EDUCATION
The 'Charting the Course' Education Proposal: Education and whole brain thinking
By Yasha Husain
March 13, 2013
I recently wrote an education proposal, 'Charting the Course,' for k through to the PhD level, that's intended to merge left- and right-brained thinking to create more whole brain thinking. The proposal triumphantly immerses the entire student population in a single classroom, in exception of only those multiply-handicapped students who have outstanding, albeit, hopefully, temporary, "disabilities," who also separately receive an advanced education under the new proposal.
A key ingredient of 'Charting the Course' is the “individualized special project,” that begins in fifth grade, and carries a student through to his or her mastery at the college level. The goal of the individualized special project is for students, when they enter college, to have in-depth knowledge and experience with conducting independent R&D.
The research they do, for the project, should be a result of their unique findings and interests. By way of self-discovery, that is, which is merely guided by the foresight and wisdom of their teachers, students consistently reach conclusions that are also, not ironically, greater than the total sum of the parts, since the projects are done holistically.
Students of all backgrounds, throughout the year, choose multiple, individualized special projects, they do one at a time, and that engage their personal learning needs. Largely by achieving this, the student population becomes immersed through mutual understanding of each student's unique growth potential.
Projects can be off the charts. For example, imagine that a high functioning “autistic,” or more right-brained, child comes to understand history through land masses, or earth science. Projects, then, may stretch back in geologic time as a result of the student's imagination, the student being responsible for picking the project in accordance with his or her unique story and special interests. Having found a foundation for understanding like this, that benefits student and teacher alike, next, in this example anyway, scientific understanding, with guidance, and, importantly, through extrapolated associations, which interest the student, logically and intuitively leads to cultural and historical understanding.
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An American Reconstruction Department
By Yasha Husain
December 29, 2012
A logical next step for the Obama Administration and its efforts to triumph against the challenges of the 21st century, is, strategically speaking, the creation of an American Reconstruction Department, a Franklin Roosevelt-type initiative.
All wings of the proposed Reconstruction effort, listed below, would be carried out concurrently by diverse teams of experts, the heads of which meet bi-monthly. Expenditures will come chiefly from already distributed, or budgeted, dollars, in exception of R&D and special projects, e.g. pilot projects, including ones that meet the needs of poor, under-served or polluted communities.
In light of climate change and the international economy, domestic and world affairs could largely be tackled with the follow-through of an American Reconstruction Department.
The idea for the Department comes not only from Roosevelt's defeat of the Great Depression, but from Japan, which in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and in response to its environmental demands, instituted a nationwide, regional and community-based reconstruction effort, according to Habitat for Humanity, which ran a special ad about Japan in Bloomberg Businessweek (Oct. 22-28, 2012).
It's true that after the emergency state related to the 2008 financial crisis has wound down, Obama's in-earnest planning stage is finally upon us. No better time than to start the ambitious goal setting, based on a long range vision, with a centralized department with outreach capacity to communities across the nation, and world.
The logical next step in the Obama Administration's efforts to promote change is an American Reconstruction Department, that might be replicated internationally, its various wings:
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Celebrating the Family and Perfect Love
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Emergent Education, Adapting to 21st Century Needs, Including Job Creation
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The Role of Faith in Culture
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Exchanging Nonviolence
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Guideposts: Sharing the Wisdom of All Time
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Harnessing the Creative Potential Utilizing “Perfect Knowledge” (Self-realization)
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On the Nature of Competition: Holistic Competition
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On the Role of Science: Holistic Science
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Holistic Farming
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Helping Hands for the Poor
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Developing Cognitive and Behavioral Health Advancements, Thinking Out-of-the-Box
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Integrative, Holistic Medicine: Health Care Reform, Disease Control and Prevention
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Sound Design Materials
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Graduated Engineering
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Architecture and Design
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Aviation, Rail and Vehicular Design and Transfer
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Clean Energy Projects
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Remediation
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Environmental Monitoring
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Technology Transfer
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Realigning Military and Intelligence to Carry Out More Diplomatic Missions
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Mixing of Local, Regional, State and International Economies
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Cross Cultural Exchange for the Continuation of Cultural Heritage
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Global Participation
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Development
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Profile of Andrew Greenwald
Spreading the Word
Greenwald's Holistic Approach to Special Education
By Yasha Husain
December 2007
When first listening to Andrew Greenwald presenting a talk on 'creating teachable moments' he might leave you wondering, "Was it a comedy routine I signed up for, or is the rather urbane and friendly-looking man before me who keeps making me laugh though that's not what I came here to do going to also share some practical wisdom regarding how best to reach kids with special needs?"
The truth soon emerges. What Greenwald offers his audiences, which are mostly made up of parents and teachers of students with a wide range of special needs, is a fusion of laughs and inventive, made-to-order insight. The laughs he delivers as side dishes in the form of incidental, albeit hysterical, sarcasm aimed gently at what he believes is often too conventional an approach to teaching. The insight he shares into how to allow things to evolve holistically when working with students is presented more methodically, to assure it can be easily interpreted, and presumably used, at home, in school, and in the communities where students live.
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