If your family is anything like mine, a new school year is flooded with emotions ranging from trepidation and anxiety to joy and delight. So I propose we launch back-to-school ’18 with a family mantra: Arrive curious, leave inspired — as borrowed from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center.
When we “arrive curious” we have inconceivable opportunities to learn. We want our kids to see that the “whole world is your school, instead of school being your whole world.” This definition of worldschooling can also be a new approach to family time and education. Our September issue helps us creatively rethink our roles in our children’s education, within the classroom and far beyond it.
One change you can apply this year: how we learn about the arts. With many school systems sadly forced to cut their arts budgets, it’s on us parents to help our kids learn about music, dance and visual arts. We can do this anywhere — from attending a new museum exhibit to catching any one of the great performances listed in this year’s list of must-see local fall shows.
Let’s also rethink how we talk about some of our world’s more difficult topics. In this issue’s Ages + Sages, we share practical tips and a rich array of books to inspire family discussions about immigration. Plus, learn a little from our Someone You Should Know. James A. Banks is the founding director of the University of Washington’s Center of Multicultural Education and a perfect addition to this year’s Global Issue. Here’s how he sums up multicultural education and why it matters: “It makes America ‘America.’”
Still looking for inspiration? Meet Tejas Raj. He’s a local teen who’s taking part in September’s Seattle Design Festival. He shares how he turned from a Lego-loving toddler into an inspired teen with a mission to get people talking through the power of art.
“It’s a chance for people to come together and share a moment,” he says. “I’m excited to see how different people interpret different challenges from their own perspectives.”
Us too, Tejas.
