My eldest is entering the business end of her school life. Whether I have any anxiety, stress, or ambition, it’s my job not to pass it on. Easier said than done.
So, I turned to Donella Meadows’ Guided Envisioning of a Sustainable World for inspiration. Why? Because who better to turn to when you want to reimagine something than a mentor whose suggestions include “get to the beat.”
I asked Claude, “Using Donella Meadows’ prompts about Guided Envisioning of a Sustainable World – how can I use this to help my teenage daughter envision her next two years in school?”:
Here’s the framework Claude suggested:
The Home (Her Learning Environment)
What would it feel like to wake up ready for school each day?
- What kind of energy would she want to bring to her learning?
- What would make her excited to start the day?
Who would be part of her learning community?
- What kinds of relationships does she want with teachers, friends, and mentors?
- How does she want to feel when she’s with them?
Where would her intellectual “energy” come from?
- What subjects, activities, or experiences would fuel her curiosity?
- What would nourish her growth and learning?
The School Neighborhood
How would her school community be arranged for everyone’s well-being?
- What would make younger and older students, different types of learners, all feel they belong?
- How would differences in interests, abilities, and backgrounds be celebrated?
What is her special role or contribution?
- What unique gifts does she want to develop and share?
- How does she want to collaborate with others?
- What kind of “work” (projects, leadership, creative expression) calls to her?
The Broader Community
How does she want to connect her learning to the wider world?
- What real problems or opportunities in her community spark her interest?
- How might she bridge school learning with meaningful contribution?
How does she envision relationships between different groups?
- Across age groups, interests, and backgrounds?
- Between her generation and nature/environment?
The Bigger Picture (Her Future Path)
What kind of post-graduation world does she want to help create?
- Does traditional college feel right, or are there other paths calling her?
- How does she want to be part of positive change?
The Underlying Mindset
How does she want to feel about herself and her life during these two years?
- What pace feels sustainable and joyful rather than frantic?
- What fascinates her most right now?
- What makes her laugh and feel alive?
- What does “progress” mean to her personally?
Give it a shot!