Educating for Humanity: Rethinking the Purposes of Education [Hardcover]

At a time of profound crises around the world, when social justice, peace, democracy and the environment seem under increasing threat, the promise of a world for all seems a viable aspiration for education. Ample evidence from many schools today, and dating back throughout the last century, prove that the purpose of educating young people to develop character, compassion, purpose and commitment is integral with the mastery of intellectual skills and life competencies. Schooling, without a doubt, can play a monumental part in the development of the personal values people take with them to the world. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, if you don't know where you're going, you'll probably get someplace else. Educational policy directions over the last twenty years have veered far away from the important work of educating for humanity. This book makes a powerful appeal to revisit educational purpose in light of what is most fundamental and important to human beings everywhere. The authors address timely issues such as high stakes testing, school choice, and privatization of education in looking beyond these measures to new approaches to educational excellence.This book makes appeals to the world to revisit educational purpose in regards to social justice, and looks at testing, school choice and privatization. Mike Seymour and his talented colleagues believe that all children are left behind by recent No Child Left Behind policies. (They) make a powerful case for a highly attractive alternative vision.

Henry M. Levin, Columbia University, from the Foreword

Introduction Educating for Humanity: Rethinking the Purposes of Education, Mike Seymour; Part I The Great Work of Reconnecting to Self, Community, Earth, and Spirit, Mike Seymour; Chapter 1 Networks and the Web of Life: The Science Behind an Integral, Sustainable Culture, Fritjof Capra, Mike Seymour; Chapter 2 An Evolutionary Threshold: Calling on Humanityls½