Our Approach: Content and Pedagogy

The world is changing, with complex economic, environmental and social challenges facing--and linking--communities near and far.  But a new vision is taking shape: a sustainable future where communities are strong, the environment is healthy, and “green” economies are prosperous and provide opportunities for all.

Creative Change assumes that everyone has a stake in this future--and that education should inspire learning and leadership towards it.  We believe that the purpose of schooling is to prepare students for citizenship in a society that is democratic, diverse, prosperous and healthy.  “Citizenship” implies multiple roles, including community member, family member, and worker.

The values of democracy and sustainability drive our approach to framing curriculum and pedagogy.  Specifically, we believe

• Curriculum should reflect how knowledge is constructed and used in the real world of academia, business and other sectors.
• A “literate” person can not only read and write, but also has an integrated knowledge of ecological, scientific, civic, culture and economic systems.
• Knowledge acquisition and applications should help learners meet real world challenges about creating a healthy, prosperous, equitable and sustainable society.
• Examining cultural assumptions is a core part learning in all content areas.

Role of the standards

This approach offers a new way for thinking about the role of the standards:  Rather than serving as ends in themselves, the disciplines and standards should be integrated to serve the broader purpose of education. 

Equity

The multicultural nature of society establishes the ethical responsibility to prepare students to thrive in a diverse democracy.   We believe that

• Schools must prepare all students to live, work and communicate across different cultural contexts.  This includes understanding different communication and cultural styles, working effectively in diverse groups, and using the appropriate language and behaviors for different cultural contexts. 
• The language and behaviors expected in schools typically reflect the dominant, or "power," culture.  Schools have a responsibility to teach students the communication and behavior norms of this culture while being explicit about the power relationships embedded in it. 
• At the same time, schools must value students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds and develop ways to integrate this into curriculum and instructional decisions.

In this approach, then, multiculturalism is not "about others," but for everyone.