Vision Changers
VISION
CHANGERS ©1991
TEACHING MANUAL
Who says we can't change the world?
How to use this manual
| VISION CHANGER NAME : (Teacher) |
| UNIT # 00: |
| SCHOOL : |
| COUNTRY: |
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CONTENTS
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PREFACE
This program was first introduced to Brown School in 1990 as an Earth Day Initiative.
The effect of this program on the presenter and the class was quite profound.
Due to the impact on the students, and because of the perceived need that this program was satisfying, the presenter attempted
to write himself out of the program in order to disseminate these ideas to the largest possible audience.
The author hopes that the reader will understand that the author has none of the skills or training of the teacher and further
hopes that this body of work will facilitate a learning process. The author hopes also that the teacher will reshape this material
to his/her own needs and understanding and use it as what it is intended to be, a TOOL for LEARNING.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The FIRST VISION CHANGERS were students; Andrew Shoom-Kirsch and Jim Baird, both of whom inspired the project.
The first class of Vision Changers originated at Brown School in Toronto in the classroom of Annabelle Goodman. Annabelle's
class devoted twelve weekly sessions and daily visualization exploring the concepts which have culminated in the Vision
Changer Curriculum Program.
We also introduced the program at Jesse Ketchum and at Lester B Pearson.
After the first two weeks of classes, photographer Mark Mackay, film-maker, and Norman Evans of the Creative Marketing
Network got involved by video taping our class room presentations. A presentation tape was made and presented to Tom
Lyons of the Global Learning project. Motivated by his response to what we had achieved we presented to more and more
people. Norman Evans involved Skydome and through the cooperation and support of Mark Edwards at the Dome we
presented a 2 minute Earth Day Message and formally launched the Vision Changer project. This Earth Day message was
produced by Michael Clark, Mark Mackay, Howard Jerome, (Doctor Possibilities), POS Production Services and Modular
Music. After the launch at the Sky-dome, we continued developing the program and by mid-summer the first draft of the
curriculum package had been prepared by Susan Dinga from Digital Corporation (USA). A second draft quickly followed the
first and then with the help of Lois Athanasiu we developed the third draft. After talking with many prestigious educators, Tom
Lyons, Don Beggs, Bev Rachlis, Tamara Moscoe, Cathy Beach, Ann McTaggart, Don Galbraith, Moira Romano and many
others we finally prepared the fourth draft. A further meeting with Lorne Smith from the Ministry of Education provided the
Environmental Key Concepts outline which is now incorporated into our program. Pat Watson wrote a Vision Changer song
which we had produced at Eastern Sounds. To minimize costs we created a Vision Changer day at Brown School where we
videoed grades 4, 5, and 6 singing the Vision Changer Song. Neil Thompson, the music teacher at Brown School taught the
children the song. That same day we produced much of our teaching video and as well we videoed portions of "Vision
Changers, A Preferred World View" a 1/2 hour Pilot Show for Television. This production day was done under the direction of
Bernie Morin and Michael Clark with the assistance of R.A. Stringer, Brian Whittaker, Brian Day, Shawna Milligan, Victoria
Ward, Mitch Anabelli, all working behind the scenes and Leah Hanes, Peter Meisen (Global Energy Network International),
Dieter Heinrich(World Federalists), David Smaller(Environmental Youth Alliance) , Ann McTaggart (Planet in Every
Classroom), Chantal Patenaude (Root Action), Tony Russell (Children for the Earth), Pat Watson, Owen Tennyson, Joe
Mavety, Armando Castagnioli, Kiki Misumi,
Etric Lyons, Howard Jerome and all the children at Brown School in front of the cameras.
City TV, the Weather Network, CTV and TVO presented stories on the Vision Changers.
The following sponsors have been very helpful in assisting this project: Brita Water, Sony, Standard Broadcasting, Eastern
Sounds, EnviroPrint, Rogers Cable, TVO, Best Copy, Pizza Pizza, VTR, Microsoft, Oasis Video Productions, Thunderword,
Hillroy Books, Creative Marketing Network, Facing Pages.
Thanks also to the following individuals each helping in their own specialized capacity: Dennis Benoit, David Beyer, Candice
Bist, Philip Bliss, Sam Bornstein, Stephen Burns, Matthew Burns, Peter Burns, Claudia Doret, Norman Evans, Bob French,
Helen Goldstein, Gaspare Grillo, Lois James, Moss Kadey, Donald Kaplan, Jeffrey Kirsch, Paul Lansing, Swanee Lavelle,
Jack Layton, Leslie MacNeill, Joni Manchee, Garrett McCarthy, Donna McPhail, Bernie Morin, Ross Munroe, Chantal
Patenaude, Alexa Petrenko, Colin Quinney, Charlene Roycht, Randi Rosenthal, Sharon Russell, Tony Russell, Jon Sachs, Joel
Simms, Andrew Smith, Bill Stevenson, Veronica St. Clair, Don Toppin, Donna Vendramin, Ron Williamson, Barry Winfield,
the students at Lester B. Pearson, Jesse Ketchum and the 200 students at Brown School.
Thanks to all and apologies to any whom we may have left out.
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INTRODUCTION
VISION CHANGERS is a 6 week program consisting of one forty-minute interactive experience per week and 1- 5 minute
segment per day. These sessions are ACTIVE learning, child centered, and can be integrated into other parts of the curriculum.
It is intended that the exercises and techniques be continued by the teacher and students long after the introduction through this
program.
Imagine a network of individual children around the world visioning how they would like their world to be, or their
"preferred world view".
The Vision Changers program will teach students to create their own vision for their preferred world views.
This idea was first created as part of the "Planetary Initiative for the World We Choose", a global think tank.
The planetary initiative developed the process for creating a preferred world view by visioning and consensus. A similar
program "Global Cooperation for a Better World" has been sponsored by the United Nations.
It is very clear that the vision of our planet's future which is being created today, largely by the media, is rather bleak. As Barry
Lopez says in ARCTIC DREAMS, "We have the intelligence to grasp what is happening, the composure not to be intimidated
by its complexity" and we have the courage to change and create what we want.
A CRITICAL FIRST STEP is to develop the skill of visioning as a pre-step to action/change.
The Vision Changers is an active group of children who are FIRST creating their view, then challenging others to develop their
own preferred world view AND THEN TAKING SUCH STEPS IN THEIR DAY TO DAY LIVES TO MAKE THEIR
VISION THEIR REALITY.
And so it spreads, causing behavioral, attitudinal,and decision making changes ultimately creating the reality of the vision.
The Vision Changers spend some time every day visioning their preferred world view.
Can you do less?
The Vision Changers Credo
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GOALS OF VISION CHANGERS
The Vision Changers program offers students an opportunity to grow towards the Goals of the Ministry of Education of
Ontario.
1. Develop respect for the environment and a commitment to the wise use of resources;
2. Develop a sense of personal responsibility in society at the local, national and international levels;
3. Develop a feeling of self-worth;
4. Develop resourcefulness, adaptability, and creativity in problem solving, learning and living;
5. Gain satisfaction from participating and from sharing the participation of others in various forms of artistic expression.
Underlying Philosophy and Concepts
Individuals can make a difference.
We can use thought to harness and focus energy.
The Universe is Wholistic and interrelated. Everything affects everything.
We all have the power to create our own preferred world view.
Focusing attention on what is around you and developing a questioning way of looking at things is beneficial.
In order to understand the environment around us we must first develop what we use to experience the environment, i.e. our
senses.
The environment is not "out there". We are our environment.
The future is not a continuation of the past. It will be what we choose to make it.
A VISION CAN BE AN ATTRACTOR OF EVENTS TO TAKE PLACE.
To create anything you FIRST must have a vision of what you want to manifest.
Individuals are willing to release self-limiting beliefs when they have a clear vision of what will replace it. A vision of a garden is
needed to motivate one to clear out the weeds, stumps, rocks etc from a plot of land.
Creating a vision for what one wants requires a willingness to explore what is important to you. There is a distinct similarity
between what all want and desire: clean air, clean water, and a healthy growing environment.
The message to change our behaviour will come from our children. They are not tied to old beliefs.
Our Intention
to enhance human commitment and resources for preserving life upon our planet, home.
to become more conscious of the communality of our fate.
to motivate sustained action on behalf of all beings.
to build trust and a deeper sense of community with our fellow humans.
to prepare together for action in defence of Earth and future generations.
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The Program
WEEK ONE One (PLAN ONE HOUR)
INTRODUCTION OF
PROGRAM TO STUDENTS
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PREFERRED WORLD VIEW (P.W.V.)
DAILY SCHEDULE (at the beginning of day/class)
| TIME | ACTION | MATERIALS |
INSTRUCTION |
| | |
|
| 5 MIN | STRETCHING & BREATHING | NONE |
SEE P #28 |
| 5 MIN | REPEAT WEEKS | USE LIST |
P #25 |
| IDEA TO VISION | CREATED FOR WEEK
| |
WEEKLY SCHEDULE ( a guide only)
| TIME | ACTION | MATERIALS |
INSTRUCTION |
| 3/5 MIN | STRETCHING & BREATHING | NONE |
SEE P #28 |
| 5/10 MIN | DISCUSSION RE SENSE EXPERIENCE | NOTEBOOK |
|
| 5/15 MIN | DRAW/ WRITE/IDEAS | NOTEBOOK |
|
| EXPRESSING P.W.V.
| | |
| 10 MIN | DISCUSSION & | CREATE LIST |
SEE P #25 |
| BRAINSTORMING FOR
| | |
| IDEA TO VISION
| | |
| 5 MIN | CREATE VISION ABOVE | USE LIST |
SEE P #25 |
| 3/5 MIN | WIND UP SESSION | NOTEBOOK |
|
| HOMEWORK | |
|
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Starting the Program
The educator needs to know only a few basic guidelines and principles to facilitate the learning experiences of the children. It is
important to note that the facilitator learns as much as the children if he/ she opens himself/herself to it. Remember that initial
awkwardness is generally followed by enthusiasm. The attitude of the teacher can be encouraging, supportive, and
participatory. The program will be effective with such an educator.
There is really only ONE question that we focus on. What is your preferred world view? or How would you like it to be?
After that, just listen to the context of the answer.
Is the answer identifying what one wants, or what one does not want? It must be "what one wants".
That is the whole program in a nutshell.
Overview and Guidelines
This program offers a structured way of using the valuable tool of visualization to help create the world we want to have. Use
the programs structure as a point of departure. Bring to the six weeks your creativity, your knowledge and your experiences in
making the connection with yourself and your students.
Teacher involvement is helpful to integrate active learning, ideas into the process.
These techniques applied to the visioning process will help the students develop Problem solving skills, Thinking skills and their
creativity. How this happens is up to your direction.
You are a vision changer also and in the position of being able to help students improve themselves to become aware and
responsible people of the earth.
Language
It is important to pay careful attention to the use of language. We often fall into use of negative terms. Watch for this. When a
preferred view is identified, it must be from a positive perspective. What we want, not, what we do not want.
This simple shift is the fundamental focus of the Vision Changer program. It is also very helpful if you attempt the daily visioning
as well, since it will help you generate some unique perspectives which can add to the success of the program delivery.
Voice
The Visualizations should be expressed in a calm soothing tone of voice. The way to discover one's best voice is to mouth
silently the visualization first; relax, and cultivate the tone of voice that feels good. Words and images may vary from day to day
and every part of the experience may vary according to the energy of the educator. Use positive language as much as possible,
"What we want". Watch your own use of language.
Eyes
The process can work with eyes open or closed. Some students have trouble with closing their eyes. While it should not be
forced, closed eyes is the preferred choice.
Rules
There are no rules. With guided imagery the creative energies of the unconscious are at work.
Integration
By reviewing the exercises, you may see opportunities to integrate a Vision Changer exercise unit into other classes.
This could be Mathematics through computations of energy/water savings etc, Art through drawing, Science through chemical
composition, English through poems or stories, Natural History through trees, Drama through creating a play: it's up to the
imagination of the educator.
As you create new ideas, you may like to share your creations with other classes of Vision Changers. Write down the
experience, the idea that you visualized, or any aspect of using this program. Send it to our offices and we will share it with
other Vision Changers throughout the world.
This guideline is just that, a guideline. Every teacher can create a new experience with his/her class. Let's share the new
concepts that we discover with each other.
Motivation of Students
Note: The environmental crisis is a crisis in perception. We act connected when we get connected and we get connected when
we act connected. Our senses are the primary vehicles for getting connected.
The daily exercise is a great way to start any class. Perhaps start with the Breathing and stretching exercise. Then use the
following to get the students involved.
Why do we need Earth Day? (students answers)
Make notes of the answers to this question. At the end of the six week cycle it would be interesting to ask them the question
again and compare the style and nature of their answers. Our organization is very interested in the results of this comparison.
Do you think that there is a real problem? (students answers) If you think that there is a real problem then why do we only "pay
attention" on one day? What do you think about that?
Tell the students that the Vision Changers program is a program that will make us consider the environment every day, NOT
just for Earth Day. How many want to help?
Query the students that do not want to help. Their explanations are always illuminating. It is wise to explain the over-all purpose
of the project to the students. The purpose is to promote the fact that WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. (But we all need
to be involved.)
That is what the Vision Changer project is about: Making every day Earth Day.
Do they remember any projects from last Earth Day?
Most often the students identify a very strong negative perspective of the world's ecological condition. This information should
be challenged as a vision that they have in their minds even though they have not seen it for themselves.
Examples to Motivate and Encourage Involvement
Using resource material CREATE THE PICTURE. Take care that they do NOT see the B page. The reason will become
obvious. Hold the A page up and ask the students to describe what they see. Let them play with the image for a few minutes.
Then show them the B page. Let them see it for 10-15 seconds.
Hold up page A again and ask them what they see. This demonstrates the power of an image.
We identify the following analogies: Imagine you are a pilot flying a plane from Toronto to Hong Kong. Imagine that while you
are piloting the plane, you are thinking about India. Do you think you will get to Hong Kong? or is it more likely you will get
somewhere else?
If the pilot does not have a vision of where he/she is going he/she will likely not get there.
Planning to build a bridge? First you must create a Vision of it.
Imagine you are putting together a Jigsaw Puzzle. Imagine how much more difficult it will be to complete it if you do not have
the picture to work from or if you were doing it from the backside.
From these ideas it will be seen that the same is true for the world. If we do not have an idea of what we want, WE
PROBABLY WON'T GET IT!
Does a Thought Have Energy? Energy of a Thought?
Does a thought have energy? Pointing to one child ask if there is energy in a thought. Then ask, imagine that two of you have
the same thought. Does that thought have more energy? Now imagine three people in the class having the same thought. Does
that have energy? Now imagine that every one in the class has the same thought. Imagine that thought energy.
Now imagine everyone in the school focusing on the same thought. Imagine that thought energy.
Now imagine children in every country having that same thought. Do you think we can make a difference? You bet we can. Just
Imagine.
It is helpful to point out here that children all over the world want the same things: clean air, clean water, and a healthy growing
environment. Tell the students that the Vision Changers is a program that began during the last Earth Day. Soon, schools in 141
countries will be doing this program.
Discuss the Importance of Breathing (Play "The Last One")
Ask the students if they know how to breathe. Who taught them? Did they ever think about it? We were never taught to
breathe and yet we all think that we are doing it in the best possible way? Not likely. Runners train their breathing, actors train
their breathing, shouldn't we at least think about it?
Breathing is the ONE COMMON action of all people on the planet. It is through breathing that we are all connected. It is our
common function. Why do we breath? Everyone on earth breathes to stay alive. When we breathe, we feed our blood oxygen.
This oxygen feeds our brain which enables us to think. If we breathe better, it follows we will think better. Is there anyone who
has an alternative?
Let us try to breathe a different way. There are many different ways and different results from different exercises.
Try breathing in for the count of six, hold for the count of four and breathe out for the count of four. Repeat three times. Notice
how much calmer you feel? How much more relaxed? This is one idea only. You can try other cycles of breathing such as
1:4:2, or 6:4:4, or 8:4:2 or some other with which you may want to experiment.
And what do we breathe? Oxygen. And where does it come from? Trees, Plants, Phytoplankton in the ocean.
We feed our blood oxygen when we breathe, and our blood feeds our brains which enables us to think.
Do you think we should have clean air?
Starting the Program: "What Bothers Me Most"
Brainstorm to start the program. Ask the students to think about their environment: the air, the water, the sky, trees, their
surroundings, etc. Ask what they don't like. What bothers them most: What would they like to change? As they come up with
ideas list them in their Vision Changers Journal. You'll be using these each week to identify vision topics. It's helpful to
categorize as they come up.
Many of the ideas students come up with fit easily into categories like:
air water earth energy food transportation living creatures
Objective of Activity: The ideas generated in this activity will become the topics from which the visioning ideas for the next six
weeks will emerge.
Selecting Week One's Visioning Idea
Ask the students which topic they would like to work on this week. Use a consensus building process to finally decide.
Avoid majority rules, as the key is involvement and commitment to develop consensus building decision making.
Once the topic is chosen ask the students to think about how they would like it to be.
For example: The Air:
Have the students open to the page on AIR in their journal and take a minute to write down their ideas.
Brainstorm What They Would Like to Vision
"What bothers me most"
Visualization Technique 1.
Prepare by doing breathing exercise 3 times. Have your brainstorming list ready before starting. Now, with your mind's eye
imagine a speck of light over the top of your head, like a star gleaming brightly. Keep your attention on the light ...... if your
mind starts to wander, gently bring it back to the speck of light. Imagine the light entering your body through the top of your
head....... See it bigger and brighter inside your head ...... with light behind your eyes ...... in your cheeks ...... down to your
chin....... Feel the light moving through your neck into your shoulders ...... feeling up your chest ... arms ...... to your hands.
Focus on your breathing. As you breathe in feel the light continuing to fill you up your tummy, into your thighs ... knees ankles
and feet And finally your toes . As you breathe in, feel the light enter your body at the top of your head, circulate through the
body and leave when you breathe out. You feel good about yourself. You're happy, you're strong ... and you know you can do
anything you decide to. Create your preferred world view of ... (days vision use the ideas from to-days Brainstormed list).
Identify vision.
Read from the brainstormed list of how the students would like it to be, inviting them to use their senses in their minds.
After the vision is created, have students see themselves as part of the vision. Have them be in it.
SEE the clear sky. Clear blue sky. LISTEN to the sounds. The birds, the sound of the lake etc. FEEL the clean breeze against
you. SMELL the fragrance of the day, flowers, the grass etc.
Also, ask what people are doing in your vision? How do people feel? What are they doing when you get to the end of the list
and your questions When you are ready slowly open your eyes. Tell the students that during the week they will spend a few
minutes each day creating this vision in their mind's eye.
Homework
Tell the class you are going to introduce an idea to them that they are;
a) going to laugh at, and
b) think is silly.
That is what everyone does when they first hear the idea until they do it. Ask them not to judge the idea but to
try it and while trying it to ....HUG A TREE, homework for this week is to HUG A TREE.
Ask the students to think about what happens to a tree when it rains, i.e.: Clouds gather. Rain falls to the ground, washes the leaves of the tree and enters the earth...
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Key Concept Applications Discussion
Discussions:
Ask the Students to identify their PREFERRED WORLD VIEW on each of the following ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
What steps do each of us have to take in order to assist in making our PREFERRED WORLD VIEW our Reality.
In order for us to truly achieve a measure of success we should look to identifying our view in the context of each of the
following: (HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE?)
- Population Demands.
- Global Temperature.
- Healing the Ozone.
- Recreating our Forests.
- Rain.
- Biotechnology.
- Environmental sustainability.
- Preservation of wildlife: conservation: diversity.
- Soil Restoration and erosion control using new construction and modern agricultural methods..
- Conserving prime agricultural land and restricting Urban sprawl.
- Preserving wetlands.
- Waste Disposal , Hazardous wastes: domestics, industrial, nuclear, Solid wastes: domestics, industrial, land fill, incineration,
recycling, Agricultural Wastes, alternative uses.
- Air Quality and Quantity.
- Water Quantity and Quality.
- Effective management of the environment and resources for sustainable development.
- Distribution of world's food and wealth.
- Place of people on the globe in respect of other living things.
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The Four E's
Economics, Energy,
Ethics and (H)ealth.
How to integrate the environment and the economy within the context of sustainable development.
Every individual has his/her own definition of the terms in question, but some broad general definitions must be articulated in
order to avoid LARGE mistakes.
The environment movement is already moving in a misguided direction by the way we use language. We have adopted, almost
on a universal level the cliche of the THREE R's. This was done most easily because our minds had already been conditioned
with the first three R's, Reading, (w)Riting, and (a)Rithmetic.
Most of us have fallen into the trap of accepting the idea of REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE as the answer to all
environmental problems. This unfortunately is not the panacea that we would like it to be. The problem is much more
complicated and must be dealt with from a broader perspective of language, understanding and consideration.
In order to follow this thought through, we have added a fourth R. RETHINK. And rethinking limited to the three R's is not
going to satisfy the complexity of the problem unless we bring into the discussion what we have identified as the FOUR E's.
Economics, Energy, Ethics and (H)ealth. These relationships must be discussed in the context of environmental issues.
We would further suggest that these terms not be taken as limiting the discussion either. Education and Communications for
instance must also be included in the analysis in order to avoid political overtones in the decision making process. IF NOT, the
results will be slanted to support either politically expedient, or legalistically perverse positions without true regard to the
essence of the solution being proposed.
To summarize our position we postulate the following:
Environmental is everything around us and within us. it includes; it does not exclude.
Economics is a social science concerned chiefly with the description and analysis of the production, distribution and
consumption of goods and services.
Environmental economics is a social science concerned with the description and analysis of all the component parts in the
process of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. This analysis includes a global net effect on the
component parts of energy required, the health effects, and ethical considerations to be embraced.
Sustainable development is "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs" or more simply: planning for seven generations. It is not an idea to be discussed but rather a need to be
achieved.
In order to discuss the relationship between the environment and economics, it is imperative that we RETHINK our
understanding using the FOUR E's: ECONOMICS, ENERGY, ETHICS AND (H)EALTH and apply this relationship to the
problem being addressed.
To us this is fundamental a priori thinking which must take place in order for us to survive as a species.
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My Four Circles
"A new way to look at life"
MY FOUR CIRCLES
1991 VISION CHANGERS
When I was a young boy I used to ride my bicycle everywhere. To the corner, or just across the road.
No matter how short the distance, I took my trusty old bike.
When I learned to drive a car, I took it everywhere without a second thought. Things did not change.
To-day things are different.
When I leave the apartment, I consider MY FOUR CIRCLES. Everyone has their own. And they will vary according to ones
own physical location and conditioning.
My circles are defined by the following questions when I leave my apartment.
Circle One. Am I going a walking distance?
Circle Two. Am I going a bicycle distance?
Circle Three. Can I take public transit?
Circle Four. Should I take the car?
What are your circles like?
Please consider them for it is an easy way to help make a difference.
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