Becoming a resource for learners as true Guides by the Side online? Maybe?

[Dr. Jorge Olaf Nelson]

I had an epiphany last night as I awoke from a dream about Guides by the Side.

What if you - a Guide by the Side - could affect learners who truly needed you most when they needed you most?

What if they could self-select you as defined by your self-selected current skill set and interests?

What if you could reach out to them just-in-time and help them keep moving forward in their development as they continue to pursue their life's dreams?

What would that look like - the online combined database of your skills and their needs?

Maybe is is a forum that you hold - maybe here at GbtS? Maybe we can drive learners to you via this site and see what happens? Like MATH or LANGUAGES or SCIENCE or ART or ???

Maybe we can begin to validate as a Tribe the worth of such an exercise for both Guides and Learners together? Something like 360 degree evaluation (rypple.com) so we're all part of the process - like a team in a business that is working on a project?

You who have so many life experiences, acquired wisdom and great ideas and; them - the learners - who have so much energy and enthusiasm; together working towards accomplishing a common goal in mind?

What think you, Tribe?

[Mari Nelson Munday]

Send 'em over!

[Dr. Jorge Olaf Nelson]

So you are starting a Theatre FORUM? That would be cool!!!

[Mari Nelson Munday]

A Theatre forum would rock...you got some kids with questions? I bet I have some answers and then more questions for them;)

[Dr. Jorge Olaf Nelson]

AWESOME! Will do! Thanks, Marsa...

[Ora Jonasson]

Jorge, last Saturday morning, as we sat around the breakfast table at a B&B in Longbeach, WA with our retired teaching friends from JIS, a guide-by-the-side session was conducted by Pat Martin. A third couple shared our table, young with young children. They were celebrating their eleventh wedding anniversary. Conversation led to teaching, learning and Pat Martin began answering the couples questions about their concerns for their son's learning problems. It was a spontaneous, specific sharing of time-tested, techniques for guiding while supporting the learning process. Yes, I think the connections could be valuable, effective and exciting for all concerned. Ora-cle

[Dr. Jorge Olaf Nelson]

Jan (Gig Harbor guy) and I had a similar experience about 10 years ago - me in the Amazon jungle and his students at Henderson Bay Alternative High School online in WA. Jan had them working with me as their Guide by the Side thousands of miles away and - oh yeah - by the way - where was Jan? Jan - where were you?

[Don Jonasson]

Just in time education from just in time educators (not necessarily "teachers") using a justintimeinstantaneousuniversallylocal medium. Wow!!! I'm for that. Not sure if I am certified though. By the way, two of the best teachers I have ever encountered I have met since becoming involved with the LaConner Sea Scouts. The first is the 50 year old single mother nurse with her skippers license who runs our 1931 56 ft. schooner and is an awsome middle school/high school counselor and kid herder scout leader. I only hope the kids learn as much as I do from watching her work with them. The other was this summer when I lived in Pt Townsend in my camper and worked on the schooner along with the Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building. The guy temporarily hired to fill in for the regular instructor was a late 50s early 60s shipwright who owns his own business. His teaching was literally poetry, his manner captivating and inspiring and his knowledge and skill mind boggling. If we are going to prepare kids for the real world they must have more contact with the real world and its only slightly less than infinite number of possiblilties, choices, paths, decisions, consequences, discoveries. Schools, class rooms and certified educators have a very important place, but kids spend too much time there. See Education and Ecstacy George Leonard the Visitation Day 2001 chapter and the following one. 2001 was far in the future when George wrote the book. We haven't done well.

[Ora Jonasson]

Jorge and All, Don Jonasson shot a great video of that boat builder in action. Maybe we can get him to add it to the videos. He also has videos of those Sea Scouts in action aboard Rejoice. Ora-cle

[Dr. Jorge Olaf Nelson]

Please upload and write about this Guide - we need models online to show everyone how it's done. Once they see it - they'll get it!

Thanks, Ora-cle!

[Don Jonasson]

A name for a forum??? Hmmm. That means an old brain with a weak battery needs to be kick started.

I believe that one of the most important concepts we can help kids learn is that having a goal/s is most important - even essentail. Achieving the goal is nice but not terribly important. Having the goal is the initiator, the development of inertia. Many, perhaps even most, of us change many of our goals before acheiving them, but the inertia and much of the accumulated knowledge, experience,etc. carries over into the progress toward the new goal. Just because you start toward a goal doesn't mean you have to finish it and the payoff is that you can find new and more exciting paths you would never have thought of before.

So how about - "Start Your Engines! Things I'd Like To Do - Places I'd Like To Go.

This should be a discussion forum where students could see all responses. Is that possible in the context of this venue?

[Dr. Jorge Olaf Nelson]

Absolutely! This would be an awesome forum and everyone could lurk around, visiting myriad thoughts, conversations about starting...

Go for it!

[Don Jonasson]

Please forgive my thick swede head but exactly what are the nuts and bolts to starting a forum in this context??? Like where is the theater forum?? Point me the way to "go for it"