I watched a recent Big Ideas program which featured a panel from a conference at the Royal Society of Art, discussing ‘The Slow Revolution’.  Listening to the speakers discuss this emerging social and personal philosophy led me to thinking about the pace of life – and the pace of learning.  Several themes emerged from the discussion.

Pace – or finding the right tempo – was significant.  The right tempo….. how often do we set the tempo based on what we must cram into our learners’ minds in a given period of time.  How much time does it take to embed a skill or knowledge.  Where is the right place to make the time….

The story of someone asking for directions in New York: “How do you get to Juilliard?”

The reported reply: “Practice, practice, practice…“ How do we allow time for practice, how do we value practice…

How are we connected – to the food we eat, to the people who make the things we buy, to the businesses we invest in, to the longer term outcomes of our actions and our decisions.

Being mindful and discerning about the many aspects of our lives.

Our sense of mortality – our own and that of the Earth.

And so in learning – what might reflection on the ‘Slow Revolution’ offer us.

I am thinking that it encourages us to work with our learners to see connections between what they are doing, and the outcomes.  It also encourages us to pause, to listen, to consider what we provide.  It could also prompt us to consider spacing of formal learning events, to allow time for new learning to become embedded and for practice… practice… practice…