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Return to E-mail Discussion page (Background: Stalking Wolf was an Apache scout raised in isolation from the influences of white America. He mentored the young Tom Brown in tracking, survival, and understanding nature. Tom is a national treasure for the skills and knowledge he possesses and he has a hugely successful school in New Jersey. I personally find his philosophy and goals very similar to those of science integration, and i think we could learn something from him.) Stalking Wolf's teaching technique was called coyote teaching, and I believe it is one way native people the world over most commonly (and successfully) taught their young. It's called coyote teaching because coyote is the trickster. in this case Tom Brown would be focused on passing the test, while Stalking Wolf would jam all these other experiences into Tom through the side door, while he wasn't looking. Coyote also walks the edges; of meadows, thickets, forest, camps. As a teacher this would mean staying in a position where you have a good view of everything and have control, but not getting too involved, be able to attach or detach from your student like diving into the brush. The far seeing elder Stalking Wolf was, he could orchestrate Tom's experiences in nature, and most importantly Tom's attitude and state of mind, to give him the tools to very deeply interpret experiences in nature. He gave Tom wisdom, from which Tom could come to knowledge easily on his own. The most important thing coyote teaching does, if done well, is fill the student with tons of really important questions and an insatiable desire to find the answers themselves, if possible through direct experience. This is what being a tracker (and a scientist?) seems to be all about. The desire and drive to know, and the wisdom and bright mind to figure out how to find the answers. It produces a keen awareness of the world around you, from the present moment to the distant history of the origins of life, or deeper. Like Stalking Wolf said, "look from the track to the universe." It gets people more in touch with reality - which makes their lives more real - which makes them less apathetic about life - and gives them the tools to make responsible and meaningful decisions. I personally think principles
from coyote teaching are the most effective way I've seen and experienced
(yes I've had some major coyote tricks played on me, I've played
some too) because it teaches you how to learn from direct experience
and from a pure mind, so everything is very real and very meaningful.
Let me know what you think. >From: Todd Duncan
<duncan@scienceintegration.org> |
