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So what could you use this for
ing m ind. T h e questioning m ind
back again. Like nature; in circles
in the woods?
How could you use it in a shel­
that asks of nature; what happened
an d cycles. All o u r senses have
here, what does this tell me, and
evolved to com m unicate and learn
ter?
Could you put it on your skin?
what does this teach me. T his ques­
from nature. We are hard wired to
tio n in g encourages a co n cen tric
learn with all of our senses in this
process rath er than a linear process.
way. O nce you begin to think in this
The linear process dead ends when
way and apply the questioning mind
W hat does it smell like?
the answer is given too easily. C on­
to your life outside of nature you
How does it make your skin feel?
centric th in k in g teaches relatio n ­
will soon find not only teachers in
Does this tree grow in real dry
ships, how one thing leads to an­
nature but in everyone and every­
other, to another, and then circles
thing around you.
Go ahead rub a little bit of it be­
Mentoring
C h ris H elan d er
C o ntribu tin g W r ite r
tween your fingers?
tioning mind or follow their hearts
from
T he
C oyote ’ s P ath W ilderness S chool
in
P ortland
How can learning be fun and in ­
teresting? How can we rekindle ap­
preciation of nature?
T here are many people who say
our current model for learning is in­
effectual. Parents and educators are
asking how do you reach young
people who seem apathetic and un­
motivated to learn. In old cultures
before schools, books, and grades;
places or wet places?
to learn from their own experiences.
So do you th in k it
We have all heard about the stud­
needs to have defenses
ies done on the m o d ern hum an
against burning?
brain which show we only use 10%
T his questioning has
of our brains. These same studies
c a lle d m any of th e ir
done on people living in aboriginal
senses engaging more of
cultures dem onstrated brain use at
th e ir b rain . T hey have
60% and up to 70% in the healers
answered the questions,
and trackers. Could it be due to us­
not me and in the process
ing all their senses to get inform a­
they have learned many
tion about their world, which means
things about the C edar
using all of their brain to learn?
tree by linking one bit of
At C oyote’s P ath W ilderness
inform ation, and on and
School one of the skills we m entor
on. Deductive reasoning
to others is the art of survival skills.
d em an d s a co n c lu sio n
I was at my teaching station telling
th a t all ro a d s le ad to
my stu d e n ts ev e ry th in g I knew
Rome. For the question­
about the C edar Tree. I was deep
ing mind learning never
adult spouting out inform ation to
in “show and tell” mode. Giving an­
concludes because it is an
be m em orized. M odern children
swers even before I was asked a
endless journey with an
question. How much more meaning­
infinite num ber of desti­
ful would the experience have been
nations.
people learned by being mentored.
Using stories, ceremony, games, and
survival skills everyone and every­
thing was a teacher. In the modern
model of education learning is force
fed, sitting in chairs, listening to an
learning this way are trained to get
their knowledge by memorization of
someone else’s knowledge. They do
not learn how to develop the ques­
if I had them find the answers by
M entoring is the art of
developing the question-
asking:
CELEBRATE
EARTH
PAY
1999
Join The Procession
Be a star - or a fish or a tree - in
P ortland’s first Procession of the
Species on Saturday, April 24. This
fun and slightly wacky celebration
of the natural world will start at 1
PM from the North Park blocks and
make its jolly way to Pioneer C ourt­
house Square for a m illennial event
at 2 PM.
Now until A pril 24, local artists,
dancers and musicians are holding
free workshops to create the giant
puppets, m asks, costum es, han d ­
m ade in stru m e n ts, rhythm s and
dances needed for the Procession.
Everyone, regardless of age, back­
ground or beliefs, is encouraged to
or Un nò ffibseruer
Focus
April 21,1999
help create this E arth Day M arti
G ras celebration.
T he Procession workshops take
place at a Com m unity Art Studio
at a former N ature’s Fresh N orth­
west store at 5909 SW C o rb ett.
Workshop artists and musicians are
using scavenged, donated and re­
cycled materials to make the drums,
headd resses, anim al m asks, and
other props. The Procession rules
are no w ritten words, no live pets,
and no motorized vehicles. O ther­
wise, the limit is your imagination!
To participate in the workshops,
call 452-4483, ext. 1. Procession reg-
is tra tio n sites in c lu d e
Powell’s Travel Bookstore
at P io n ee r S quare an d
N a tu r e ’s
N o rth w e st
stores. Procession regis­
tration fee is two cans of
food for the Oregon Food
Bank.
For p ro c ra stin a to rs,
last-m inute registration,
face painting, mask m ak­
ing and drum construc­
tion starts at 11 AM the
day of the Procession, Sat­
urday, A pril 24, at th e
North Park blocks.
Sweet Honey In The Rock
CIVIC
auditorium
Saturday,
May 22
8:00 PM
all FASTIXX outlets
PCPA box office
or by phone
224-8499
Sign language interpreted
P o r tla n d H a b ita t fo r H u m a n ity
an d a d id a s A m e r ic a p r e s e n t :
Walk for W
HUMANITY
L)
Q
A y y
SATURDAY
M A Y 1S T
ALBERTA
park
9:30 A M
Build a brighter tomorrow at
the 7th annual Walk for
Humanity, a 5 and 1 mile
pledge walk and 10 mile
bicycle ride to benefit
17
local
n o n p ro fit
organizations. Gather pledges
and m eet your friends at
Alberta Park at 9 3 0 a.tn., then walk or
bike past more than 50 sites improved by
Habitat and our community partners. Bring
,
in $ ,o and get a full-color T-shirt. $z$o gets
you a sweatshirt. After the walk, engiy a free
lunch,
music
provided
by
N extel
Communications, and a multicultural neighborhood
celebration at the Alberta Street
Fair.
PLEDGE FORMS AVAILABLE AT W A S H IN G T O N M U T U A L BANKS