PHILOSOPHICAL STATEMENT

Illustrated by Abe Gurvin.

Times are changing rapidly and in order to meet today’s social, environmental, economic, political, and spiritual urgencies, extraordinary changes must be made. In an age where we focus more on product development rather than on child development, we now find our civilization at great risk. Furthermore, in an over-stimulating and polluted environment, issues such as child obesity, Attention Deficit Disorders, Autism, Nature Deficit Disorder, sensory integration, violence, and other maladies are increasing at an alarming rate. It is urgent we find solutions to these problems. We can begin the remodeling and reconstruction of society by working with our children in new ways--encouraging and developing in them a sense of respect, interconnectedness, unity, empathy, and understanding about the importance of community. As educators and global visionaries, our first priority must be to invest in our children's future and provide them with the life-skills and sensitivity they will need to confront world tasks. For this reason, and because I have faith in the future of this planet, I have dedicated my life to helping children develop into their full potential as the youngest members of our society. Although there is much work to be done, I believe that there is hope and we can do it by starting small: one child and family at a time.