Visie

Philosophy

We are on earth, free to discover how to live in harmony.
Humanity can learn to live in harmony with the natural resources (Deep Ecology) if we learn to live in harmony with ourselves (Spirituality).
As a result of that we relate to our human and non-human environment with respect for its development and dignity (Global Education).
For this we envision new ways of learning.
Envisioning future learning
To realize this respect, inner peace and the discovery of harmony in daily work in education calls for emotional intelligence, sensitivity and maturity in teachers, as well as for a more balanced curriculum and an organisation of schools and colleges that fosters innovative learning.
We live in the paradox that we wish future generations to behave better than the generations that educate them (world peace & nonviolence, democracy, hunger-problem, ecological crises of water, air and land, human-women-children and animal rights, healthy living, IT-literacy, creativity/innovation and concentration...).
This calls for teachers, producers and administrators who are living examples of joyful loving service and integrity, connected with their intellectual and physical community. They know that the right degree of perfection is the imperfection to keep developing, learning, integrating to ever deeper (or higher) inner levels. We need teachers who are well grounded in their own bodies, physical as well as emotional and spiritual, and who have strong minds that can serve them. Which is different from being strong minds (in that case the mind does not serve but rules the person).
To deepen these immanent qualities Shapers of Education provides retreats, conferences, development projects and coaching (see activities)

The strong and hard will fall, the soft and weak will overcome. Lao Tse

 'by-laws of Shapers of Education International Foundation'  klik hier voor de statuten

Shapers of Education International Foundation
An international Foundation to bring together inspired  seekers who can influence the Shape of Education in their own culture and home country. They usually are professionals, like curriculum developers, school architects, administrators, entrepreneurial teachers, researchers, test  developers, consultants, inspectors, editors, publishers of methods and developers of educational software. They may be 'amateurs', parents, students.  We recognize each other as creative pioneers.
Shapers of  Education activities have started in 1994 with the first international retreat. Since then several retreats and conferences  have taken place. Contributors were a.o. Robert Muller (UN, World Core Curriculum), Gloria Crook (Ageless Wisdom, Robert Muller Schools), Satish Kumar (Schumacher College), Marilyn Feldberg (WYSE), Rupert Sheldrake (7 experiments that change the world), Molly Young Brown (Psychosynthesis, Ecoliteracy and Systems thinking)
In 1998 Shapers of Education became a separate non-profit foundation, based  physically in the Netherlands.

Vision for the Future:
Retreat, Resource and Research Center for Shapers of New Learning

An international retreat center, with  resources on learning and education and possibilities for scientific and action oriented research: that is our dream for each continent. We envision to start such a center in our part of the world.
International because the  future is international: we are a global community with special discoveries and developments to go as humans, and this development is stimulated most when we study shared fundamental issues from different cultural perspectives. It  takes participants immediately and pleasantly out of set frames.
Retreat is the element most important for these times. It requires some courage to slow down when everything seems to speed up. The experiences are, that we can  prepare for quantum leaps in silence. Envisioning future learning needs some 'distancing' from daily life and work.
Resources are found in fellow participants, invited inspiring  facilitators (teachers/professors/pioneers we live together with for one or more weeks), in visits to and (video) reports from inspirational learning situations, in the library and on the web.
The experience of integrated learning becomes a source of inspiration for your work.

The center could be a perfect sabbatical place, with opportunities to serve if you prefer to.We envision links with organisations, universities and departments where avant-garde  development, research and theorizing on learning, education and consciousness is going on (HUNIP in Brazil, Naropa in the US, OISE in Canada, TIES in Vermont, Noetic Sciences Institute, Society for ffective and Affective Learning –Seal and many others).

In this vision, there will be a small resident staff and always a few individual artists and researchers in residence who come for their 'sabbatical' . They research and create matters of their Soul's concern and  may -if they wish- serve as sources for participants in or outside retreat programmes. If their research leads to patents or products (software, learning technologies, biofeedback devices from research, a musical, TV programme, CD, book or statue from the arts) to be sold or other revenues, the centre receives a part of the revenues. There is no obligation to produce 'for the market'.