Permaculture Design Certification course formats

I would like to agree with Michael as a graduate of the course at age 54. The younger people in the course were hardly addicted to the net, and most of the course was decidedly low tech (whiteboard or chalkboard). The net was used as a source of info and networking. And there were hands on components such as actually digging swales and actually designing a space according to permaculture principles. Candee Wadsworth

On Tue, Dec 14, 2010 at 3:10 PM, Michael Burns <michael> wrote:

Kathy,

As the (middle-aged) organizer of the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute’s
(FLPCI) programing, I would like to address some of your concerns about
permaculture students and programs. I assure you that our course is not geared
for twenty-somethings. I would also, however, like to agree with you in
general about the limitations of a two-week intensive PDC. The format is
largely a result of circumstance and economics. FLPCI has offered other
formats and have found only one (so far) that does not result in a personal
financial loss for the organizers. However, we will continue to explore other
formats because the two-week intensive is certainly not the only or best way
to bring the permaculture course to others. I suspect most other PDC
organizers would say the same. Likewise, the teachers who have to take time
away from their jobs and families, and work more for the passion of the
subject than the pay, would also agree.

Currently we offer a 36 hour Community Training in Ecological Design
(CTED)course that is largely inspired by the permaculture curriculum but
involves much less time and money from the students. It was very successful
last year in Tompkins county, and this year is running in Schuyler county.
Next year we may expand it to several counties and the Syracuse area is on the
short list of desirable places to teach it. It also has its shortcomings and
is not a replacement for the PDC. We have other ideas for teaching the PDC as
well that, if we can implement them, they will be advertised on this list.

Few–if any–of our students would be the gamer, electronic devise-addicted
youngsters you describe. Most young people who commit to taking the PDC
already have a critique that has pushed them far away from the commercial
culture. In fact, I’ve met more people younger than I who have eschewed cell
phones and Facebook accounts at the course than anywhere else! About half of
our 25-30 students are older than thirty, with at least a half dozen in each
class over fifty. One joy of the summer intensive is the inter-generational
learning community–with so much in common among each other–that blooms and
inspires during the course.

The two week PDC is certainly less than ideal for many working people
regardless of their lack of age, income or experience. During the first three
years of the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute, we offered a winter weekend
series of classes for the PDC curriculum as well as our summer intensive. The
weekend course attracted less than half the students compared to the summer
course and many students found they couldn’t keep up with the material because
of the drive, and their other time commitments. In a way, we noticed the same
critique of the summer course: the format does not fit with all people’s
circumstances. We also lost money; essentially finding ourselves donating our
personal money and time to make the course happen.

Five years ago, we were the only course in upstate NY, so we felt an
obligation (and inspiration) to run the courses once advertised. Now with a
few others in the region, we have focused on our most successful programs. We
also saved ourselves from burn-out and a type of financial fatigue that
happens when you realize you are personally subsidizing the effort.
Additionally, this has allowed us to worry less about money and to spend more
effort improving our curriculum and instruction. This summer will be our ninth
PDC and we are exceptionally happy with the quality of our teaching after more
than 800 collective hours of PDC teaching.

Considering that a decade ago there were almost no PDCs offered in New York to
at least a half-dozen now, the permaculture movement has expanded it reach,
but not very far…

Regardless, we still are not satisfied. Our students may be happy, but there
are many more who could be if we could deliver the course in way that works
for them and ourselves. That said, this year or next we may offer alternatives
because the permaculture design method has a lot to offer us old fogies and
the the following generations.

Michael Burns
Board Member & Founder
Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute

—
The Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute
offers workshops, apprenticeships, and
permaculture design certificate classes.
http://www.fingerlakespermaculture.org
—

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