4.6: Sustainability and Education

"The challenge of sustainability may be viewed as a major threat/opportunity to existing cultural systems." -Stephen Sterling

My interpretation of this quote is that the idea of sustainability is indeed a threat to existing cultural systems but is also an opportunity for people in a culture to learn the benefits of being part of a sustainable system. Sustainability is a threat to a culture that values and depends on consumerism for social acceptance and self-worth. But, it is an opportunity for those involved in systems that consume to experience social interactions that are community and environmentally based, which allows individuals to understand the importance of communication and interconnectedness with the environment for a meaningful life.

The link provided in our module on "Sustainability and Education" was not working, so I will discuss three aspects pertaining to education that can contribute to sustainability. In John Gatto's book "Dumbing Us Down," he describes several ways in which the U.S. education system is "dumbing down" children. In school, children are taught to listen and "learn" from their teachers. Knowledge is not linear, so therefore teachers are not the only source of knowledge, it is through the interaction of individuals and the sharing of experiences that we can learn from each other, not just from one source. Also, students are graded only on things that are objective, or measurable, so creativity is limited and children are expected to conform to cultural expectations. Finally, children are "prisoners" of school because they are trapped in a building the majority of the day and are unable to interact with people and nature. These three faults that our education system advocates do not encourage creativity, uniqueness, or interpersonal relationships. The system of education that the U.S. has now favors individualism, subordination, and disconnection so that the system of capitalism and consumerism can flourish.

Although Hawai'i is a state where education is not performing to national "standards" there are many programs throughout the state that have schools were "at-risk" students attend and succeed. I am amazed and excited to know that there are charter schools on this island that are culturally based that educate students who might not fit into the "western" schools. It is important to have schools that recognize the importance of culture and the relevance of information that is incorporated in these schools. It is possible to teach students math, reading and writing by incorporating culturally relevant knowledge so students can succeed and feel that what they are doing is not difficult, but beneficiary to the way of their specific life. It is important for children to know that their ancestors were successful in terms of literacy and knowledge that came from experiencing life from the land, and that is why indigenous cultures were so successful. These cultures did not consume more than what they needed, they learned through experience and survival that it is important to have a community that valued the environment.