Conley-Wilson+American+Druk+School


 * Describe the built features and daily life within a culturally inflected green school building in the United States, drawing inspiration from the Druk White Lotus School. **


 * Word Count: 950 **

In the American public education system (K-12) there are many faults and failures in regard to cultivating ethical values, environmental awareness, among many other lifelong values. The Druk White Lotus School is a school that provokes religious, cultural, and environmental blank that is integrated in both the physical and mental beings of the school. In America this school would look very different however would still need many of the architectural aspects of the Druk White Lotus School.

This school would have a centrally located floor plan. This school will also be self-sustaining, it will not connect to a electrical grid managed by a big company, in fact this school could power its own power usage with renewable energies (wind and solar), students will have an interactive role in the power of the school by planning, researching, and creating the way to power is used. This school will be self-heating and will contain composting toilets. Water supply will be available however it would be very limited as a goal for the school is to be as environmentally friendly as possible, meaning causing minimal amount of damage to the earth as possible.

At this school there will be an option for students to have a boarding school type of education or commute to school. Not only would the school need to have classrooms, assembly halls but there will need to be on-campus housing for students with challenging domestic lives. On-campus housing will be available, free of charge for student without a home or with distracting home-life ranging from various causes. Transportation will be provided through the school via green-powered bus or carpool of parents (that can be organized by a Parent Teacher Association).

This school would not only provide one or two meals a day but three meals a day plus any snack food. This food would be free of charge however students, staff, and visitors could choose to pay what they want for this food. This concept has been implemented at certain Panera Bread locations and have thrived. Students, staff, and faculty will also grow most of the produce served at the cafeteria. Other food will be locally grown and raised food from nearby locations. There will also be fruit trees, bushes, and other plants around the campus that will not only help the students and workers thrive at the school but keep the environment flourishing.

After students complete their core education being basic math, reading, and writing, typically taught in Kindergarten through 4th grade, student will be able to start customizing their schedule. The classes will not be separated by age here but ways the students learn and skill level. There will be recess periods, 1 minute to 5 minute increments for meditation between and during classes, and many fieldtrips. Students will also be allowed to pick which trips they want to go on, however they are responsible for any class work that is missed or due during the trip. After their cores classes are complete attendance is no longer mandatory for student, similar to how college works, however students will be responsible for knowing the course content and taking the courses required to graduate. This school will also teach students how to cook this food and handle of adult responsibilities like cleaning, communicating, etc.

Respect, responsibility, social/communication, multiculturalism, wellness, and ethics will be key moral values taught to student because these are American values. Students could choose to take a class that focuses on a certain religion, this could also be an independent study if there are little overlap of interest at the time. There will be a co-existing place of worship, similar to RPI’s Chapel + Cultural Center, this will a place used for a meetings, performances, and other forms of expression of self and one’s faith. This will cultivate multiculturalism and understanding, which is important for an American based school because we have a vast array of people living here with different backgrounds, ethnicities, and ways of living.

Meritocracy is aspect of American culture that nearly every citizen of the nation values. This would be a huge aspect of this school. Because many believe America is the nation of the free, meaning that everyone deserves a place to live, food to eat, and the right to an education. This school would allow for any student of any background could achieve the American dream. In some regards I would like this school to mirror some aspects of Hunter High School. Although this prestigious high school in New York City has been struggling with achieving diversity in the past 10 years they have a very interesting way of grading. In this school they have no valedictorian, each student has the option of writing a speech and the best speech gets chosen for The Speech at graduation. In my school there will be no grades, no GPAs, and no class standings released to the students because education is an experience that should be only about gaining more knowledge.

Although this nation deeply values merit, I believe that merit should be based on what strengths one could bring to the table not about what letters and numbers someone assigns you. At this school students will learn in a non-traditional way that will cultivate skills needed in the workforce and in post-secondary education. Student will discover how they personally learn, lead, and develop along with cultivating their own belief system and personal morals and ethics. They will discover a love for land, appreciation for food, and the value of challenges. The school will cultivate various important skills for all to learn however the most important aspect students will discover about this school is how to co-exist with themselves, others, and the world.