Tags for "Autonomy"
Aren’t Facts Important?
In a word... yes.
But I'm not going to stop after one word. Yes, there are absolutely things that people need to know in order to thrive in the world, but we will never be able to teach people everything that they will need to know for their life. And people, depending on the life path that they choose, will need to know different facts at different times. So rather than filling our young people's heads with facts, we should teach them how to find the information they need and give them the skills to analyze and interpret that information for themselves.
If our schools... Teacher and Student Roles
The teacher calls the shots, runs the show, sets the agenda and the deadlines, informs students of how things will go on in their classroom, and is the person who has the knowledge -- which is to be passed on from his or her mind to the students of the classroom. And this is all usually done through teacher-led discourse and method, within the constraints of school curriculum of course.
The students (in theory) are to absorb all of the knowledge being offered to them, respond diligently and respectfully to the teacher's commands and direction, raise... What is Intelligence, and Can You Teach It?
I believe that intelligence is three things: thoughtfulness, education, and experience. It is possible to be very strong in one category and be very intelligent because of that strength, but have room for improvement and further intellectual growth in another. I believe that I have a great deal of thoughtfulness, but could seriously grow in terms of experience and education by attending more events and programs and spending more time reading nonfiction and participating in events... On Motivation, Schools, and Post-Its: New Books for 2010
What better way to embrace the optimism and hope of the beginning of a new year than reading inspiring books?
I recently picked up two new books that speak to heart of why and how education ought to be more democratic. They carry a great deal of wisdom and practical ideas for schools and learning, and they both connect the value of greater voice in learning to the creation of a more vibrant society.
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
, by Daniel H. Pink (2009: Riverhead Books), throws out the underlying assumption of most businesses and schools: that people need to be controlled by rewards and punishments in order for work to get done or...
Colin Wants To Go To South Africa
The article revolves around Colin's university prohibiting him from enrolling in a class that would take place in South Africa over the summer, due to his young age. The University reasons that a boy at such a young age may be at higher risk of something undesirable happening while in South Africa than a typical... Children Will Learn, With Or Without A Structured Education
To me, it seems that just by living, and getting by in... The Power Of One
I've come to the Conspire to play their open-mic with my good friend Matt. Matt is much more confrontational than I am, and... Sometimes You Have to Just Sit Back…
If we want our kids to be autonomous, we can't expect them to want everything we want, or be the same as we are. This means that their goals may be different from ours--from the smallest things to the larger ones. I'm thankful that I'm learning this early on as my five-year-old expresses herself and often has different ideas about things than I do.
One thing that she's been surprising me with lately is her arts and crafts projects. She comes up with some pretty amazing uses for our projects, and while sometimes I am just astounded by how cool they are, sometimes I am... less than enthused. Still, I have to maintain my neutrality and let her use her creativity... Dan Pink - Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us (RSA Animate)
I just had my spring break at Green Mountain College (GMC), and instead of going out, I stayed on campus. It was a rejuvenating experience, as it allowed me to focus on my work (and get crucial experience on the campus farm, Cerridwen). For my Voices of Community writing seminar this semester, I am working on a ten-page paper on a community and an issue it faces. This is the first paper I have written of that length. The community I have chosen is the higher education community. My thesis is, broadly, as follows:
*In recent times, college has come to be seen as an economic venture, with the end result being access to current, high paying jobs, and a boost for the economy.... Learning Unlimited
Posted on Nov 11, 2009 - 08:25 PM by Jonah Canner in Got Questions?
This "democratic" approach to education seems nice, but don't kids need to know certain facts to thrive in the world?In a word... yes.
But I'm not going to stop after one word. Yes, there are absolutely things that people need to know in order to thrive in the world, but we will never be able to teach people everything that they will need to know for their life. And people, depending on the life path that they choose, will need to know different facts at different times. So rather than filling our young people's heads with facts, we should teach them how to find the information they need and give them the skills to analyze and interpret that information for themselves.
If our schools... Teacher and Student Roles
Posted on Nov 20, 2009 - 02:52 PM by Shawn Strader in Op-Education
Just about anybody who has attended public school has experienced the distinction that seems to often exist between student and teacher.The teacher calls the shots, runs the show, sets the agenda and the deadlines, informs students of how things will go on in their classroom, and is the person who has the knowledge -- which is to be passed on from his or her mind to the students of the classroom. And this is all usually done through teacher-led discourse and method, within the constraints of school curriculum of course.
The students (in theory) are to absorb all of the knowledge being offered to them, respond diligently and respectfully to the teacher's commands and direction, raise... What is Intelligence, and Can You Teach It?
Posted on Dec 04, 2009 - 09:42 PM by Kris Sage in Sage Wonderings
So, before I say anything, disclaimer: this is opinion. I have not read psychology texts on intelligence, and do not know how it is currently defined by the American government. This is my own study and analysis.I believe that intelligence is three things: thoughtfulness, education, and experience. It is possible to be very strong in one category and be very intelligent because of that strength, but have room for improvement and further intellectual growth in another. I believe that I have a great deal of thoughtfulness, but could seriously grow in terms of experience and education by attending more events and programs and spending more time reading nonfiction and participating in events... On Motivation, Schools, and Post-Its: New Books for 2010
Posted on Jan 05, 2010 - 08:33 AM by Dana Bennis in The Landscape
Happy New Year! It's 2010.What better way to embrace the optimism and hope of the beginning of a new year than reading inspiring books?
I recently picked up two new books that speak to heart of why and how education ought to be more democratic. They carry a great deal of wisdom and practical ideas for schools and learning, and they both connect the value of greater voice in learning to the creation of a more vibrant society.
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
, by Daniel H. Pink (2009: Riverhead Books), throws out the underlying assumption of most businesses and schools: that people need to be controlled by rewards and punishments in order for work to get done or...
Colin Wants To Go To South Africa
Posted on Mar 31, 2010 - 12:18 PM by Shawn Strader in Op-Education
Recently I stumbled upon an interesting article on NPR's website entitled, Age May Be Barrier For 13-Year-Old College Student. The story tells about a 13-year-old boy who maintains a 3.9 GPA at the University of Connecticut. The boy, named Colin Carlson, is a double major and seems to be deeply motivated in his studies, which include environmental studies and evolutionary biology.The article revolves around Colin's university prohibiting him from enrolling in a class that would take place in South Africa over the summer, due to his young age. The University reasons that a boy at such a young age may be at higher risk of something undesirable happening while in South Africa than a typical... Children Will Learn, With Or Without A Structured Education
Posted on Apr 12, 2010 - 08:43 PM by Shawn Strader in Op-Education
Often I wonder, why do we send our children away to a classroom at all? I can only speak for myself, but I feel that I have an ample amount of knowledge and know-how which I would love to share with my future children. With my knowledge, plus the fact that I would be bringing my kid(s) with me on daily adventures and into my networks of other people, it seems that experience alone would provide a well-rounded atmosphere for learning. So unschooling, to me, seems to be a viable option for providing an education. But at the same time, it seems odd, intuitively, to even think of planning an educational route for my future children.To me, it seems that just by living, and getting by in... The Power Of One
Posted on Apr 27, 2010 - 11:43 AM by Shawn Strader in Op-Education
As I lock my bicycle up in downtown Phoenix, outside of a happenin' little cafe called Conspire, a child, belted into his stroller, is continually crying, nearly screaming, as he sits unattended to by anyone around. There are a lot of people here. I am glancing from person to person, hoping to bring attention to this crying kid, but nobody is receptive. I should have figured that a stony glance around would not amount to someone else coming to the aid of this child, considering that his scream can be heard from 50 yards in any direction and nobody seems to care.I've come to the Conspire to play their open-mic with my good friend Matt. Matt is much more confrontational than I am, and... Sometimes You Have to Just Sit Back…
Posted on Nov 09, 2010 - 04:28 PM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
...and watch the destruction.If we want our kids to be autonomous, we can't expect them to want everything we want, or be the same as we are. This means that their goals may be different from ours--from the smallest things to the larger ones. I'm thankful that I'm learning this early on as my five-year-old expresses herself and often has different ideas about things than I do.
One thing that she's been surprising me with lately is her arts and crafts projects. She comes up with some pretty amazing uses for our projects, and while sometimes I am just astounded by how cool they are, sometimes I am... less than enthused. Still, I have to maintain my neutrality and let her use her creativity... Dan Pink - Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us (RSA Animate)
Posted on Dec 16, 2010 - 03:08 PM by Shawn Strader in Resources
Autonomy, Belongingness, and Engagement in SchoolPosted on Dec 22, 2010 - 03:48 PM by Shawn Strader in Resources
Innovation-Based Systemic Reform: Getting Beyond Traditional SchoolPosted on Feb 02, 2011 - 09:35 AM by Dana Bennis in Resources
Making Changes & Need Your Suggestions. Thanks!Posted on Mar 14, 2011 - 11:25 AM by Zuleka Irvin in Op-Education
Hello folks,I just had my spring break at Green Mountain College (GMC), and instead of going out, I stayed on campus. It was a rejuvenating experience, as it allowed me to focus on my work (and get crucial experience on the campus farm, Cerridwen). For my Voices of Community writing seminar this semester, I am working on a ten-page paper on a community and an issue it faces. This is the first paper I have written of that length. The community I have chosen is the higher education community. My thesis is, broadly, as follows:
*In recent times, college has come to be seen as an economic venture, with the end result being access to current, high paying jobs, and a boost for the economy.... Learning Unlimited
Posted on Aug 29, 2011 - 11:39 AM by lmeier in Resources