The Grove Model

The Grove Model

The Grove Model is a learning model that I developed as a foundation for all of my workshops. It begins at the roots of the trees. Roots provide a foundation, and each tree is interconnected to the others as you cannot have one without the others. This foundation reflects systems theory in that it recognizes the infinite web. From the roots there are several paths one may travel upwards towards the height of the trees. These paths include people, or each other, land, and spirituality. It is building relationships with these things where we may reach our goals of love, compassion, and change. At the top of the tree, there are tools that may be used to reach our goals. These include participating in team building, or building skills in effective communication, conflict resolution, and processing skills. It also includes teaching Aldo Leopold’s (1966) philosophies on land ethic and John Dewey’s (1973) thoughts on living an experienced life while using Kolb’s Learning Cycle (1984) to facilitate the learning process. It would include discussions on developing our emotional intelligence while practicing coping skills like grounding, deep breathing, and meditation to relieve anxiety and stress.

The Grove Model develops the individual while simultaneously building bridges towards better, healthier relationships. We must learn and grow together and simultaneously.

Tenets of the Grove Model

1.     Learning does not happen in a bubble. It consists of many things happening simultaneously, each providing a reciprocal relationship with the other parts.

2.     Considering a systemic foundation or network allows for acknowledgment of other outside influences in learning such as personal perceptions, experiences, biases, and environment. Each plays a role in the concerted effort of learning; all are equally important and influence outcomes.

3.     A systemic foundation or network focuses on and nurtures relationships over specific material to be learned.

4.     Sustainable education needs to expand our current perceptions of sustainability to include if not focus on our relationships.

5.     These relationships include building relationships with one another, the land, and our own spirituality.

6.     People of all ages and backgrounds need to intentionally experience skills such as effective communication, true collaboration, leadership, building trust, and work through conflict. It is not enough for learners to be put in these situations to figure it out. Experiences should be metaphoric and challenging allowing space for ‘real-time’ processing.

7.     Processing is a skill learned and practiced, not inherent.

8.     People need opportunities to commune with the land; to create a relationship and sense of belonging.

9.     This relationship expands our sense of self to include the environment- flora and fauna, rock, and mineral.

10.  People need opportunities to explore their spirituality.

11.  Exploration should include diving into our values, expectations, paradigms and questioning where they come from.

12.  Deepening our connection to ourselves deepens our connection to our own mental wellness.