Austin EcoSchoolinspired learning

My name is Michael Carberry and I graduated from the University of Illinois with a BA in Philosophy and an MS in Library and Information Science. While at U of I, I also studied Ethnomusicology and performed in several ensembles. I spent a year in the UK studying literature and creative writing as well as playing on the university’s soccer and ultimate frisbee teams. I have also trained capoeira, a Brazilian martial art/dance, for five years and have performed as a semi-professional percussionist for many years. Along with the Austin Ecoschool, I also currently teach at the Springs Enrichment Academy and the Greenwood School and I teach at several summer camps including Waldorf’s Camp Roadrunner, Camp Indigo and the Global Youth Peace Summit.

I strive to live my life by the poetic advice of Rumi, “Let the beauty we love be what we do.” I love music, art and dance in their myriad creative and cultural expressions. I love being in Nature and learning about the world. I have a strong drive for social justice and ecological awareness and a desire to help weave the web of our global community. Some of my other passions include personal growth, health, travel and having fun. I always try to remember how awesome Life is and I have a deep desire to share my awe and my passions with anyone who’s interested.

By practicing and teaching these arts which I hold so close to my heart I hope to help others to find and follow their own dreams and passions . I might teach a class on World Music or Capoeira , but I feel I am offering far more than the facts or the skills involved with these subjects. First and foremost I want to express a love and excitement for life, and teach this by example. I aim to enkindle that spark that is already burning in the heart of each student and fan the flames so that they might shine their own light brightly into the world.

I endeavor to recognize the perfection of each child just as they are. Rather than trying to shape a student, I hope to foster each child’s awakening to his or her own truest form. I work to recognize the unique talents and learning styles of each child and offer fertile ground for each to sow the seeds of his or her genius.

I am primarily interested in using holistic education to aid the development of the whole child, body, mind, heart and soul. I aspire to integrate various philosophies of alternative education with my own teaching style and intuition so that I am better equipped to serve a diverse range of students. I recognize that it is not what I teach, but how I teach, that is most important. Therefore, I consider my own personal development crucial to the development of my students. I strive to offer my full presence to each child while cultivating self-awareness. By approaching education from this space I find that I am not simply teaching, but learning and growing along with the students, while offering them an opportunity to deepen their own sense of self-awareness.

My primary goal as a teacher is to help others work towards harmony within themselves, within the community, and within the world. I feel that the Austin Ecoschool is taking significant strides in this direction and I am grateful and honored for the opportunity to help make this goal a reality.

“Let the beauty we love be what we do”
—Rumi