(‘Design’ refers to the modus operandi and ‘curriculum’of the LOCUS as much as to the physical spaces it will occupy.)
The final LOCUS design must take into account that :
(To save time and space please only agree silently. Submit comments of only debate, requests for clarification, suggestions for other items for inclusion on this list)
- LOCUS is an acronym for Learner Oriented CampUS. In order to be truly learner-oriented and to foster a healthy internal locus of control for the children who attend, it is important that the LOCUS be designed in harmony with the latest and most complete understanding of children’s rights possible, including children’s right of participation. Thus, furthermore:
- It is important that children are actively involved in the design of the LOCUS, even if all of them do not end up attending it. This active involvement should take the form of ethically meticulous ‘co-search’ with interested children, and no false hopes must be generated.
- It is important that the children who do eventually attend the LOCUS are actively involved in the ongoing development and further evolution of the LOCUS.
- It is important that different age-groups, as well as children with different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, as well as different arrays of ability can learn from each other vs being artificially segregated as is currently common in South African educational facilities.
- In an environment that focuses on individual ‘next readiness’ rather than group aggregates, it should be viable to accommodate the so-called ‘differently abled’ child alongside their peers.
- Peer mentoring is NB – opportunity for a child to really learn and integrate by helping another child understand as well as chance for other child to be facilitated in an age-suitable way vs only by an adult.
- The importance of being actively part of the overall human and natural ecology vs being either an artificial ‘consumptariat – child factory’ or an isolated ‘freak farm’.
- The need for different levels of access to the LOCUS – e.g. full-time, part time, occasional, casual ; as well as structured and unstructured, special activity, etc to accommodate both ‘home-schoolers’ and families with full-time working parents, as well as different desire in kids
- Balance between voluntary self-chosen ‘curricula’ and facilitated navigation, boundaries, deadlines ‘completions’ etc. NB to ensure sufficient literacy, numeracy, and a degree of rounded spread; as well as solo and group; mind, soul, heart and body activity.
- Total accountability of LOCUS for learner’s needs – not necessarily by direct supply, but by facilitation of research into options, etc.
- Necessity of educating whole family in order to support child in LOCUS learning culture. e.g. issues around participatory communication, nutrition, TV, discipline, etc.
- Importance of starting in womb, through baby-hood, all the way up.
- Balance between LOCUS ‘recommendations’, bottom-lines, and accommodation of different choices.
- Child-empowering facilitated learning resource-centre angle vs the dictatorial ‘school’.
- Importance of rights and respect – that all adults and all children are all equals, just with differing needs and roles.
- The importance of the inclusion of nature and animals as respected participants rather than as ‘objects’ of study.
- Need to evaluate and/either translate or grade different methods e.g. de bono shades, so that they can be offered and used appropriately to age\developmental and next-readiness levels.
- Need to create evaluation structures that leave children relatively free of external pressure and labelling while still allowing parents to monitor their child’s learning progress relative to children in other educational models.
- Need to de-emphasise competition between children while fostering a culture of personal excellence and mutual supportiveness.