Hawkins Centers of Learning
A Vision of the Possible and the Realities of the Real
Dedicated to the Work and Lives of David and Frances Hawkins

David Hawkins was a passionate and dedicated educator, working and living in the 20th and 21st centuries alongside his wife, Frances Hawkins, an equally passionate and dedicated educator. Both of these people learned so they could teach and taught so they could learn. David’s strong impulse was to theorize; the depth of his theories crossed the domains of economics, physics, mathematics, biology, social and political science.  Frances’ commitment was to documentation in order to clearly understand and communicate the ways in which children learn. Frances and David touched children, teachers, and families in rural schools, inner city schools, and schools on Native American reservations. Together they worked to integrate theory and practice through their leadership in many innovative educational movements, including Head Start, Elementary Science Study, and Open Education. Their affiliations with educational institutions, including University of Colorado, Harvard University and Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, as well as with educators in prominent schools in Leicestershire, England, and Reggio Emilia, Italy connected David and Frances with thousands of students and colleagues, thus influencing education broadly and deeply.

Hawkins Centers of Learning embraces dedicated individuals who, like David and Frances Hawkins, embody passion and commitment.  These individuals yearn for the time and space to share personal experiences and engage in dialogue in order to create meaning and understanding. Participants span communities and cultures, educational disciplines, gender and age, together exploring diverse and common values and goals. The intention is for the Centers to seed and support thinking and action towards change through collaborative inquiry and exchange, valuing the process of thoughtful, democratic, and peaceful ways of thinking, being, and doing. The current work of Hawkins Centers of Learning includes:

• Development of a traveling exhibit that would give visibility to the work of David and Frances Hawkins, while also serving as a place of democratic dialogue and a space for the initiation of new ways of thinking, learning and educating

• Authoring of articles and books and the creation of a video documentary about the lives and work of David and Frances Hawkins and their impact on contemporary education

• Posting of articles from Outlook Magazine, published by the Mountain View Center for Environmental Education, on this website as a resource and as a forum for dialogue on the website’s blog

• Organization of yearly gatherings to inspire and support shared thinking and learning and to continue to develop the vision and goals of Hawkins Centers of Learning

• Documentation and reflection on the concept of gathering as a democratic process that can lead to individual and systemic change

• Research surrounding the organization of the Hawkins Room for Messing About with Materials and Ideas and its effect on teachers’ initiation and support of classroom experiences

• Extension of the concept of the Hawkins Room for Messing About with Materials and Ideas to contexts throughout the world

• Fundraising to support Hawkins Centers of Leaning projects and to expand and increase participation in gatherings

• Book talks around Frances Hawkins' autobiography, Journey with Children. Please contact us if you would like information about ordering a copy of her book.

Hawkins Centers of Learning is designed to generate and regenerate both learning communities and the individuals who comprise them through dialogues: dialogues without beginnings, without middles or ends. The work of Hawkins Centers of Learning seeks to create new visions, new ideas and actions, inspiring educators around the globe to introduce Centers of Learning within their own contexts in the true tradition of David and Frances Hawkins. 

If you are interested in contributing to the work of Hawkins Centers of Learning
through donation and/or participation, please contact:

Ellen Hall
1700 Bassett Street, #2316
Denver, Colorado 80202
303-579-4867
ellen.lynn.hall@gmail.com