrated and failures must be addressed as learning experiences rather than losses. Such experiences in the classroom can prepare students for the world at large.