Blog No. 1 SOUNDING THE ALARM!

When I look at the world we humans have created on this Earth, I am profoundly concerned. Consider any of the conditions that are necessary for sustaining human life on the planet: water, air, food, energy, enough room just to live…all are seriously at risk.

Prior to my retirement in January, I was a professor of human development at a community college. I asked my students to read a monologue from my book On Being Human[1] titled, “Humanity’s Crises.” In the discussion that followed, several students felt that I was being an alarmist; “…things are not all that bad.” My response was “YES!” I am being alarmist; that’s the point! I am sounding an alarm! Things are that bad. The Earth and all that dwell upon it are at genuine and serious risk. Really.

We are, I believe, a culture in denial; we just don’t believe it. Some folks, for example, still argue that global warming is not a crisis and not connected with human activity. I am hopeful that there are enough critical thinkers out there to recognize the preponderance of evidence not just about global warming, but about the drinking water crisis, the over-population crisis, the homelessness crisis, the global disease crisis, the land crisis, the biodiversity crisis, the energy crisis, the political crisis, the food crisis, the economic crisis, the religion crisis, the education crisis, the hunger crisis (and ironically) the obesity crisis…the list goes on!

AN EDUCATIONAL PROBLEM  

While I do believe, as I argue in my monologue “Individuals Can Make a Difference,” that individuals really can make a difference, I also believe that one of the beginning steps in making that difference is to reach out to others of like and similar mind. We can’t save the world by ourselves, folks; it’s going to take a lot more of us, talking, teaching, listening, learning; reaching out to the whole world with a message of peace.

There are today and there have been in the recent past many eloquent speakers on the topic of peace. Many people have heard these words and been moved to passion and action. One need only “google” terms like peace, peace education, or social justice to see that there have been a plethora of words spoken, written, read and heard.  But still, planetary risks grow at alarming rates. In other words, even with all of us who are already working on the problems, the problems are getting worse. There are too many holes in the dam and not enough thumbs. We need more thumbs. We need to engage the thinking, passions and actions of exponentially more people. And this, in my view, may be framed as an educational problem.

Please join me as I continue to explore “the educational problem” in subsequent issues of The Peaceful Educator Blog and please visit www.thepeacefuleducator.com. I invite and encourage good spirited feedback and creative ideas. Thank you for your kind attention.

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[1] My new book, “On Being Human” available on-line at: https://www.createspace.com/3576601 for only $15.00.
All profits support “The Peaceful Educator” mission.

Preface to John's Blogs

The Peaceful Educator
John McDonnell Tierney

“The mission is quite simple really; I want to save the world.

You may ask, does the world need saving? And if so, from whom or what?

My answer is yes! The world needs saving…from us!”

John McDonnell Tierney, PhD

Namaste,

When Traprock Board Chair Pat Hynes invited me to contribute a blog to the Traprock Peace Center Website, I admit, I had mixed emotions. Oh no, thought I, not another blog!  It seems like everyone is blogging and twittering these days…makes me wonder who’s reading all this stuff.  And so, it is with some modesty and considerable trepidation that I too venture forth into the blogosphere.  I am truly hoping to say something worth your time. I hope to inspire thought and good spirited conversation. Mostly, I hope to advance my personal mission to be a “peaceful educator” working for a peaceful, just, sustainable future for humans and other living things.

SO, WHO AM I?

I won’t give the “bio” here; if you want to know about me, visit

www.ThePeacefulEducator.com.

I will tell you these two things: I’ve been an educator for forty-five years and I am the grandfather of two amazing little boys, Brendan 4, and Evan not yet a year old. In that combination, teacher and grampa, I am skilled and motivated. I am really motivated to contribute a better world for Brendan, Evan and all the grandbabies, and I possess an expert level skill set useful in making a genuine “individual” contribution. As an educator, I know how to organize complex information into accessible forms for a reasonably wide range of learners. I understand that no matter how well I organize information, there will be those who do not agree, who will not believe, and/or just don’t get it. That said, I am counting on there being a lot of folks out there who do get it.

I have recently retired from a long career, mostly in higher education. Over that time my mission has ever-so-gradually made itself clear to me reaching a climax in the midst of a personal crisis this past winter. As much as I loved professoring and interactions with students and colleagues, I came to understand that a college was not the place that my true mission could flourish.  And so, On April 1^st of this year, I began (in my own little mind) my mission to save the world…oh yes, that’s what it comes down to…saving the world.

THE “WHAT” AND THE “WHY”

I’ve been doing my homework; trying to understand “powerful education;” you know the kind of experiences that, well…”powerfully” move people. One of the things I’ve found is that people tend to be motivated by ideas when they understand and empathize with the reasons behind them. In other words, the “why” is more important than the “what.”  This is a good thing, because right now all I have is the “why;” I’m struggling with the “what.”

So…why do I want to save the world? I’ll be honest; the very first thought that comes to mind is of my two precious grandchildren; I’m saving the world for Brendan and Evan. And then, of course, the “altruistic me” kicks in and I add “…and all the grandbabies out there.” I fear the world we adults are bequeathing them. And so yes, it is for them, for the children. This is the “why” of my mission.

As I continue to struggle and reflect upon the “what;” a picture is slowly emerging of a ‘what’ in which I might do what I do best…teach. And so, I have declared myself “the peaceful educator” and now embark on the educational design challenge of a lifetime; to promote powerful education and meaningful learning for Homo sapiens. In this “blog” of mine, I propose to share my thinking as it develops and evolves as I work though the complexities. I invite good spirited conversations around these ideas.

And so, if you are one of those people who still hope for a better world as I do, and if you are interested in saving it, then you may find this modest “blog” (what a silly word) worth your kind consideration.

Welcome to my Blog!

John McDonnell Tierney