We at Galloway spend an inordinate amount of time talking about how we implement the Galloway Way, while at the same time, we reflect little on what the Galloway Way is and why we might want to look at everything we do through its lens.
· TGW calls to mind the parable of the five blind men and the elephant. Each has his own perspective on the elephant (leg, trunk, tail, flank, ear) and therefore perceives a part without grasping the whole, the gestalt. Similarly, most Galloway students, teachers, parents, and administrators understand facets of TGW without seeing the big picture, particularly the “why”.
· TGW is not so much democracy as anarchy: individuals treading their own path in ways that do not significantly impinge on the journeys of others. TGW assumes that people are essentially good, if necessarily self-interested. See below: a segment on TGW and anarchy from the Crane “Review and Reflection Paper”.
· TGW is relationship as well as individual quest. Teachers and students are collaborators in the learning process. At its best, TGW promotes caring and stewardship among students and between students and teachers.
· Why TGW? We follow TGW because we – students and teachers together – crave growth and freedom. Teachers want their students to grow to be whole, good, productive, caring, and fulfilled people capable of sustaining their own growth both individually and in relationship with others. Students, likewise, wish to grow and change and become who they are.
· Why TGW? We follow TGW because we believe that it underlies the best educational practice. It gradually places the onus of responsibility for learning on the learner. It promotes the movement of locus of control steadily inward; that is, students pursuing TGW with teachers who understand and practice TGW come to know that they are the ultimate arbiters of their fate.
· Why TGW? As teachers, we follow TGW because we are willing to be responsible for creating a safe yet challenging learning – and living – environment for our students.
· Why TGW? As students, we follow TGW because we are becoming steadily less egocentric and more able to accept responsibility for our freedoms and our choices.
Crane Metamarketing. “Review and Reflection Paper – The Galloway School”. 2006:14-15.
"Anarchy? Does this bring to mind chaotic lawlessness, the extreme methods of anarchist radicals? What on earth can anarchy have to do with the utopian ideals of the gentle Mr. Galloway?
In fact, the two philosophies have a great deal in common. Quite the opposite of advocating chaos, nihilism, or anomie, authentic anarchists offer positive, harmonious visions of what they consider a truly free society: one made up of self-governing individuals. We find the philosophy best stated as 'a desired form of human interrelationship based upon voluntary cooperation without coercion or control of others; also, a social orgnization modeled to accomplish this dynamic.' This utopian vision bears striking similarities to Mr. Galloway’s dream of a school where students are free to learn.
Again, we raise this loaded term not to shock or invite political debate – and certainly not to label Mr. Galloway as an anarchist – but rather to recast the current predicament of the Galloway School by drawing a useful comparison. The conceptual resemblance includes:
· minimal laws or rules;
· a high value on personal freedom;
· the reliance on internal motivation to behave and be a responsible member of a community;
· an abiding belief in the potential of every person to master such internal motivation;
· a belief that in every person exists the innate desire for acceptance and approval;
· and a reliance on natural and social consequences to curb destructive or antisocial behavior.
In this popularly misunderstood philosophy, we can see many of the very same, and often misunderstood, ideals that foster joyful learning at Galloway – freedom, self-givernance, personal responsibility, to name a few. And what a beautiful vision it is. Why wouldn’t every person want to live and work toward such a society?"
Indeed, why wouldn’t every person?
