ABSTRACT
When teachers work as democratic, eco-centric educators concerned with the big picture, they are committing themselves to the practice of curriculum wisdom, a capacity that is similarly concerned with both the practical affairs of daily life and with ethical questions. This chapter suggests that educators must cultivate wisdom in order to guide the young generation into new ways of thinking and being that are consistent with the continuance of life on this planet for all of its inhabitants. Curriculum work is multi-faceted. Good curriculum thinking, as John Dewey long ago noted, must begin with deep understanding of the learner, the teacher's role being that of a thoughtful bridge builder between academic subject matter and psychology of the child. The chapter also suggests that sophisticated, multi-layered habits of mind and approaches to problem solving are essential for life in a postmodern, complex democracy. It develops the knowledge and dispositions necessary to shepherd young people through these epic times.
