Kam Bellamy and Philip Francis
Across the global tradition ISPWL brings into dialogue, “philosophy as a way of life” names not only a field of study, but efforts to revitalize philosophical arts of living: practices of attention, contemplative expansion to a broader perspective, and self-formation, sustained in community, and oriented toward the good life for oneself and others. In that spirit, Springboard approaches humane-formative higher education as the deliberate cultivation of contemporary “practice grounds”: small, place-based living-learning communities that make room for transformation to be lived, tested, and stabilized–experienced, not merely discussed.
A significant amount of sense-making takes place in the college years, and formation happens regardless of how we educate. Springboard works with the premise that we can be intentional about creating conditions under which formation occurs. We call for a re-imagination of what higher education can be and what it is for. We call for a commitment to engaging the whole learner—body, mind and spirit—in a lived practice that can orient a young person toward a life of meaning and purpose and a commitment to the well-being of the planet and the good life for all. We work with the premise that formation happens in relationship–to self, community, and place–and that small-scale, material environments foster these relationships. Through practices of attention, frank dialogue and care for self and others, and communal-civic responsibility and decision making, microcolleges and living-learning institutes work with PWL traditions that have long been treated as central to philosophical formation.
Springboard works with a three-pronged strategy to develop more humanly-scaled, community-oriented learning communities for young adults. First, Springboard supports the development of a robust field of models we can point to as examples of what formative education (grounded in what PWL articulates as spiritual exercises) might look like. These are exemplary “practice grounds” that can also function as lures and reference-points for a wider PWL ecosystem. Second, Springboard works to develop and coalesce a research and evidence base to understand how transformative learning happens in the young adult years and make the case for why it is important. Finally, Springboard works to develop an ecosystem of educators, funders, students, and college and university affiliates that supports the flourishing of existing transformative learning communities and the deliberate development of new communities.
In this session, Springboard’s Executive Director Kam Bellamy will share why Springboard works to ensure young people are invited into learning communities in which experiences of connection to self, community, and place are intentionally cultivated, as conditions for humane formation and philosophical living. We will hear from the PWL oriented philosopher and Seguinland Institute’s Executive Director Phillip Francis about his work to create a deeply transformative learning community, and how work with Springboard catalyzed Seguinland Institute’s development. We will hear the status of the research work and how it is working to bolster the ecosystem of funders and educators committed to this work. Finally, we will hear a call for support for greater collaboration with college and university partners to ensure more young people are afforded opportunities to be part of deeply transformative learning communities. We will invite ISPWL members into dialogue about their own work building enclaves for philosophical and transformational learning, and how we can work together to, institutionally and culturally, make such “practice grounds” a durable part of the higher education landscape rather than isolated exceptions.
Suggested Reading
Springboard’s 2024 White Paper:
To learn more about the seminar, and our collaboration with the International Society for Philosophy as a Way of Life see here.
Attendance is free but restricted to the members of the ISPWL. If you wish to become a member, please fill in this form.
