A Primary 3D Triad

Community, Environmental Stewardship and Critical Thinking

Community is not a feel good ideal; it’s a work in progress. Community is about what we do together as we are all together. An essential question acts to loop each and every one of us. In 3d, community is a cohort of children with roots that span the globe who work together to solve essential questions…with enthusiasm and purpose.

Environmental Stewardship is THE nature connection. It shouldn’t be front page news that the next generation is the first of its’ kind with a “nature deficient disorder.” It’s laughable that today’s children are more in tune with human constructs than with the natural world. Well, almost laughable. Actually it’s quite serious. The unhealthy balance of human constructs that drives the ‘haves’ versus the ‘have-nots.’ Meanwhile our richest resources: each another and our natural environment, are ignored as critical ingredients for a healthy community. So dig this: we ALL have each other and we ALL have the environment. There’s a connection to be made. It would be irresponsible to not be explicit with children about how essential we are to one another and adopting the natural world with respect. We have one planet and what is created on it stays on it. So, as the law of physics states simply: energy is conserved- it never disappears but is transformed. A primary essential question for the environmental stewards of tomorrow is :“Where does everything go?” And then our young charges must make conscious decisions about how to direct the energy loop.

Critical Thinking lends authenticity to a gathering of people. When people gather in thought to solve a problem or essential question, each one teaches one. Each one shares with one. Hence growth is about making new discoveries about the world and one’s self. This process is a the heart of the 3D teaching model.

What will be critical for a sustainable future is our ability to come together as global citizens. The challenges that face the next generation are formidable but so are our youth. Essential questioning in 3D never underestimates the potential of future youth to achieve the stuff of dreams.

Soon we’ll be jumping the ropes, making connections, and developing solutions: together.

Stay tuned.

"nature deficient disorder"was quoted from Richard Louv in the Peter Fimrite's SF Chronicle article 10/22/07