A pirate store tutoring center!
David Eggers won the TED Prize in 2008 and in his talk he tells a riveting and inspiring story from the land of education. In 2000, Eggers lived in Brooklyn and was working on his first book. He wrote in the night and walked around in a daze during the day. He was surrounded by many such writers, people who had flexible hours and expertise in a field of work they loved. He was also surrounded by teachers and heard of their dedicated work and their challenges. He heard teachers asking for more time, more people with expertise and more one-on-one attention for their students.
When Eggers moved to San Francisco he got an office building to house writers and editors, people working on the McSweeney magazine and other published works. And then he had an idea! Why not also make the place into a tutoring center so writers/editors would work on their own stuff all day and then at 2:30 pm when schools got out, they would share their time and expertise with students, offering them free one-on-one tutoring in writing. They got the 826 Valencia building cleaned up. As they were getting ready to remodel, the landlord reminded them that publishing and tutoring were all good but they had to retail something because the building was meant to house retail stores. Retail? What? Eggers talks about a moment of ephiphany when someone suggested that the space looked like the inside of the hull of ship. So, why not sell pirate supplies? And, that's what they did. Sound ridiculous doesn't it? But its one of the big reasons the place has worked out. They brought together all kinds of supplies — crazy, funnny stuff like pastel eye-patches and mop heads that fall on your head, replacement eyes, a vat full of treasures for children to pick through, peg legs and more.
The pirate store sits in the front of the building, the tutoring center behind it and the publishing space in the very back. At 2:30 pm every school day, Valencia street is lined with students racing, yes racing to their tutors. A 12 volunteer effort is now at 1400 volunteers. Students receive 1:1 attention on their writing, sitting shoulder to shoulder with other students and interns of McSweeneys working on novels and other pieces of writing. The store front provides the exact transition from school, into, well, school isn't it? The tutoring center is school but doesn't feel like it. There is no stigma associated with it — students sit alongside people working in the field working on their own homework just as much as a writer slogs over her next book. Its not a place for students having trouble with writing to get help. Its where passionate writers gather, all working on their own stuff, students receiving help from experts who love to do what they do.
826 Valencia became such a hit that now the effort is supported in schools with tutors in classrooms helping teachers provide 1:1 attention. It is even houses a tutoring center within a school. This is all happening in public schools, that can sometimes be notorious for not being innovative. 826 Valencia is also an inpiration. It drew Isabella Allende who sponsored a book containing essays written by students at the tutoring center on how to create peace in a violent world. This spun a series of books, the next one sponsored by Amy Tan and so on. The 826 Valencia model has been replicated at the Brooklyn Superhero Supply store and the LA-based Echo Park Time Travel Mart. Each one a place where a writer gives 1:1 attention to a student who wants to work on writing.
This is a deeply inspiring story. It touches on the very magic of education, pieces that just make education happen. Pause for a moment to consider these magical pieces and how educators and parents can create this for the children in their lives:
— First its cool, its fun: A pirate store tutoring center — that's crazy. Its cool. It creates the exact kind of playful space for learning.
— Passion: People who love what they do: This is the second and the most important reason why this works. Passion is infectious. Its what Art of Education is all about. When you see someone doing something they absolutely love, you cannot but help be inspired. You want to learn what they are doing. When a student sits side-by-side with a writer, they feel that passion, it makes them want to write. Its one of the fundamental premises of the Puget Sound Community School, passionate people teaching students.
— No stigma: The expert is not an authority. S/he is a passionate person who loves what they do. They teach from a place of passion, not a position of authority. They are not trying to fill an empty brain, they are igniting a fire in the heart.
— One-on-one attention: Its powerful — really, it is. Anyone can learn when they know that someone else cares so deeply about them learning that they have all of their attention.
Parens, dream with me for a moment about your child coming home, loaded with homework. Picture yourself jumping right in with them to unravel the homework, not as a chore, but as an opportunity to explore, to have fun. Take it one step further, set the context for the topic of the homework. The teacher might have done it but you can bring another perspective — if the homework is about "water" talk about water and water related stories from around the world. Jump online and search for stories. Get into the topic yourself — learning is fun, its fascinating, let your child feel your passion. Print an article you find online and aske your child if they want to take it to class. Extra credit comes easy when you love what you learn. Leap forward — when you see a topic of study that lasts a duration of time — create a family field trip — go see someone, a place where the topic is celebrated. Connect with a person passionate about the topic — invite them to dinner — let that become a part of your social life, your family life — meeting passionate people. Then, share your experiences with the classroom teacher, see if what you have done can be shared in the classroom.
All I am really saying is — if we are going to do homework, lets have fun with it, lets treat it as an opportunity rather than a chore. What I am also saying is that parents and families can support education to make it unique and special, giving each child the one-on-one attention they so deserve.
While the Art of Education is focused on helping families find the right school, that is an effort towards the larger goal of creating the right education for each child. The right education happens when families can support their children so each child experiences an education that fits her/him. I consult on this bigger picture, helping parents craft the exact home environment and support system to further a child's education so they too might find their passion. That is the ultimate goal of The Art of Education — a passion for each child.