GEFS Classes [+ PMEC]
- NOTE
* First a brief note to PMEC members: PMEC is a project of my Peace Philosophy & Activism course, which is one of the departments of GEFS, i.e. Golden Eagle Friends Free School. We seem to be developing 4 departments: the departments of Peace, Co-Business, Health & Ecology. Some PMEC members expressed interest in teaching and learning Peace Philosophy & Activism. That course will be discussed here below, before the other three.
- LEARN BY DOING
* I propose that GEFS, our free school, emphasize Learning by Doing. This school is intended to teach a new culture of world peace and freedom. A peace culture is very different from the culture of war and greed. To teach peace requires a revolutionary departure from conventional teaching methods, which latter are essentially brainwashing, which is a form of violence.
* I'm proof that Learning by Doing works. I've never organized a school before and I didn't get a degree or take courses to learn how to organize a school. I've read diverse materials on many subjects and learned by experience in helping to organize informal meetings. That and "intuition" has guided me in organizing GEFS to this point. It's too early to call GEFS a success, except that a number of people have agreed informally to participate in building our school, and that in itself is an accomplishment.
* Since this is a different kind of school, I intend that all responsible members feel like they have equal opportunity to influence the growth of GEFS. If you have questions or concerns about learning by doing etc, email them to me and I'll try to make your concerns heard by our members and acted on.
- TEACH RESPONSIBILITY BASICS
* I propose that each GEFS course include teaching what might be called Responsibility Basics. These are what I mean: Step Ten; Strategic Planning; Hear to Win-Win; Consensus; Suzuki Method; & Scientific Method. And I'm only talking about adopting the heart of each of these, so they're meant to be short, but potent. These all seem to be foundational principles for a culture of peace.
* Step Ten refers to taking private Moral Inventory and Making Amends for wrong-doing without coercion by anyone.
* Strategic Planning is about setting goals and planning to achieve them in practical ways.
* Hear to Win-Win is a method I'm developing, similar to Non-Violent Communication, meant to be used in group settings for settling differences amicably. Hear means to hear and repeat the other person's concern. Win-win means to find solutions that satisfy everyone's concerns.
* Consensus means unanimous rule in small groups.
* Suzuki Method refers to acclimating to public speaking or performing by starting in a large group and gradually adjusting to smaller group setting, until a person is comfortable acting in public alone. More people are said to have stage fright than fear of death. That's great for a war culture, but a peace culture needs people to feel confident in public.
* & Scientific Method refers to the natural ways to learn truth. Conventional science violates many of the rules of proper scientific method. When we know what the rules are, we can easily see how rules are being violated. Much of conventional science is BS, and I feel very confident in making that assessment.
- GEFS CURRICULUM
* I've toyed with several names for our courses. As I mentioned initially above, it seems there are 4 basic departments for teaching peace culture, i.e. departments of a. Peace, b. Co-Business, c. Health & d. Ecology.
* Here are ideas I have for sub-topics for each course.
* The Peace Activism course will teach Progressive, Libertarian & similar peace philosophy, as well as writing and speaking about it. These are to be used for effective political activism, or for running for office or helping other peace candidates run for office, or for helping pass laws that support peace and freedom.
*a. PEACE
.1.Basics: Step Ten; Strategic Planning; Hear to Win-Win; Consensus; Suzuki Method; Scientific Method
.2.SOX Event Organizing
(SOX means Spirit of Xmas, which is the spirit of peace)
- SOX events are meant for attracting members, raising funds & providing a setting for unifying diverse peace supporters & for teaching classes.
.3.Christian, Islamic etc Peace Philosophy
- This is meant to show that the Bible and Quran etc support peace, which I'm confident they really do, when properly interpreted.
.4.Communicating
- As students learn Peace Philosophy, it is hoped that they will write and speak about it in as many media as possible.
.5.Campaigning
- Peace Activism is intended to help recruit good peace candidates to run for office and to support their campaigns.
.6.Lawmaking
- Most public officials constantly violate the Constitution, which is the highest law of the land. They do it mostly out of ignorance, but the higher-ups likely do it out of not caring. This class intends to teach peace candidates the law, so they can fix it properly.
*b. COBIZ
.1.Basics
.2.Co-operative business
.3.Alternative economics
*c. HEALTH
.1.Basics
.2.Natural diet
.3.Natural remedies
.4.Anatomy & Physiology
*d. ECOLOGY
.1.Basics
.2.Organic growing
.3.Permaculture
.4.Eco-Tech
