My own education is very different from the education that Ken Robinson suggests needs to be revolutionized. We are not taught that the sole purpose of our education is so that we can go to college, graduate with twelve degrees, and become a wealthy college professor. We are taught to take our learning into our own hands. Ours is an organic education.
In watching these videos, I felt very lucky to have received the education I did. Although many people claim that ours is a “slacker school,” it only is if you make it. I—along with everyone else in this class, and many other students—choose to make my education meaningful. We take on the difficult courses. We don’t necessarily aim “high,” but we aim towards what we want. An example from the second video that stayed with me was the story that Robinson told about the young man who wanted to be a fireman. The boy was told by a teacher that he was “throwing his life away” and that he wasn’t living up to his potential if he achieved the one thing he had dreamed of doing since childhood. Again, I feel so lucky to have been raised in a school setting where my dreams are encouraged, not rejected. What if the boy had listened to his teacher? What if every child who wanted a perfectly practical job, one necessary to the survival of a community, was shot down? Socrates argues that each person must fulfill their “should,” and by doing so, make their community virtuous and balanced. Aristotle believes that the human telos, end, is happiness, and by doing their “should,” everyone should find that happiness. These philosophers also believed in the true importance of education. This boy’s “should” was firefighting, and in fulfilling this “should,” this dream of his, he saved the life of the very teacher who told him that he was going nowhere.
Like Katie said, I don’t feel that I am developed enough—or have learned enough, yet—to be an “empowered member of society.” I do believe, however, that my education at the school that I am so grateful to attend has shaped me in a way that any other schooling would not have done. By continuing to practice the values and the virtuousness that my education has provided for me, I will become both a virtuous and empowered member of my community.
Emma-
ReplyDeleteThis is a really great post! I really agree with a lot of what you said. The connection between Plato's "should" and the calling of young people to be creative was an important one to make- one that I didn't make myself- so thank you for pointing that out!
I have a couple of questions for you.
1)If, as Plato says, each person has a calling or a "should," and, as I think Aristotle is saying, it is the job of society to teach them how to do their "should" best and most justly, does any school, even friends school, really support that enough? Yes, we are encouraged to follow what we are called to, but we, I believe, are also a bit guilty of prioritizing. Yes, kids are taught dance, but it isn't every day and it's not required after fourth grade. As for that fireman, he never had a class to take called "saving lives 101." Are there ways in which even our school could support and teach even more types of people?
2) You conclude by saying that you don't yet feel developed enough to be an "empowered member of society." One thing that really struck me, though, was when Ken Robinson said that "a three year old is not half of a six year old." Do you really think that, at your age and level of education, you are any less of an empowered, strong, and smart person than an adult? Or is the job of education really to embrace what a person is at every age, and see that person and his skills, that 3 year old, 10 year old, 23 year old, as empowered and important?
Just something to think about.
Thanks Kat! Good point--does any school support the pursuit of the "should" enough? I think that it's virtually impossible (if not completely impossible) to create a school where every "should" of every student is addressed and they are taught with that focus in mind. But our school does a pretty darn good job of making accommodations for students who have a clear picture of what their "should" should be!
ReplyDeleteI also like your second point, and reading it made me think about my conclusion. Perhaps we aren't less empowered or important than adults, but I think that our society has made it clear that the opinions children (and lazy, apathetic teenagers) aren't valued as highly as those of adults. Which is unfortunate, because, as you and I both know, often children know what's up WAY more than adults do. Thanks for responding!
Em- I agree with you. I don't think any school could possibly do what we're talking about- it would have to have a teacher for every student, because each student has a different set of callings, and these callings, if every one is embraced well, will change over time. Actually, probably each student would need every possible kind of teacher in order to learn everything that they might possibly be drawn to. I agree, though, that our school does a pretty good job. Do you think, if a school can't really address the "should" of every student, that Plato's and Aristotle's ideas of justice and education are even possible?
ReplyDeleteWHO values our opinions less than those of adults? We're certainly currently saying that we don't. In saying that our opinions aren't valued as highly, aren't you only really looking at the opinions of a certain type of adult, not the opinion of everybody? Do you think that maybe, if we realized that we can be empowered and important, we would value ourselves more and be more valued by adults? I think this sort of loops back to the initial question- how do we let everyone, no matter if they excel in music or firefighting or are 57 years old or 3 years old be taught and supported so that our society is diverse and has all of the different brains that it needs (including the young brain)?
Kathryn and Emma,
ReplyDeleteI think one failing of the society we live in is the limits it puts on our imagination like ken said. We are discouraged from even attempting to change the system. I don't know whether or not you have seen the conversation that i have been having on the last assignment but i believe in the possibility of a utopian society. I also think that we could create the system in which everyone is able to pursue their own path. Plato's idea of a "should" is a dangerous one though. While every person may have a natural aptitude, I do not believe that doing what you are best at naturally makes you happy. I think the way in which Plato used "should" and the way the two of you used "should" are slightly different. We need to educate people to be able to pursue their dreams regardless of whether or not they have a natural talent for something.
People are quick to look beyond the power of the youth. We are generally forgotten especially when it comes to the political process. I cannot understand why when every decision that politicians make directly impacts OUR futures that we do not have a say in the matter. The truth is that we do have a say in the matter. Kathryn, you said, "Do you think that maybe, if we realized that we can be empowered and important, we would value ourselves more and be more valued by adults?" This is a point that i would take even a bit further and say that we already are empowered. The establishment does not want us to know this. They are scared to death of the youth and what we are capable of. They realize that if they do not subtly keep us in check that we could easily take them out of power. Personally i believe that the youth of the world are the most powerful demographic alive today and we just don't realize it. Think how easily we could bring the entire system to its knees simply be refusing to participate. If we wanted to take control of our futures all we would need to do would be to organize and stand up for ourselves. If we were able to organize massive demonstrations we could change everything. What if ALL of the youth stopped attending school? They certainly cant lock us all up as truants.
I am sorry my thoughts are a little disjointed. All in all my point is that we ARE empowered and that when we realize this can change the world.
It seems a little idealistic to me to believe that such a society where every person is encouraged to follow their passions would exist in a functional way. Because while it is great when a person's passion is to save lives, what if they find their talent is that of taking them? What if they find that they excel at taking from others? Would the society that you are all talking of constructing support them in those actions? For me it comes back to Plato and his "shoulds". His ideas seem larger to me than just simply encouraging people to do what they are good at, it seems to me a subtle way of making sure that a society continues on by having the necessary roles filled.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am not saying I support the education system as it is now, with its heavy emphasis on only certain areas of learning, I do wonder what would happen if that hierarchy vanished.
It makes me think of when Jamie spoke of them trying to construct a society purely out of the Philosopher kings, and how that didn't work at all.
Overall great post!
And Eric, do you believe that the whole system is so corrupt that it is necessary for us (as the youth) to disband it completely? Just because it is a possibility, is it a necessity? ( I always thought this was an interesting question, when does it change from a possibility to a need).
I agree though. Youth is a force to be reckoned with, and I absolutely hate the mentality that dictates adults can create problems and we have to deal with them.
Julia,
ReplyDeleteIn short i do think that the system we live in today is completely unsustainable and will have to be done away with. If we don't do it ourselves in a unified way it will fall apart regardless. I almost feel that we are morally obligated towards a revolution. I think that if we do not begin to act now the human race could be set back hundreds of years if not destroyed entirely.
I don't know if I would say that we are "morally obligated towards a revolution," but I do agree that it our responsibility to take on the issues that we are facing.
ReplyDeleteEric, you mentioned that the establishment is afraid of our capacity, and I think you're right. But I think that they (adults, people in positions of power) do such a good job of ignoring us that many of us begin to feel that our opinions actually aren't valued. At CFS, we've grown up participating in decisions, serving on committees, and fostering a feeling of mutual respect between students and teachers. We are very lucky to have experienced this, and while many of us are expressing that we don't feel "empowered" yet, we are far more empowered than many of our peers, who have let the belief that our opinions are useless stamp out their ideas. This is both sad and unfortunate, because Eric's right: we could change anything we wanted to.
Thanks, Eric, for branching out and joining our conversation!
Nice post Emma. I completely agree with you. It really would be impossible for schools to be able to accomidate the "should" for all of its students. Most schools have just too many students to be able to recoginize, and encourage the calling for each student.
ReplyDeleteI happen to be of the opinion that the majority of all adults don't really understand teenagers, so that means that our opinions will not be valued. It takes a special kind of adult to be able to truly value our opinions. This kind of adult has to really understand and appreciate the opinioms of teenegers in order to value them. Self-empowerment for teenagers is important because we really have to value ourselves before we can convince adults that our opinions matter. This does bring us back to the uestion because it is important to educate people into an enironemt that would allow society to become more diverse.
Sorry guys that should be "question" not "uestion". Sorry about the typo.
ReplyDelete