I just finished reading Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin and I have to say it is a must read. Greg Mortenson is a living example of someone who possesses the philosophical perspective of a social reconstructivist. Three Cups of Tea is the story of a failed American mountaineer, Greg Mortenson, who ends up in an impoverished Pakistan village. (There is an adult version of the book, a young adult version of the book, and a picture book all available.) Moved by the kindness of the inhabitants he makes a promise to return and build a school for the uneducated children of the Karakoram village. As of today he has built 78 schools.
Mortenson describes a situation where he is trying to get funding for the school project and sends out 580 letters to celebrities. He only receives $100.00 from Tom Brokaw but somehow a group of elementary school children from River Falls, Wisconsin hear about his project. These elementary students begin collecting pennies for the project which they named Pennies for Peace and donate $623.40 which then inspires adults to begin making donations.
This is what social reconstructionism looks likes in a classroom or a school. It is children making a difference one penny at a time.Visit http://www.threecupsoftea.com/ to learn more about this incredible story of social reconstructivism in action. What a great way to teach children about the LIFESKILLS of caring, perseverance, problem solving, initiative, etc.
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I just visited the site provided and his story is captivating. I plan to check out this book soon. Honestly, I never gave much thought about other types of communities, such as the ones that Greg has been helping, and the different struggles that many of them face. I am anxious to read this book and to get a better idea of the educational world beyond our own is like.
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