Once upon a time in a land far away I lived in a little cabin in the woods—an oak dell nestled in on the side of a distinctive mountain in Northern California, a mountain which some might call a foothill, and others named a peak. And a peak it most definitely was, blocking the sunlight from the “Dell House” after 3 pm in winter.
There amidst the oaks in the shadow of this 2638 foot presence frequently cloaked in clouds, I started dreaming about a project I thought of as Quality…I was thinking about a quality that catalyzes joy, inspiration, creativity, fun, a good challenge, with children and parents in mind. I started with educational software…seeking to identify software for children that evoked this “quality.”
It was 1983—I’d been inspired by Seymour Papert’s book, Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas (Basic Books, 1980)—and I discovered a small company called The Learning Company. Their software program Reader Rabbit met my criteria for Quality. Eventually, lots of people agreed with my early assessment—with the software winning numerous awards for the next decade.
From a tiny offgrid cabin in the woods, dwelling for this time on the traditional land of the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians (deepest gratitude), I started a mail order education software company that I named Frog Mountain Software and Reader Rabbit was my first sale.
Frog Mountain Software “failed fast” as we’d say today—because I was clueless about marketing and didn’t yet realize I needed a mentor for that, or at least a collaborator, or role model. But it was a vehicle for trusting my visions and dreams.
I realized that I’m still working on the Quality project. Today I call it my curation superpower—but this superpower grew from my search for learning materials with that special quality to share with my young daughter, her friends, and other children and the adults who loved them in the wider world.
In the last decade I think I’ve become more like a Meta Curator…there are so many extraordinary curators with their own unique spin on Quality, and I have a skill, like a water dowser, for finding them.
How would I define that Quality I’m after today? I’m still in search of catalysts for joy, inspiration, creativity, fun, a good challenge. I’m now more consciously scanning the horizon for mentors and role models to share—people who recognize and embody principles and practices of interconnection, loving kindness, social justice, courage, people who self-define as naturalists, people who are dedicated to making well-being for all a reality no matter how impossible it may seem…
…people like Beverly Barkat who turns plastic pollution into a sculpture “Earth Poetica” to reconnect people with nature. (This is a New York Times link…if you are not a subscriber and have used up your free NYT links this month, ping me and I will send you a “gift link.”
Here is a video of Beverly at work on Earth Poetica in her studio in Jerusalem. (3.23 minutes). Watch it with your kids. Our children are hyper aware of plastic pollution. Beverly demonstrates that there are many ways to contribute to solving our big challenges.
“Barkat’s hope is to break down the barriers between people and nature in a way that will change perceptions and perhaps habits.”
And…
You can read Seymour Papert’s Mindstorms online here (hosted on the MIT website by The Media Lab). It’s a foundational piece of digital history and learning. Check out the photos of the Logo Turtle at the very start of the book and remember the year for some perspective on children’s robots and “coding toys” today.
Look for my next post on Monday, February 7. Until then, I always love to hear from readers. You can contact me here. Let me know what’s on your mind and in your heart. (And please let me know if you subscribe to any Substack blogs. I am considering joining the Substack peeps in addition to writing here.)
Be well.
