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The Whispering Seed

The Whispering Seed is a village based community learning center and home for orphaned and abused children
focusing on finding the joy in serving others through cross-cultural exchanges and sustainable living practices.

July 31, 2009

To Whom it May Concern at Arsomsilp,

I am writing to you on behalf of Whispering Seed, a US registered, non-profit charitable organization working along the Thai-Burmese border with Burmese children who have been orphaned, abused and neglected and a community living and learning centre. I am writing to you with high recommendations for Miss Saowanee Sangkara to be considered as a candidate for the Graduate Diploma of Teaching Profession beginning this September 2009.

I have known Miss Saowanee Sangkara for the last eight years in various capacities; as a business partner, project co-founder and as both a mentor to her and a friend. As the director of the elementary and middle school of a thirty year old alternative school in the United States, Saowanee worked as an intern, with both of my programs as well as creating, designing and implementing classes and curriculum for the high school students as well as students in my program. Throughout her many stays in the United States, while she was enrolled in the National Coalition of Alternative Community School’s (NCACS) Teacher Education Program, she was able to gain a deep and thorough understanding of the philosophy, methodologies and practices in alternative, holistic, democratic education.

Throughout her time in this program, did she not only succeed in all of the requirements, gain a true understanding of alternative education, but she was also extremely creative in designing various programs and curriculums for children and adults of all ages. Not only was there the cultural challenge of a Thai woman fitting in to American society, but she was also faced with the challenge of learning and understanding about alternative education. Within the US, as with most of the world, those who are active in alternative education face many stigmas and biases imposed by mainstream society which does not comprehend even the basics of a free, holistic, democratic education in which a human being is learning throughout their entire life. Even with all these challenges, she was able to gain a comprehensive understand of the situation.

After her experiences with alternative education in the US, Miss Sangkara then assisted me in co-founding the Whispering Seed here in Thailand in 2004. For several years, she assisted in running Whispering Seed. Throughout the last five years with Whispering Seed, Saowanee developed many skills; developing curriculum, organizational structure, management, fundraising, learning about sustainable living, including earthen house building and Permaculture and continuing her life-long path as both student and teacher.

Over the past year, she has made a transition from Whispering Seed to begin her own independent organization, Wandering Seed. Through Wandering Seed she has most recently opened an alternative middle school along the Thai-Burmese border for a group at-risk Karen children to further their educational studies past Grade 6. Besides Miss Sangkara’s new endeavours with her middle school, Firefly River School, her foundation also focuses on creative media, including film making, television programming and the creation of children’s literature.

Having known Miss Sangkara for the last eight years, I highly recommend her for your new and innovative learning program. She will be able to fit in very easily with the learning ideas and styles of your alternative program and she will be able to contribute greatly to your program, bringing a diverse background in alternative education and a unique creativeness to learning and what education should be.

If you require any further information, or have any questions for me, I would be more than happy to talk with you at any time. I can be reached at the contact information below.

Thank you for considering Miss Saowanee Sangkara in your program, I am sure she will be a wonderful contribution to this years’ learning team.

Sincerely,


James F. Connor IV
Director of Whispering Seed
081-372-6266
whisperingseed@gmail.com
www.whisperingseed.org
I hereby verify that all the above information above is true and correct.