Bhagwnai Bai

LEAD 7100

Dr. Wendy Griswold

February 14, 2016

Reflection on Myles Horton Book

The long Haul an Autobiography of Myles Horton is a book that every community

educator/adult educators should read to learn from the experience of Myles Horton, founder of

Highlander Folk School. I have learnt some useful points of community education/community

development while reading the book that I want to share in this paper. The concept of community

education for bringing fundamental social changes through democratic approach, mass

involvement through movements, policy, advocacy and networking are some key points that

noted to adopt and apply in my context.

Concept of Community Education

After reading this book and relating it to the previous book on community education of

Lyn Tett and my working experience I feel that my concept of community education has been

revitalized and broaden. The democratic approach to community education by Myles Horton is a

big lesson that being a community educator will always help in different context and

perspectives. I really like his experience that how he used to go to meeting of different religion,

educational classes for workers, listen political discussion of communist, anarchist and socialist
to test them against his beliefs. (p. 36) I think that having belief or recognizing ones own belief

is first step towards learning. To be community educator/educational leader one should have

belief so that s/he could further build on it. And beliefs develop by learning (reading, writing,

expressing, listening and analyzing).

While reading chapter six it felt me as I am exploring the answer of my questions that I

always have for the development of my communities. I worked in rural development

organization for more than 12 years and then left it because I have not seen sustainability of our

inputs. I joined government education department so that I can work on education and my belief

is that, the change in the lives of people come through education. It really clicked me when I read

that Myles Horton wanted to understand that how fundamental changes could be made through

education in a situation of inequality. I have same dilemma how to get started for bringing

positive changes in my areas so that people can decide of their own lives.

The idea about how to multiply benefits of educating people with the concept of yeasty

education (57) is nice can be replicable in different context to bring fundamental change in the

society. For multiplying education one need be very much clear about the context where s/he is

working and familiarity of people with whom s/he is working. I agree and very much of the view

that as a community development worker I need to learn how to get people learn from their

experience, and how to create the situation that make community to analyze their experiences.

When I look back on work experience in my country I can clearly distinguish about the mistakes

we have made and how we impose our decision on community instead of giving the opportunity

and environment that they by themselves decide about the matter effecting their lives.

As Myles Horton talks about the discovering peoples perception (70-71) that is very

important in community development process. We always make mistake and search for our
already decided perception and want to listen that answer form the community. I think going

with empty mind with an intention to explore the ways to come on solution through discussion is

key in working with communities and bring some sustainable social changes.

Change through Movements

The change though movements has great impact and bring change at scale. By working

with labor unions how the Highlander school bring integration is awesome idea that community

educators can replicate in their context. When I think about my area and the recent coal

exploration, that has created uncertainty in the local communities and how these people lack

technical and other required skills to get maximum benefit from the development in the area,

where social inequality exist in the shape of class, caste, gender and religion. Organization of

unions and keeping diversity for tolerant and democratic society is required in my areas.

Shifting form labor movement to civil rights movement was big step and replication of

yeasty concept of education worked in the shape of citizenship school that has impact at scale. I

have learnt that when we have base in community the chance of becoming part of bigger

movement increases as it happened with Highlander school. Although it was risky but has impact

at scale.

Policy, Advocacy and Networking

Myles Horton writes that learning through which came from group efforts were superior

to learning achieved through individual efforts. (47) To bring change through community

organization one need to have networking with likeminded organization and individuals that

contribute each other. While reading book I have noted that Myles Horton always focus on

creating alliances through networking and advocacy for policy changes.

I learnt that making things so simple that people adopt it. What I understand from this ideas is

that organization make very broad goals that cannot be absorbed by common people so

translating the goals into simple and absorbable shape is best way to multiply the actions and

contribute the democratic and yeasty concept of education.

It would not be exaggeration if I say that this book renew my idea of working for the

education of community. It gave me felling of doing something that multiply itself as the concept

of yeasty education. It gave me way to search for information for understanding social, economic

and political conditions of my area deeply, do the stakeholder analysis so that from networking

and alliance development different actors can contribute in democratic change in the society,

what are the policies, plans and programs that need therapeutic actions for bringing structural

change that benefit people at scale and become part of the system. I would conclude that this

book is source of encouragement for those who are willing to contribute to their communities but

cannot find a right path to start with.

References:

Horton, M. (1998). The long haul: An autobiography. New York: Teachers college press.