The Grid Plan

I've recently watched a documentary called 'The Cruse' a couple of times within the last couple of months.  One of the scenes that struck me most was the musings of Speed Levitch on the the Grid Plan in New York City. After explaining his distaste for the a grid plan that lacks representation of the people and environment navigating the grid, a woman exclaims " What's wrong with the grid plan?Everyone likes the grid plan." What Speed Levitch is so perplexed by is that lack of imagination in our society, along with the acceptance of bureaucratic order as the only way things could be done.  How could I go to work each day, if I did not use my imagination and create a vision of change for the community that I serve?  Am I doing a disservice to my students if I am not imagining them maturing into bold curious learners with their own grand imaginations capable of producing change?

I say we start practicing the use of our imagination a bit more. After you've imagined it, what's stopping us from actually putting it motion?  Let's not confuse this with delusion; no purple dragons or toad princes. We should, however, practice imagining how we'd like our lives to be and how we want the lives and surroundings around us to be. It won't come into fruition on its own. But as we work with creative representations of the future in mind, if something that is even somewhat parallel to what we imagine comes about then we will feel a part of it.

One of the key outcomes that have been found in the teens involved with the buildOn program is the expanded sense of possiblity.  Students are exposed to community leaders, who are passionate about change in their community and are creatively and resourcefully working to realize that change. Students are educated about the realities of the issues the world faces and challenged to imagine the world differently. What would it take to get to that imagined state? Through the service learning process they learn to use their imagination! What they see possible for themselves and for their communities dramatically change. Not only that, but they become active agents in putting those possibilities of into motion!

I challenge you now to start mindfully use your imagination. When you being to believe that what you imagine is truly possible, it's time to make it happen.

EduCon2.3

Here is to reflection!

I am finally taking the leap and starting a blog (you're a huge inspiration Di).