Evergreen
In the summer of 2017, a group of seven us — Chris Jones, Jane Schmidt-Wilk, Stuart Tanner, Leah Waller, Fred Travis, Dina Chammas, and I — went to The Evergreen State College, in Olympia, Washington, for its annual National Summer Institute on Learning Communities. We wanted to learn more about this best practice in education, and we were fortunate to have a grant from the Wege Foundation to support the costs of attending this 4-day workshop.
More than 20 other colleges and universities from around the country sent teams, with about 150 people participating in all.
I’d never been to that part of the country. Evergreen State College sits in the middle of a 1,000-acre forest — stunningly, primordially beautiful.
The four days featured great keynote speakers, concurrent sessions on many topics of interest, advice from experts, and great discussions among ourselves.
On the final evening of the institute, each team was to prepare a short, fun presentation summarizing their main feeling from the previous four days. Several groups created new lyrics to popular songs, which they sang, karaoke style, over the original. Several presented haiku verses. Some presented slide shows.
I had created a limerick tribute, and our group decided this was what we would present. The response at the end was quite gratifying. Click the button to listen to the recording.
EVERGREEN
Signage on sidewalks, in chalk
Showed us the pathways to walk
We rarely were lost —
Rarely star-crossed —
We all could relax and just talk
In this realm of fir forest and fern
We all have been feeling the burn —
All feeling fired
And deeply inspired
About helping our students to learn
We spoke openly, spoke with impunity
Of a fabulous new opportunity —
Looking to broach
A whole new approach —
The approach known as learning community
Breaking free of existing confinements
Creating much stronger alignments
Hour by hour
We saw the great power —
The power of integrative assignments
Surrounded by thick woodland sceneries
Deer wandering amid all the greeneries . . .
Dr. Milner — he spurred us
Dr. Strayhorn — he stirred us
With powerful, passionate plenaries
The excellent concurrent sessions,
The experts in all their professions,
The step-back consulting,
The solutions resulting,
The answers to so many questions. . . .
So thank you to Evergreen State
The experience here was first rate
Fine meals in the Longhouse —
The “here we belong” house —
Our assessment? TOTALLY GREAT!
Great thanks to the colleagues we met —
We’re leaving here quite in your debt
We’re inspired by your passion
(Which is always in fashion) —
You guys are as good as they get
We’re inspired by the work you’re all doing
The goals that you all are pursuing
Your great heart, your high touch —
From you we’ve learned much —
Your gifts just continue accruing
Huge praise to the institute staff
Who worked beyond time-and-a-half
With minds, hearts, and souls
To support all our goals
In our work on our students’ behalf
And to Emily, the great Dr. Learn —
Your value so plain to discern,
Your lifelong career,
Its import so clear —
We appreciate you stem to stern
And now we go forth from this place
Back to our home time and space
Rekindled, recharged,
Our vision enlarged —
To the ever-green future we embrace
July 13, 2017