Saturday, December 09, 2006
Ann Lynn Lopez Schubert, 1952-2006
Ann Schubert died in Chicago on December 2,2006 after a long illness--- her life-long love and devoted partner, Bill Schubert, and their two children, Heidi and Henry Lopez Schubert, were by her side.
Ann earned her Ph.D at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1993. She concluded her stunning dissertation with these words: "Nearly fifteen years ago, before our two children were born, my husband and I wrote that in order for education to be genuinely for children or anyone, it also had to be of and by them. By this I mean that students must be involved in authentic ways in the conceptualization of purpose, method and evaluation of consequences---the whole process of education. While it seems clear from my own experiences that the more formal the system of education the less education centers on meaning and sense of direction or purpose, there exist possibilities to create occasions for such learning through study of supportive and resistive factors, study of the environment and its history, ongoing dialogue with one's students, subversion, creativity, sheer determination, trust, courage, and love."
That's Ann, pure and straight-forward.
Ann's inquiry explored the possibility of employing progressive approaches in a city school, a dance class, and a unique home education project. It's an original and ground-breaking narrative study, focused on the deep meaning-making perspectives of participants. She writes: "urban...schools are experienced...as places of value, diversity, freedom, possibility, and complexity rather than barren wastelands of filth' corruption, decay, and vice...Until we learn to value the idea of the city,we can expect to see the streets paved with anger..."
Ann continues to teach me in ways subtle and surprising---- her words enlighten me and her life emboldens me.
I miss her very much.
Ann earned her Ph.D at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1993. She concluded her stunning dissertation with these words: "Nearly fifteen years ago, before our two children were born, my husband and I wrote that in order for education to be genuinely for children or anyone, it also had to be of and by them. By this I mean that students must be involved in authentic ways in the conceptualization of purpose, method and evaluation of consequences---the whole process of education. While it seems clear from my own experiences that the more formal the system of education the less education centers on meaning and sense of direction or purpose, there exist possibilities to create occasions for such learning through study of supportive and resistive factors, study of the environment and its history, ongoing dialogue with one's students, subversion, creativity, sheer determination, trust, courage, and love."
That's Ann, pure and straight-forward.
Ann's inquiry explored the possibility of employing progressive approaches in a city school, a dance class, and a unique home education project. It's an original and ground-breaking narrative study, focused on the deep meaning-making perspectives of participants. She writes: "urban...schools are experienced...as places of value, diversity, freedom, possibility, and complexity rather than barren wastelands of filth' corruption, decay, and vice...Until we learn to value the idea of the city,we can expect to see the streets paved with anger..."
Ann continues to teach me in ways subtle and surprising---- her words enlighten me and her life emboldens me.
I miss her very much.
# posted by Bill Ayers @ 3:56 PM
