Hoi Michiel

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Conference HEART AND SOUL OF LEARNING
Woudschoten, 31 May - 2 June
2002 THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT SAYS NO TO THE
POLLUTION OF OUR PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT THE CHILD
MOVEMENT SAYS NO TO THE POLLUTION OF THE LIVING
ENVIRONMENT OF THE CHILD Presentation by Michiel
Matthes of Ecology of the Child
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An environmental movement for the child isA
child movement
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• I speak at this meeting as a father of three
  children, as an (ex) partner of a woman and as
  founder of Ecology of the child
• I discovered that good fatherhood goes
  further than my own family.

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Each day we read in the paper

• Drug abuse
• Suicide among youth
• Smaller classrooms
• Child prostitution
• Foster Parents Youth Care
• TV and the Internet in relation to children

• School programs
• Homeless Children
• School careers
• Child abuse
• The spending of free time by children
• Etc.

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I asked myself

• Which science covers all aspects of the life of a
  child?
• Which organization in our society is monitoring/
  looking after all aspects of the life of our
  children?

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Answer to the first question

• There is not such a science, but it is a whole
  bunch of scientific disciplines, that study the
  various aspects of the life of a child. These
  different disciplines hardly communicate with
  each other.

Answer to the second question

• There are dozens of organizations (governmental,
  semi-governmental, private, companies) that work
  with / for children.
• These organizations hardly communicate with each
  other.
• They have no common perceptions, goals, etc.

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I was wondering

• Is there a model, which brings together all
  aspects of the life of a a child?
• A model, in which we can give a place to the
  various scientific disciplines focusing on
  children?
• A model, in which we can fit all organizations
  that work with / for children?

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Schema Ecology of the ChildThe Whole System
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In the life of a child everything is connected
with everything else mistakes tend to amplify
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The Schema can also be used to map the various
organizations
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Two conclusions

• There should be a science, that focuses on all
  aspects of the child and its environment and the
  interaction between the two (Ecology of the
  Child)
• There should be an organization that focuses on/
  takes care of the child and its living
  environment.
• Its task
• Monitoring the quality of the living environment
• Developing an approach for the whole system and
  the sub-systems
• Best practice / benchmarking
• Leading role in relation to main actors and
  stakeholders

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(No Transcript)
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First conclusion

• There are big differences between some
  indicators, when comparing the Netherlands and
  the US.
• There are indicators that differ by a factor of
  13 to 350.
• Note
• Per head, the US is 50 richer than the
  Netherlands

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Why are some indicators in the US so much higher
than in the Netherlands?
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Reply

• The American system apparently produces a higher
  output of certain events than the Dutch system.
• System the social system,
• i.e. the whole of persons, organizations, roles,
  goals, attitudes, behavior, knowledge,
  perceptions and activities concerning the child.

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Conclusions

• An easy conclusion
• The Americans can learn from the Dutch.
• A level deeper
• We can define the living environment of the child
  in a country as a system.
• The comparing of different systems is a powerful
  tool to discover opportunities for improvement.
• In this way, blind spots, taboos and fundamental
  shortcomings can more easily be found.

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The Strategy of Ecology of the Child in a nutshell
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StrategyHow to change a whole system?

1. By starting to talk about the entire system
2. By building networks at the most important places
   in that system Ecology of the Child focuses on
   the organizations of citizens
3. By building a learning organization

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Old approachThere is something wrong with the
child, and we have to repair it (deficit
model)New Systems approachIn what way does
the system produce problems concerning children?
How can we adjust the system?
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Dialogue concerning goals

• Carnegie Corporation
• Fatherhood, motherhood, partnership
• Goals concerning parenthood how to empower
  parents
• On Becoming a Person (Carl Rogers)
• Nussbaum (10 capabilities)
• linkage between the schooling and work situation
  (OECD Rapport)
• Citizenship, community, democracy
• Delors report goals
• Learning
• Learning to learn
• Learning to live together
• Learning to be
• UN Treaty of the rights of Children
• Reggio Emilia approach, the benchmark for raising
  and educating children aged 0 tot 7

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Essential Requirements for Healthy Adolescent
Development, as Formulated by the Carnegie
Corporation

• Find a valued place in a constructive group.
• Learn how to form close, durable human
  relationships.
• Feel a sense of worth as a person.
• Achieve a reliable basis for making informed
  choices.
• Know how to use the support systems available to
  them.
• Express constructive curiosity and exploratory
  behavior.
• Find ways of being useful to others.
• Believe in a promising future with real
  opportunities.
• Master social skills, including the ability to
  manage conflict peacefully.

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Essential Requirements Carnegie Corporation
continued

• Cultivate the inquiring and problem-solving
  habits of mind for lifelong learning.
• Acquire the technical and analytic capabilities
  to participate in a world-class economy.
• Become ethical persons.
• Learn the requirements of responsible
  citizenship.
• Respect diversity in our pluralistic society.

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Concrete Activities of Ecology of the Child

• It defines the system in a new way (the earth is
  round instead of flat).
• It provides a positive perspective
• It provides information concerning the system
  (monitoring of indicators, best practice, bench
  marking)
• It creates a social system of actors, who work
  together towards a common goal (learning
  organization)
• It is an Action Group within the Child Movement

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Hearts Wish of Ecology of the Child

• To incorporate in the new Governmental
  Agreement, valid for the period 2002- 2006
• To hold a conference between the main Child
  Ministries and other important stakeholders on
• objectives concerning education and pedagogy in
  the Dutch society
• roles of the various stakeholders and actors.
• Methodology how to start a continuous way of
  innovation in this domain.