It's exhausting just thinking about writing a blog like this one, a blog that could be endless in it's scope and direction, and a blog that deals with something on which I have much to say. A blog on education.

Throughout this journey, I've spent a lot of time working with youth and alternative youth resources. Every chance I get, I like to engage with future generations and rattle the door knobs of the doors that have been closed on them. I like to open their eyes to the possibilities that aren't made evident, and let them know that they are powerful beyond measure and are co-creators of their reality.

Usually I repeat the same mantra, focusing my efforts to question media and the ideological apparatus it maintains: "Learn to use media, don't let media use you!" In this way, I hope to plant the seed of thought that true reality is far more interesting than media's projected images of who we are, and who we are supposed to be. I want young people to realize that it's up to them to find their identity and shape reality according to that identity. Don't buy in, without first seriously questioning what you are buying in to!

I have major issues with the standard North American education system. I feel before children are even given a chance to find themselves, they are thrown into a world of scheduling, conformity, and an overall unnatural environment that reinforces archaic notions of class, success and the pursuit of material wealth. And let us not forget it's ability to demonstrate to our children ideas of failure and the consequences of being different, or thinking outside the box.

Recently I was given the opportunity to speak with students of the Napi Friendship Center's Alternative School in Pincher Creek, Alberta. In conversation I told them about The Searching for Dragons Film Project, my serendipitous filmmaking process, and somehow we entered the realm of education. I expressed how fortunate they are to be the less fortunate, to be the "problem" children marginalized and outside of the mainstream system. In the alternative school setting teachers are able to spend the time to build relationships with their students. And students are able, to a large extent, to exercise self directed learning: pursuing not only a one size fits all curriculum, but what they are genuinely interested in as human beings. In short, children are enabled to follow their own path and learn naturally, teaching them to engage with and be interested in everything around them. After all, life and everything the universe throws at us, will always be our greatest educator.

Although I have a university degree and am relatively well educated, I personally, still feel the education system failed me on a number of levels. I feel that I've always been a visual learner in a world governed by science and mathematics. I feel that if as a child, I was given more freedom within my school environment, I would be much further along my life path than I currently am. I was conditioned from my school experiences to think I was a slow learner, when in fact, my spirit just didn't agree with the manner in which I was being taught. We didn't see eye to eye, if I would have only known that then and had the tools to stick up for myself.

The other place where I feel the system fails is in the area of the academic timeline, if you are not here at this place at this time you will be left behind. When I was in high school I had very little interest in physics, science, or algebra/geometry, but instead I thrived in the realm of the arts, and in creative thinking, disciplines not overly supported then nor now. But after a university degree at the age of twenty-three everything changed, I became very interested in architecture and set out to pursue it. Unfortunately, although the head of the school of architecture was very interested in adding me to his program, the academic gatekeepers at the institution turned me away. No physics or algebra/geometry. Determined I went to adult night school, where you are expected to learn a year of physics in two-weeks.. hence I failed. My point is this, where was the educational system when I was ready and interested, why was it that I had to adapt to the system or have doors of opportunity closed on me? Why did the system not support a more natural and human process in which we all learn according to our own self-interest and in our own time.
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Upon arrival in Missoula, Montana, I ran into Hanna Hannan of ZOOTOWN ARTS.

Hanna enables Missoula area artists to visit schools so that children may experience an artist-studio atmosphere with an array of media. ZOOTOWN'S after-school program provides a job market for artists, and a positive experience for children with other artists their age. It is, basically, art club for elementary age students in the public schools, with connections to Missoula-based artists, and in this case, me.

I spoke with the students about filmmaking, my journey and The Searching for Dragons Film Project. We then filmed the students as they engaged in a creative process in which they were making dragons.

I think programs like ZOOTOWN ARTS are so very vital to children and the world as we truly need creative solutions to find our way through the mess we have created. I think it's important that we teach children the importance of process versus destination and little by little shift the future paradigm in any way that we can. It all begins with childhood and losing touch with natural curiosity.

peace,
d