Design Principles - Sources
Our design principles are drawn primarily from the words of Kurt Hahn, the German-British educator who founded, or inspired the founding of, the Salem School in Germany, Gordonstoun in Scotland, the Atlantic Colleges, the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and Outward Bound.
Hahn understood the profound connection between service and self-discovery. He believed in challenge and adventure not as ends in themselves but as ways to learn perseverance, craftsmanship, teamwork, and compassion. He wrote: I consider it the foremost task of education to ensure the survival of these qualities: An enterprising curiosity; an undefeatable spirit; tenacity in pursuit; readiness for sensible self-denial; and above all, compassion." In 1930 Hahn outlined his educational philosophy in the Seven Laws of Salem, which served as a guide for his first school.
Give children the opportunity for self-discovery.
Make the children meet with triumph and defeat.
Give the children the opportunity of self-effacement in the common cause.
Provide periods of silence.
Train the imagination.
Make games (i.e. competition) important but not predominant.
Free the sons of the wealthy and powerful from the enervating sense of privilege.
These Seven Laws of Salem have been practiced and modified for almost seventy years by educators in the institutions Hahn founded. We drew on Hahn's words and the years of craft wisdom of Outward Bound and its sister organizations for Expeditionary Learning's design principles.
Eleanor Duckworth, an inspiring teacher of teachers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, gave us the principle that also serves as the title of her book, "The Having of Wonderful Ideas" and other Essays on Teaching and Learning (New York: Teachers College Press, 1996). Paul Ylvisaker, friend and mentor, and former dean of the Harvard School of Education, reminded us of the intimacy and caring underlying Outward Bound practices, and the Coalition of Essential Schools lent us the principle of The Responsibility for Learning.
The above description, written by Expeditionary Learning President Greg Farrell, is excerpted from our book Reflections on Design Principles.
| 
