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Serendipity

4/23/2016

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. . .  is one of my all time favorite words, because it means that good and favorable events can happen, with no previous notice or announcement, at any time; new people will enter my life to share their talents, resources, and pure awesomeness, and, I can offer the same for others. Serendipity encompasses all that I hold dear: simplicity, kindness, magic, and wonder.
 
Some would argue that these chance encounters or happenings are fate, therefore not random, but predetermined. I choose to believe that the Universe offers us these delightful surprises every once in a while--- just because. I also trust that we can determine much of what seems arbitrary or happenstance with the general attitude, demeanor, and energy we present to the world.
 
Three years ago, this past week, I chose to leave my job of ten years. Which, to be brutally honest, was never just a job, it was an integral part of my life.
 
After leaving that position, the ensuing six months were suffused with tears of grief, and, yes, anger. I firmly believe, nonetheless, that those months of pain and introspection were the cleansing catalyst that allowed me to eventually be capable of exploring all the possibilities life had to offer.
 
I learned that sorrows, hurts, challenges, and suffering are all inevitable consequences of being alive. When I can have a positive, forgiving, and objective view of the world, however, life will provide the serendipitous moments that bring joy, gratitude, awe, and a new understanding of what it means to be fully awake and vital.

 
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DRC NEWS
 
This past week, DRC hosted Jon, an intern at North Star and Lighthouse Holyoke - two of our sister organizations.  Jon spent most of his time introducing the DRC crew (students and staff) to KHAN Academy, an amazing resource, developed by MIT and their partners, with math and science lessons and tutorials as well as a multitude of other subjects and themes. 
 
André and I met Jon when we visited North Star.  He spends every Friday there facilitating classes and one-on-one tutorials.  When he learned we were from Canton, he told us that he had graduated from Clarkson in 2014. Jon decided to travel back up to the NoCo to spend time with us and visit friends at Clarkson, while Lighthouse was on break.  Yes, just a bit of serendipity in action.  Thank you Jon for all of your help, wisdom, and advice.  You are welcome at Deep Root Center anytime!
 
DRC Apprenticeship
 
Deep Root Center is looking for an apprentice for the coming academic year.  This person will have the opportunity to learn how a non-coercive, non-compulsory learning environment supports and encourages youth to take charge of their education and life to become self-directed, independent learners.  The apprentice will be deeply involved in daily operations at DRC including: facilitating classes, one-on-one tutorials, and mentoring our student members.  A complete apprenticeship description will be available soon, however, if you or someone you know is interested, please get in touch for more detailed information.

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C. H. O. I. C. E. S.

4/17/2016

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by Maria Corse

Respect yourself, each other, and this space
is the one guideline that we request each youth at Deep Root Center utilize when they take responsibility for their education and their life by joining the DRC community. Each student is presented with multiple occasions, everyday, to take action on that core philosophy. These decision making opportunities, as our students are discovering, run the gamut from mundane to profound, with either positive or negative impacts, that can change lives. Recognizing that the full significance of each option may not always become apparent until after the fact, the acrostic below employs words that can help each individual make choices that are favorable for themselves, as well as the broader spectrum of all humanity.

Community: Use your talents and brilliance to do meaningful work for the good of everyone.
Holistic: Involve your mind, body, and spirit in the whole process.
Open: The world is full of amazing opportunities. Contemplate each one with objectivity. 
​Initiative: Take responsibility. Be the leader; use kindness and compassion as your guide.
Collaboration: Cooperate and share with others to make life better (easier) for everyone.
           
Enjoyment: Love what you do and live life to the fullest.
Support: Empower others to make affirmative decisions. Pay it forward!


DRC NEWS:

Staff Road Trip
André and I traveled to Amherst, MA this past Friday to visit North Star, the inspiration and model for DRC and the other Liberated Learner Centers. We spent several hours talking to North Star members and staff and participated in their community meeting. Thank you to Loran, Ellen, Jon, and the North Star teens for hosting us and answering our many questions!


North Star currently has sixty plus student members and this is their 20th anniversary year. Last summer, they moved to a brand new building outside of Amherst in Sunderland, MA. Their student members, like DRC students, are involved in group classes, one-on-one tutorials, socializing, internships, and independent projects.


North Star members also have the opportunity to become deeply engaged in their community through activism and social justice trips. Several students were leaving, as we arrived at their building, to participate in a Fossil Fuel Divestment demonstration at UMASS Amherst.


Some also recently traveled to Washington DC to work at soup kitchens and food pantries. They were also honored to meet with their Congressional Representative on the Capitol steps. These teens are taking charge of their education in ways that serve themselves and the wider world.








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CONNECTIONS

4/10/2016

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by: Maria Corse

The human condition is inescapable. We are all, by definition, Homo sapiens with emotions, social structures, aspirations, as well as specific survival needs and mechanisms. And, yes, we are all mortal.


Positive social interactions are an essential component, within this description, for healthy emotional stability. Those participating in a learning community, such as Deep Root Center, discover those connections are an integral part of engaging in the activities that are present and available to each member.


One of my roles at Deep Root Center, during individual mentoring sessions, is to interpret what a student member needs or desires through his/her demeanor and actions, and spoken words. I am then able to think about and seek volunteers and resources who will provide a perfect match for that particular youth.


We have many volunteers walk through our doors, every week, some are sought out for those particular subjects that students have requested, and others spontaneously show up and ask, “what can I do to help?” (This is exactly how we met André.)


Sometimes a certain type of magic happens, however, and I am able to introduce people who can offer each other a piece of what is missing from their lives.


One Friday, as is typical, I was having a conversation with Muriel, the nonagenarian painter, who rents studio space next to Deep Root Center. She casually mentioned that she was having difficulty stretching some of her canvases. And I, equally as nonchalantly, suggested that maybe a specific 13 year old boy, who is highly creative and talented, would be interested in helping her that coming Monday.


I presented the idea to the student and he, with some apprehension, agreed to help her. Before long, he was back asking for some acrylic paint and a canvas, because he wanted to paint. He proceeded to create a beautifully choreographed, brightly colored geometric piece and earned high praise from Muriel. The next day we moved the DRC wooden easel into her studio, so he could have his own space to paint. Over the next few days, he created another stunning geometric acrylic and he expertly helped Muriel stretch several canvases.


Soon, another 13 year old asked if he could paint with Muriel. We walked down the hallway to her studio and I introduced him. She was delighted to take him on, despite the encroachment of her usable workspace. The first day, inspired by a poster at DRC, he painted Chinese characters on a large piece of foam core. The next week, he started another painting on canvas. He is completely engaged in his art and discusses each step with other students, as well as Muriel. He finished the delightfully whimsical and brightly colored piece a few days ago. He is so proud of his work and Muriel is very pleased with the results.


Last week, I met Ben, Muriel's son-in-law. He wanted to come and meet us, because Muriel had been talking about these wonderful boys and DRC. While we were discussing ways he could volunteer at the Center, he briefly mentioned that Muriel's family is so thrilled that she seems more content since working with the two boys.
This past Tuesday, I sat down with one of the students to complete his quarterly report. He has been deeply enmeshed in the natural decompression phase, lately, and was fairly unenthusiastic about the whole process. He came in wearing a fleece blanket wrapped around his shoulders and a hang dog look on his face.


The first thing I mentioned to him, while the Macbook was booting up, was Ben's comments about Muriel and how much she appreciated spending time with him and the other student. The blanket slid off his shoulders as he sat up straighter and became completely absorbed in writing the report. I was thrilled to offer him favorable feedback, later that week, because he had been positively and happily engaged in projects, and activities every single day.


Muriel and I had another conversation this past Friday, when I asked her permission to write this, and she mentioned again, how much she loves spending time with the two boys. She said, with a grin, that she especially enjoys hearing the second student, yell, “Hello Muriel”, from the DRC 'Chill Space', when she enters the hallway everyday.


Life itself is sometimes messy and disappointing, however, it can also offer quiet (or emphatic) moments of joy and exhilaration. As mentioned in previous posts, life is about choices; sometimes the options appear crystal clear and other times they need a catalyst to bring them into focus. I am so honored and proud to be the lens that highlights these opportunities for people, so they can make the connections and bring mutual delight and appreciation into each other's lives.   
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DRC NEWS
​We are always looking for volunteers to facilitate classes, mentor, help with individual projects, or to clean our space. If you would like to join our amazing pool of volunteers to offer your time and talent, We would love to hear from you. You will find two current needs below.


We go on an excursion every Thursday afternoon 
​and have grown beyond the number that will fit easily into the dedicated vehicles. If you are available to drive a few of these fantastic kids, and participate in some awesome field trips, please get in touch. Thank you!


A few of our students are planning on building some lockers/cubbies for the center. They need some expert help. If you are willing to volunteer some time to this project, please let us know.


Membership


If you know of a youth who would be interested in joining this fantastic crew of young people, please have them contact us to learn how. We are taking applications for the 16/17 academic year. We are also happy to have students join us for the remaining 8 weeks of this year.



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Space .... (A Guest Post)

4/7/2016

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Thank you to Kenzie Corse for this guest post. Who, as alluded to in this piece, has been an independent self-directed learner her entire life. I truly believe her very first words were “by my own”.

Creativity, nature, and imaginative play have always had a large role in Kenzie's life. If you have a keen eye, you will find remnants of multiple “fairy houses” scattered throughout the thirty-seven acre wooded playground she called home for eleven years of her life.

She is currently at the end of her first year at Hampshire College, after spending last year exploring some of her interests and learning how to live on her own in Western Massachusetts and Portland, Oregon.

Kenzie was the first unofficial DRC kid and is the basis for many of the stories I relate when parents are concerned that their child will not be able to go to college, if they pursue their high school career at Deep Root Center. 

I am just nearing the end of my first year in college, and it is almost embarrassing to admit the number of times that I have second guessed myself, and contemplated quitting school. No one told me the doubts I would face -- as a person who just wants to be in nature and away from civilization -- when I made the decision to enroll into an academic learning atmosphere. Because I am a person who loves following my own path, and rarely does anything but that, I had an immediate desire upon arriving on campus to express my need for an individualized curriculum and for extra space to figure things out by myself. I constantly worried that I had not made an impression on my advisors and professors, and that I would get nowhere academically because I had no drive to do what other people told me to do. Although I am a few months wiser, I still experience a weekly self-interrogation session that involves crying and writing about what I want. Despite my best intentions to figure out what I’m really hankering to get out of college, I always end up back at the same intention that I set at the beginning of the year: figure out what you like doing and do it. I tell myself that this guideline is so incredibly simple that I should probably be happy about it, but it continues to annoy me with it’s simplicity, and lack of instructions for how to get myself through college without falling apart.


I have recently decided that I am an aspiring environmental writer, but I’ll admit that this is probably going to change. In my first year at Hampshire College I have gone through so many interests involving environmental studies, literature, and anthropology that it makes my head spin. For the time being, I have decided that I am most happy when I am writing, and even happier when I’m outside, so -- following my mother’s example -- I figured that there’s no harm in pursuing a subject makes you actually want to get out of bed.


But what happens if you are not given the space to do what you enjoy doing? In terms of environmental science -- and the general rigidity of defining what science is in an academic setting-- it is tricky to follow your dreams, when trying to adhere to academic standards, and social norms within science fields. Scientists -- speaking generally -- focus more on fact based questions, which are biased and generally do not follow through with addressing personal connections with the Earth. Although many environmental science courses do allow room to explore your own interests, and tie social and political aspects into your studies, it is still expected that you look at ecology, plant physiology, and all aspects of Earth studies from the point of view of the professor; resulting -- at least for me -- in a small amount of self-loathing when I don’t understand quantitative aspects of my classes, but instead would happily write an entire book of poetry on soil decomposition and the biogeochemical aspects of the surrounding terrestrial landscapes. What drives my passion for the environment is based on subjective realities, and emotions that I have experienced when I am out of doors, therefore it is challenging to find space for my enthusiasm in a field that is rigid, and fact based.


So, my weekly questioning continues: should I keep indulging in these ecology classes even though I am only interested in becoming more environmentally knowledgeable within my creative work? In a reading that talks about language barriers in academia that I recently had the pleasure of perusing, the author, a botanist and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, stated, “[m]ight science and traditional knowledge be purple and yellow to one another, might they be goldenrod and asters? We see the world more fully when we use both” (Kimmerer, R.W., 2013 ). In other words, why can’t we connect traditional and nontraditional educational methods in our studies, in order to cultivate a more encompassing understanding and love of the world around us? Thankfully, I am now able to begin to solidify an answer for myself, and feel positive about the work I am doing. I’ve decided that it’s not about making it big, or impressing everyone around you, it’s about creating an intrinsic connection with your surrounding environment, and in turn, loving what you do.




Sources:
Kimmerer, Robin W. (2013) “Braiding Sweetgrass” Minneapolis, Minnesota : Milkweed Editions [book]































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OWN IT!

4/3/2016

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by: Maria Corse

With freedom comes responsibility. As human beings, whether we completely understand or even agree with the concept, we each have a sacred responsibility to ourselves, to our friends and family, to our community, and to our planet. This among a multitude of other life lessons is at the very core of Deep Root Center's mission.


If you listen to pundits, as well as many grandparents out there, this last generation has become increasingly “allergic” to responsibility, are highly undependable, and are brats. Most of their negative observations about our youth, unfortunately, are correct. However, I will argue, for the most part, it is not their fault. (Ha,ha,ha --- see what I did there?)


Our culture embraces and touts the concept of freedom (Bill of Rights, Constitution, Declaration of Independence, etc) while offering systems of control, coercion, reward and punishment, intimidation, and limitations. This is what our kids respond to and understand, because they have been initiated into the formula with unending and constant messages, from the moment they were born, that tell them: do good things and get a reward; do bad things and get a punishment (oh, by the way, that is the way you can get attention); don't think for yourself, just follow instructions; and, please just stop being weird!


These messages impact our youth's ability to become intrinsically motivated individuals on two very important levels and both are directly related to their ability or willingness to respond in a mature manner.


Many kids have learned, over time, to avoid culpability for any wrong doing, accident, or misfortune by assigning blame to another person, or circumstance. This lesson comes directly from the reward and punishment paradigm of our society. Simply stated, if you do something wrong you will get punished. Our kids are accustomed to being “yelled” at, for any indiscretion, before being able to offer an explanation. They also often have a very skewed sense of authority, because as a child they only understand the horrible feeling they get when they are reprimanded. Yes, for a kid it is all about them, simply because they are developmentally--- children.


As practitioners of self-directed learning, we often find that the environment of free choice we offer is an enticing slice of heaven for many youth, however, for the most part, completely misunderstood. They get the freedom part of the equation --- they know they are free to say “no”, free to choose what they will participate in, free to play, free to socialize, free to explore their interests, that we will not tell them what to do (except, clean up their messes), and they know they are free to use any of the resources, equipment, and supplies at DRC.


Taking charge of their learning, in a positive and engaged manner, oftentimes, seems to be the component they can not quite grasp, at first, because they have internalized the boundaries and limits of knowledge that standardized education places on learners. When we ask a new DRC member what they would like to learn, they often regurgitate the list of subjects that they were taking before. Even when questioned and offered the whole world, they revert to that standard list of classes. Then, when these particular classes are offered as an option, these students refuse to attend the classes, because the subjects truly do not reflect what they are interested in.


Sometimes, we are faced with a student who is struggling because they have realized that taking responsibility for their life is, in reality, hard. They are discovering that they actually have to work to change their attitudes, to explore new options, and unearth new interests and passions. And, sometimes, all that growing, changing, and learning suddenly feels like they are wearing clothes that are one size too small. It is, in fact, perfectly uncomfortable, which is when they take a step backward into their cozy former habitat where shirking and blaming make life so much easier.


When I am feeling frustrated and discouraged, I have to remind myself that choosing to be a self-directed learner is, in itself, a declaration of ownership. And, each student will travel their own unique path towards taking true control of their education, which always involves a varying amount of decompression time, some backsliding, as well as unending care, encouragement, and a few well placed challenges from trusted mentors and adults in their own private circle of support. I wholeheartedly believe in every one of them, as well as this amazing process. Each of these kids will, eventually, own it all: freedoms, decisions, behaviors, and the outcomes (both the good and the less desirable).   



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​DRC NEWS
 

A Family Friendly Fundraiser


The Circle K Club at SLU is holding a “4 Square” fundraiser at the Leithead Field House in the Augsbury Complex at SLU this Friday, April 8th at 7PM.

Join the Circle K and the DRC Crew to raise money for our fee reduction program which allows everyone who desires, no matter their financial situation, to become a member of Deep Root Center.


Summer Workshops

We are still searching for folks in the community who would like to facilitate workshops at DRC this summer. Please get in touch if you have some ideas.





​Volunteers


Several of our students are looking for a higher level math class. Please let us know if you can volunteer 1-2 hours each week to teach an interactive, engaging math class for 13- 15 year olds.






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