In this episode Ashley Fitzgerald and Jacob Hundt discuss the concept of microcolleges, and examples of alternative educational models writ large. Jacob is a neighbor to good friend of the pod, Peter Allen, and Peter put us in touch. I am and continue to be fascinated by people who pursue alternatives, and higher education is one area where it seems extremely sorely needed.
I did and continue to do my own form of alternative education with Rizoma Field School, where I take students out of the classroom and onto regenerative and conservation minded farm to hear from farmers themselves about how to be good stewards and what approaches they take. We discuss this a bit and more about the college Jacob founded, Thoreau College, up in the driftless region of Wisconsin, near Peter.
Give it a listen!
Key topics include:
How personal epiphanies shape educational pursuits and life trajectories
The role of small-scale, place-based colleges inspired by Deep Springs and Waldorf pedagogy
Practical experiences as a foundation for environmental literacy and stewardship
The importance of community, self-governance, and labor in microcollege models
Cultivating resilience through outdoor expeditions, work, and embodied learning
The balance of single-sex and co-ed educational environments in fostering identity and leadership
Incorporating family and kinship into educational settings to build nurturing environments
The power of local bioregional identity in strengthening community bonds
Overcoming the limitations of material abstraction by engaging with place and nature
Strategies for empowering individuals to act locally on global issues like climate change
The significance of shared projects in dissolving superficial disagreements and fostering cooperation
The potential for grassroots, place-based education to create meaningful change amidst complex societal challenges
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro: Exploring education, community, and sustainability
02:27 - How a class on sustainable development shifted a life trajectory
04:02 - Higher education as transformative yet bureaucratic: a nuanced view
06:20 - The role of micro-colleges as laboratories for alternative education models
08:20 - Microcollege principles: human scale, place-based focus, holistic curriculum
10:12 - Experiential learning in agriculture and sustainability in Uruguay
13:19 - Moving to Uruguay: motivation, land, community, and self-sufficiency
16:26 - The influence of environmental sociology and fieldwork on education
18:13 - Rizoma and regenerative agriculture: connecting resources across bioregions
23:21 - Adapting the Uruguay model to local high schools and legislative advocacy
26:13 - The challenges of bureaucratic hurdles in US-based experiential programs
27:27 - The origins and evolution of Thoreau College in Wisconsin
28:05 - Deep roots in the Driftless region, organic farming, and educational experimentation
29:04 - Waldorf pedagogy, family-centered schooling, and youth leadership
31:51 - Deep Springs College: history, pillars, and self-governance
34:40 - The influence of Nicola Tesla and pioneering education in remote settings
36:27 - The unique, small scale, and community-centered design of Deep Springs and inspired schools
40:34 - Gender, environment, and community: reflections on co-ed versus single-sex models
41:26 - The importance of family and nurturing environments in education communities
43:11 - The role of place-based knowledge and historical understanding in cultivating belonging
45:27 - The holistic curriculum: arts, nature, and expedition-based experiential learning
48:45 - The ethics and profundity of slaughtering animals as a ritual of reverence
50:05 - Broadening perspectives: practical engagement over superficial debates
54:35 - The significance of embodied work, such as farming and outdoor survival skills
55:55 - Building agency through collective effort and sharing tangible skills
62:45 - The impact of experiential and community-based learning on resilience
65:05 - Ideals of subsidiarity and bioregional identity as anchors for local culture
66:39 - The cultural and environmental richness of bioregions like the Driftless
70:47 - The importance of place-based storytelling, native histories, and ecological literacy
75:34 - The power of local, tangible practices versus abstract ideologies
77:26 - The role of shared projects in dissolving superficial divisions
85:12 - Cultivating inner resilience and emotional strength through holistic education
87:11 - Moving from global scale despair to local scale action and empowerment
89:04 - The importance of facing difficulties together and growing through challenge
90:46 - The value of community hubs and bioregional identity in creating hope and agency
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