Sabbatical

Much as a garden needs to be put to bed for the season in order to regenerate its soil, and rebuild its fertility we believe that organizations, too, arrive at moments in their natural life cycle where they can benefit from pausing, slowing down, and reflecting on what it is that they've been and what it is that they will be in the future. 

The Field Academy will spend the next year (Nov 2016-October 2017) focusing on the reflection and synthesis of our learnings, connection alumni and partners, and an intentional deepening of our understanding of what this community is and will be.

On the Questions that we're asking:

After six years of running programs, we find ourselves wrestling with these questions  (among others):
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  • What is the purpose of education at this moment in our country’s history? What do we want it to be? What do we need it to be?
  • How is what we've been doing on a small scale with 50+ youth relevant to the courageous movements for transformative change that we see in our world today? How can it be more so?
  • How do we deepen our accountability and relationship to communities on the frontlines of climate change and injustice?
  • How do we ensure that all levels of our organization are learning and growing with regards to our understandings of identity, privilege, and power?
  • What are others doing to cultivate education for profound social transformation and how can we learn from and share with them?

On What we plan to do with this time:

We intend to use this time in a number of ways for rest and reflection, and also for deep listening to our alumni and community partners. We plan to: 
  • Write about our work, what we've learned, and our methodologies (potential co-authoring with alumni and/or partners);
  • Convene conversations with our alumni to work towards structuring their leadership and direction in the next steps of the organization;
  • Build our skills (and that of our alumni and staff community) through trainings and workshops;
  • Learn from other models of decolonizing education, liberatory education, transformative education, student-led educational movements, and popular education across the globe;
  • Connect with colleagues across the United States, in South and Central America, Egypt, India, and South Africa who are working with community-based, transformative, liberatory education. 
WHAT TO EXPECT AND HOW TO CONNECT:
​Between now and October of 2017, we will not be putting out any student or educator programs. If you'd like to be in touch with us, please feel free to email info@fieldacademy.org.  We will be checking email intermittently.

​There are a number of ways that you can stay connected to or support the Field Academy in this time of sabbatical:
  • Follow along and comment on our blog for updates from founders, staff, alumni, and community partners. 
  • Donate to support our listening retreats for alumni, board, and community partners.
  • Write to us to suggest other schools, communities, individuals, or other inspirations that you think we might want to connect with during our time of reflection.
  • Read more about the past three years of adventures....