We at Full-Circle Learning are pleased to share the latest news with our friends - from the calendar, from our global projects and from our own backyard. Your support and encouragement has been an integral part of this vision. As a nonprofit charitable organization that receives continual requests for service and collaboration, we understand that many people in the world see young people as the hope for change and for a more altruistic society, where skills are valued for the ways in which they can contribute to the wellbeing of humanity. We thank you for your commitment to this same vision and invite you to celebrate with us the summer and fall successes of our 20th year!
Teresa Langness, Board President, for the Staff and Board
Pictured above: Full-Circle Learning Academy students onstage, taken by Baktash Aazmi. Other photos in this newsletter by Baktash Aazami, Cassandra Fairfield, Sugey Lopez, Arlo Gordon, Davidson Efetobore, and the staff of Zhejiang University's Hangzhou College Affiliated Preschool and Greentown's Yua School.
EVENT CALENDAR
20th Anniversary Event
Full-Circle Learning celebrated its 20th anniversary at an Attitude of Gratitude event this Fall. Heartfelt gratitude goes out to all those who participated and supported FCL programs through this event and over the past 20 years! We look forward to another 20 years and beyond with your continued support!
FCL 2013 calendar is here!
Please feel free to view the online version of the calendar by clicking here. Or if you would like a calendar sent to you via USPS, please contact our Southern California office at (310) 455-3909 or via email at info@fullcirclelearning.org.
Run for Children, Run for Change!
If you believe in this new generation of change agents, support Full-Circle Learning in the January Los Angeles 13 Allstate half-marathon! Bring friends and supporters and run along Venice Beach. Begin to collect pledges now to help us reach our goal of $20,000. Or recruit and assist a friend who likes to run. Click here for details.
We also congratulate Sugey Lopez and the Behar family for funds raised through the Rotary Club in Ventura County marathon over the summer.
NEWS FROM GLOBAL PROJECTS
Recognition and Requests from International Leaders
"Other NGOs come to teach techniques," said an education minister who had requested a meeting with the Full-Circle Learning representative for Africa this month. "But Full-Circle Learning teaches a new mindset...This is what we need for our country."
Full-Circle Learning began the 2012-13 school year with newly served students at two schools in the US, along with 18 new schools abroad. These new relationships came through community requests. The teachers are excited to show their students how to apply their skills and habits in service to their communities.
The summer training programs abroad, in fact, proved so transformation successful, that the Education Minister of Liberia was the second ministry to press Full-Circle Learning to share its approach with more schools to intensify the higher purpose of its teachers and students, paving the way for the kind of transformation the country so deeply needs. The Ministry began to plan for ways to train all the schools in Liberia to become Full-Circle Learning schools, a process similar to the challenge taken up by the Zambian team in response to the President Kenneth Kaunda's request. It may be a slow process, fraught with challenges, she admitted, but together we will work for change.
Educators celebrated at graduation from summer training courses in Zambia (left) and Liberia (right). Teachers at participating schools are first trained in vision, theory, philosophy, and curriculum design. They practice customizing integrated lesson plans that culminate in relevant service projects. They learn new strategies for classroom management while also considering traditions and best practices that support a culture of service and self-mastery. They redefine the significance of their own role in community transformation.
Over the summer of 2012, nearly 20 schools planned to offer Full-Circle Learning to new communities of students. Often the trainings engaged students as well as teachers. Students and teachers learn how Full-Circle Learning music plays a role in linking themes to school work and service (left). Students rehearse for a parade related to a community clean-up campaign during the summer workshops (right).
Directors of the Mulela School for the Disabled, Helen and Susan, warmly greeted Beauty Nzila, Director of Zambia's Blessed Vale School, for a visit. Beauty continued her mentorship visits to participating schools after the summer 2012 sessions (left). Full-Circle Learning leaders Peter Simukanzye (of Zambia), Davidson Efetobore (the regional facilitator, residing in Liberia) and Beauty Nzila (of Zambia) have inspired and trained hundreds of students and teachers this year alone (right).
New Stories from Liberia
From Davidson Efetobore
Let me share this short touching story of a grade five (5) class and their experience of practicing habit of Friendliness, Aspiration, Patience and Acting on Conviction.
Last week, we decided to conduct reflection meetings with few schools where our program is vigorously effective, in order to access and evaluate students' progress on some of the habits of heart they've been taught since the beginning of this school year. These schools include Kingdom Foundation Institute (KFI), Web International (WEB), Deborah K. Moore and Light House International. These schools have student's mastery award events coming up November.
As the teachers take turns sharing their successes and challenges, Mr. Bendar, a 5th grade sponsor at KFI, shared his experiences with his class in a very relieved manner, You know, he said, until I started teaching the habits of heart lessons, my class was known as one of the most vulnerable--vulnerable, in terms of rudeness, abusing and insulting of other students on campus and slight stealing. But since I have started working with them on Patience, Friendliness, Aspiration and Acting on Convictions under Habits of Helpers, the story has changed altogether. My students now come to school on time, sweep the classroom, report missing items and are now well behaved. In fact, two students from my class have been nominated for the upcoming character award ceremony in November. The class now preferred to be called "class of one human family". [Student's name], one of the radical students, secretly confessed to me that it was the habit of Friendliness and Patience that really made him change for good and from now on, he will continue to be friendly and patient.
In another school (WEB), a 7th grade girl called Luvina Chea, told her teacher how she showed kindness to someone she doesn't know or hasn't met before. She said two weeks ago, a young man came to our shop to ask for a favor. From his look, he seemed very tired and hungry, but yet he asked for just a cup of water to quench his thirst. She said, "I observed that he needed something more than water but was kind of shy to ask for it. I told him all right, but went to get him a loaf of bread and a bottle of soft drink. He ate the bread and drank the soft drink slowly. After he was done, he told me that he was really hungry but has no money to buy anything to eat. Even right now, he was thinking of how to pay for the bread and the drink. I told him that he doesn't have to pay for it, that our teacher taught us to be kind to others and that you should not expect to be paid for kindness you shown willingly."
Mrs. Taylor, vice principal for instruction at WEB, narrated how parents heap praises on their school at a PTA meeting for introducing the habits of heart.
Other Nations Continue Growth
This story of exponential growth in West and Central Africa echoes the enthusiasm of other nations where even modest human and fiscal resources, matched with high commitment, bring results.
The School of the Nations in Brasilia reported great success with its Full-Circle Learning program. In the spring, the schools in Chad also reported a stirring experience with overflowing attendance at its graduation, although funds are now needed for follow-up visits. Funds will also be needed to continue the growth in West and South Africa. Sri Lanka has also requested a training program in 2013.
One by one, members of the global family discover that when you empower a teacher with a greater sense of purpose, you ignite the potential of every child and community served.
China is one example of a country where Full-Circle Learning (teacher training, translation, ongoing mentoring and funding projects, materials, staff and schools) is now a self-sustaining program.
Chinese Children Master Habits-of-Heart As New Teachers Master Strategies
Full-Circle Learning programs in China continue to help children learn at an early age to connect learning with life skills. An October report sent by the Affiliated Kindergarten of Zhejiang University in Hangzhou depicted the fall training sessions held at the university for preschool education majors throughout the province and also at Greentown schools. The teaching units at the university's kindergarten integrate Patience into their current academic learning unit, while Greentown schools are practicing Cooperation as a theme. The photos below highlight sample activities.
University School Highlights
Greentown Highlights
IN OUR BACKYARD
Consultation Enriches Global Project Parallels
Full-Circle Learning welcomed a first US visit from our honorary board member Dr. Farzin Rahmani, from the U.K., in September, who has served the needs of Full-Circle Learning work in Africa and now is assisting efforts on the Navajo Reservation. Education projects for children and youth are currently being piloted on the reservation, with plans for possible expansion to three areas. Dr. Rahmani has assisted the development of Full-Circle Learning projects in Southern Africa over the past decade, so his visit came as a historic first face-to-face visit among the Friends of Full-Circle Learning. Dr. Rahmani is introducing concepts for the junior entrepreneurial training program integrated into the FCL schools and educational programs attended by secondary students.He is pictured here with Navajo project participants and Full-Circle Learning representatives.
Public Health as Community Service
North American students in a new program surprised their cosponsors with the extent to which they were able to evoke change in a short time this summer. Participants in the Habits of Heroes summer program in Marina Park, San Leandro, California, dedicated their summer to the goal of diabetes prevention, applying Vision Seeking, Advocacy and Selflessness. The program reached out to schools where both children and adults were at high-risk for diabetes.
Students exercised an hour a day, changed their eating habits and integrated science, reading and oral presentations into their service projects. They learned to be advocates from community heroes such as Dr. Preston Maring (who founded farmer's markets at the region's Kaiser hospitals) and Jeff Ritterman, a city councilman who initiated a soda tax in his city. The student "heroes" cooked fresh food for their families and helped write letters-to-the-editor advocating a soda tax. They learned about community gardening and practiced public demonstrations on the importance of water and comparisons of the PH in water versus sodas and commercial drinks. They even monitored the insulin of a diabetic teacher, to comprehend the influence of exercise and diet on diabetes. By the end of the summer, they had set altruistic career goals related to health.
The program was sponsored by Full-Circle Learning, Lift/Levitante, Meridian Health Foundation and Dash, with support of Kaiser, the San Leandro school district and Parks and Recreation District.
Dr. Maring demonstrates shopping and cooking for good health at a farmer's market (Above). Heros examine the number of sugar cubes in a serving of soda and display a daily insulin chart created with their teacher while monitoring exercise and sugar/carbohydrate intake with him.
Rancho Sespe Summer School Thrives
The "planters of peace," also known as the students of Rancho Sespe's Full-Circle Learning Summer School, touched our hearts this year with many expressions of Sacrifice, Consideration and Integrity. By integrating their reading, writing, artwork, math, music, homework assignments, guest presentations and public service field trips, they reflected a model to other schools of how strengthening our character can bring greater meaning to the application of our learning.
These students' visit to a fire hall evinced tears when their artifacts and songs honored the chief for the habit of sacrifice. Their creations of art from recycled material were given to a local museum to show consideration for both the esthetic and conservation needs of humans. Their visit to City Hall helped them express and explore the role of integrity in community building. A wisdom exchange with Zambia allowed them to give and receive messages about the role of these habits in students' personal lives.
For homework, some students called 911 for people suffering on the streets from diabetic shock or helped elderly strangers cross the street. They did not take their mission lightly. One highlight occurred when Gorgonio Tobias, a former student and current teachers' aide, became a guest presenter on the nature of Sacrifice. He had saved a life a few years ago during the summer program when he was a young student practicing the habit of Sacrifice in the summer school.
Parents became part of the shifting dynamic as they also noted differences in their children. All could feel the unity of a group of young people who had formed a bond as family and considered this family as large as the world. One boy actually signed his papers with his first name, his surname and "A member of the human family."
The program was funded for a decade through Full-Circle Learning's special fundraisers. Full-Circle Learning now receives an annual grant from the Mona Foundation to fund this summer school program.
Local Schools Expand
In California, the Piru Preschool and the Tarzana Habits-of-Heart program are up and running again with waiting lists for 2012-13, and service-oriented field trips and projects around the theme of Vision Seeking already taking place.
Oak Park High School will once again sponsor a club to serve and mentor the Tarzana elementary school children. Meanwhile, the demand for expansion of services has led to a request for a second preschool in the Piru Preschool area - news to come.
The SANAD Saturday school in Southern California is imbuing new leadership skills into its elementary aged Sudanese students through activities that link character, multiple talents, and service.
With your help, we can help every young participant associate education with the fulfillment of their vision for a meaningful life.
Rhode Island School Lauded for Adaptation of Peacemaking Curriculum
Students attending the Bradley School-Portsmouth recently marked the completion of a "Peaceful Garden Ceramics" art learning unit with the "planting" of a five-foot "Peace Pole" near the entrance of the school. Students from Bradley East Bay Works School made ceramic tiles at the Newport Art Museum's Coleman Center for Creative Studies. Students from the Bradley School Portsmouth decorated the tiles with images and messages of peace. The project received community support from multiple sources.
Coleman Center faculty member Charlene Carpenzano spearheaded the project after Full-Circle Learning board member Margie Maher passed on a copy of one of the Full-Circle Learning curriculum manuals, Making Peace. James Chung-Brcak, Psy.D., Clinical Director of the Bradley School-Portsmouth said, "This Peace Pole captures the importance of peaceful communication, which is an important life lesson for all of our students, regardless of their age or ability...Our art teacher Charlene created an amazing curriculum for our students, and this project represents the cumulative efforts of several of our classrooms, ranging from kindergarten through high school."
In designing the Peace Pole project, Carpenzano combined poetry and art-making to highlight the peace and unity that can come from group collaboration. Carpenzano said she was seeking, "a project where everyone worked together toward the same goal, and what better goal than peace is there? I wanted the students to reach out to their community for support and to feel proud of their accomplishments when walking into their school."
Chapman Applies Full-Circle Learning (FCL) Curriculum
Climate Change Agents was launched as a text for a required education course at Chapman University beginning in Fall 2012. With this step, newly trained teachers at the university are learning ways to integrate meaningful character and service themes into science units laced with social studies, math and language arts components.
Based on the integrated education techniques these university students are learning, their instructor, Marisol Rexach, is challenging them to design an internship program for a local Santa Ana school based on the Change Agents concept. Integrated education-especially with purposeful objectives-is new to these university students, who sense an exhilarating new alternative to the compartmentalized teaching and tutoring programs their university education had included so far. Hats off to Ms. Rexach and her mentees.
ARLO'S NEW BLOG
Volunteer Arlo Gordon provided outstanding service at Rancho Sespe's summer school this year, traveling more than an hour one-way each day she attended. She has included comments on her work in an ongoing blog on how teachers might incorporate art into their Full-Circle Learning projects. Follow her work for art ideas that can inspire creative teaching. Click here to download Arlo's new blog.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Your contribution helps fund these ongoing integrated education programs that can influence the process of community transformation for years to come. Let's work together to contribute to a generation of humanitarians and change agents who find greater purpose in their learning.
Be a friend of Full-Circle Learning. Contribute online by clicking on the Donate button or by sending a check to Full-Circle Learning at PO Box 996, Topanga CA 90290.
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