PLACING YOUTH IN THE MORAL CATBIRD SEAT
DRAWING ON THE AGENCY OF MID-LIFERS
DRAWING ON THE AGENCY OF MID-LIFERS
The “Fish and Water Story” (“This is Water” – David Foster Wallace)
Water and the fundamental attribution error – situational awareness
This is Water – in the Natural Intergenerational World – School
This is Water – in the Built Intergenerational World – Nonprofits
This is Water – in Future Design Intergenerational World
Early in My Career – This is Water (Transparent) in the “Natural Intergenerational Environment” School (I was not self aware of school being intergenerational). For me, collaborating between and among the generations has been the water I used to swim in for the better part of my career. The pond: high school. I don’t think I ever uttered the word, intergenerational, when I was a teacher, college counselor, dean, coach, principal. Nor did I ever consider the concept. Yet schools are a rich motherlode of intergenerational relations – especially the moral development of our youth and the school-as-moral community.
Stories
- The poster of Armenian genocide story
- Chinese ambassadors’ children story
- Quaker Meeting goes off the rails – chickens “senior prank”
What do these stories have in common?
- Young people have keen moral intelligence – built-in crap detector
- Old enough to see injustice for what it is – still young enough to be outraged and take action (agency and voice) – sometimes action is to conserve
- It’s a fundamental adolescent drive – if you feed it, then…. If you oppose it, then… .
- Developmental stage that reaps great rewards down the line (my study on social entrepreneurs at Sidwell Friends)
- The importance of a school community to be a moral community (everyone is learning) – School as place to use our minds well
- A note on balance – cognitive and emotional development – gender issues National Merit Scholars Boys and disciplinary cases
Life after Schoolkeeping – This is Water in the “Built/Intentional Intergenerational Environment” –
Now, late in my life, the word “intergenerational” has become a thing – a name for an artifice – what I call a “built environment.” I’ll give you a quick tour of this world. The water has a name. I’m going to give you a brief tour of the current intergenerational world. Over the last four years – convener of the intergen affinity group with Encore Network.
Intentionally “intergenerational” comes to the fore – social entrepreneur movement – characterized by focus and leverage
- Grandpas United – boys mentored by retired police
- Boombox – social capital
- Eldera – mentoring – loneliness
There is the clearinghouse – Co-Generate
Those that give youth voice in justice or moral community
- Bridge Meadows – all encompassing round the clock community
- Sages & Seekers – the term mentoring retired
Tell the Story of My “Encore Fellowship in the Mayor’s Office in San Jose” – The closest thing to the natural environment – because of youth voice
Focus – job readiness and career exploration
Authenticity (Covid – mutual mentoring, reciprocal mentoring)
Why I so loved this project – learning from each other
This is Water in the Built/Intentional Intergenerational World of Future Design
I’ll end with what I consider a more powerful version of a “built intergenerational experience” where youth are placed authentically in the moral and leadership catbird’s seat. And this is where Future Design comes in.
Show the slides – rather than tell
WHY is FD so powerful – best of my school world with built world
- Youth in the moral catbird seat
- OUTLET FOR UNFAIRNESS/INJUSTICE outrage – act upon their outrage
- Features youths’ built-in crap detector (Use their minds well)
- VOICE – Gives youth authenticity – and training-for-agency v\
- FUEL IDEALISM, otherwise it can slip into apathy or cynicism
- IN THE ROOM – Trust/mutual respect - not a hint of “OK Boomer”
- For seven hours we were a true moral community
And “all” we elders need to do is serve as conveners.
STORIES
Story of the multi-generational – five (5) generations out – seven (7) really
- Authentic conservatives (duh!)
- Story of allocation of funds – of the $10B Prop 4 – conservatism