things to remember about learning

Education reform is still a hot topic.   More and more people are waking up to the idea that something is just not quite right.  Unfortunately, I feel that alot of folks are missing the mark.  As stated by Sir Ken Robinson in his TED talk that I shared in a past post, at this point, what we really need is not simply reform, but a revolution in education.  Like so many facets of our culture, the current model for the education system is based on institutionalization that began roughly one hundred years ago, and it is outdated.  I think if more people were aware of how institutionalized education came about, and what its true main purposes were - largely, to serve the purposes of the Industrial Revolution - then they'd think twice about the system that has come to be accepted as the norm.  John Taylor Gatto paints the picture quite clearly in his book (which you can also read online, chapter by chapter if you wish) The Underground History of American Education.

There is this "Waiting for 'Superman'" movie that came out last year - see trailer and Q&As here: http://film.waitingforsuperman.com/videos

I'll reserve full conclusions until having seen the film, but having watched the promotional videos, I'm not sure if they're really asking the right questions. 

What is 'success' for our children?!



What we really need to ask is,
What makes for a successful learning experience?  Isn't that supposed to be the point of sending our children to school?

Another amazing independent film came out that addresses some really valuable issues with the current system and the question of redefining success, and I will reiterate my recommendation to view it, one way or another, and that is Race to Nowhere - found at racetonowhere.com. I wrote about this film, which I covered as a member of the press, in a previous post.


Ten Fundamental Truths About Learning
by

William A. Reinsmith
Professor of English
Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science

Many of these points are at the heart of the unschooling philosophy.  I'll lay out the 10 points he makes; unfortunately the link I had originally where he expands upon these points is currently not working, but you get the gist:


"1. Learning first takes place through osmosis....
2. Authentic learning comes through trial and error....
3. Students will learn only what they have some proclivity for or interest in....
4. No one will formally learn something unless she believes she can learn it....
5. Learning cannot take place outside an appropriate context....
6. Real learning connotes use....
7. No one knows how a learner moves from imitation to intrinsic ownership, from external modeling to internalization and competence....
8. The more learning is like play, the more absorbing it will be-- unless the student has been so corrupted by institutional education that only dull serious work is equated with learning....
9. For authentic learning to happen time should occasionally be wasted, tangents pursued, side-shoots followed up....
10. Tests are a very poor indicator of whether an individual has really learned something...."


As a member of the media, I had the honor of photographing President Obama during his first year of presidency, when he gave an address on education at Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA, one of my home towns. Below, I share some of what he had to say. And I hear him, stand up, be responsible for yourself, don't be a victim of circumstance. But he is putting all of the honus on the youth, when it is the standardized institution of education being pushed from top down that is a big part of the problem. And now, over four years later, are we any closer to re-defining education in a way that inspires more kids to succeed rather than give up? What would happen if the system as a whole could really be organized in such a way to incorporate these ideas of 10 Fundamental Truths About Learning, and to recognize multiple intelligences - different learning types? What if we put power and creativity and inspiration back in the hands of the teachers and allow them to explore with their students, to discover what they are interested in and passionate about, moving away from standardized education to a more customized approach that gives kids more autonomy over what and how they are learning, and relies more on portfolio assessment than standardized testing?


"And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it....

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork....

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying. 

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future. 

That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America."

inspiring creativity in learning and life

Several months ago, we went to this awesome place out in Winchester, VA, called the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum.  Even though we've only been there once, it's officially one of our favorite places in the world.  We plan to visit there again soon, so I'll do a full post later, with pictures, about why the place is so awesome and all the things there are to do there.  On the wall, they have this statement, nice and big, entitled 'Creativity Killers', and I requested a copy to bring home because I loved it so much, and it is a good reminder for me from time to time, especially when I feel like I'm being too controlling about what, how, and when my kids learn and do things.  I'm not sure who wrote it, or I'd give that specific person credit. 

If you want to inspire creativity in learning and life, here are some great reminders of things not to do:

CREATIVITY KILLERS

Surveillance:  hovering over kids, making them feel that they’re constantly being watched while they’re working.  When a child is under constant observation, the risk-taking, creative urge goes underground and hides.

Evaluation:  making kids worry about how others judge what they’re doing.  Kids should be concerned primarily with how satisfied they are with their accomplishments, rather than focusing on how they are being evaluated or graded, or what their peers will think. 

Rewards:  excessive use of prizes, such as gold stars, money, or toys.  If overused, rewards deprive a child of the intrinsic pleasure of creative activity.

Competition:  putting kids in a desperate win-lose situation, where only one person can come out on top.  A child should be allowed to progress at his own rate.  (There can, however, be healthy competition that fosters team or group spirit.)

Over-control:  telling kids exactly how to do things--their schoolwork, their chores, even their play.  Parents and teachers often confuse this micromanagement with their duty to instruct.  This leaves children feeling that any originality is a mistake and any exploration a waste of time.

Restricting choice:  telling children which activities they should engage in instead of letting them follow where their curiosity and passion lead.  Better to let a child choose what is of interest, and support that inclination.

Pressure:  establishing grandiose expectations for a child’s performance.  For example, those “hot-house” training regimes that force toddlers to learn the alphabet or math before they have any real interest can easily backfire and end up instilling an aversion for the subject being taught.

Time pressure:  restricting time for a child to explore a particular activity is a sure killer of intrinsic motivation.  Children enter the ultimate state of creativity called flow more naturally than adults.  This is a period in which total absorption can engender peak pleasure and creativity.  In flow, time does not matter; there is only the timeless moment at hand.  It is a state that is more comfortable for children than adults, who are more conscious of the passage of time.

Marcellita exploring watercolors.

Adobe laying out her composition.

Skyler exploring colors and strokes.

Which of these do you find especially challenging at times, or in what specific situations?  Have you had any specific experiences that illustrate for you the points listed above?

what does this thing called 'education reform' really need?

Apparently, education reform is a hot topic right now.   More and more people are waking up to the idea that something is just not quite right.  Unfortunately, I feel that alot of folks are missing the mark.  As stated by Sir Ken Robinson in the TED talk that I shared in a recent post, at this point, what we really need is not simply reform, but a revolution in education.  Like so many facets of our culture, the current model for the education system is based on institutionalization that began roughly one hundred years ago, and it is outdated - and not necessarily an improvement over how things were done before.  I think if more people were aware of how institutionalized education came about, and what its true main purposes were - largely, to serve the purposes of the Industrial Revolution - then they'd think twice about the system that has come to be accepted as the norm.

There is this "Waiting for 'Superman'" movie that has just come out - see trailer and Q&As here.  I know it's currently playing at the Loews in Shirlington.

I'll reserve full conclusions until having seen the film, but having watched the promotional videos and Q&As, I'm not sure if they're really asking the right questions.  In so many cases, it's not the teachers that are the problem - there are plenty of well-meaning teachers with lots of great and innovative ideas.  It's that the system at large does not allow for innovation.  There is so much pressure on everyone to 'succeed', including the teachers, that they are forced to 'teach to the test' because that is the main method by which everyone's success is being measured.  Creativity and individuality, in teachers and students alike, are sacrificed to protocol.  The problem is not going to be solved by more rigorous testing, by more drilling of facts that lead to high test scores, by firing teachers in schools that fail to 'perform', by making teachers feel the pressure of losing their jobs if their students don't test well.  In my opinion, if a school does not have the highest test scores around, it could be a sign that they are doing something right, that maybe there really is a more holistic learning process going on.

What is 'success' for our children?!  It looks like the film Race to Nowhere, which had its first screenings yesterday, may be taking a better look at the real problem.  I can't wait to check out the whole thing.

Have a listen...  Does this scenario seem at all familiar to you, either from your own schooling, or watching your own children now?  It brings tears to my eyes...



(In the DC/NOVA/MD area, the film will be screening at the Alexandria Film Festival: AMC Hoffman Movie Theaters in Alexandria, VA on November 6 at 1 pm; the Flint Hill School in Oakton, VA on November 11, all day;  and the Washington Waldorf School in Bethesda, MD on December 2 at 7:30 pm, among other places.  Visit their site for more info and other locations.) 


What we really need to ask is,
What makes for a successful learning experience?  What cultivates a successful - and fulfilled, and happy - human being?  Shouldn't that be the point of educating our loved ones?

Recently, I came across this article I'd like to share.  It is written by William A. Reinsmith, Professor of English at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.  Here he offers some great reminders for all of us, whether you are teaching your own children, teaching professionally, or looking for some fundamental criteria by which to determine whether your children are being taught in an effective way.  Of course, if your children are in school, you can only glean so much information by talking to them about their school day - your best hope at getting a real look at these determinants is to sit in on the classroom, more than once (especially since these days, children are being shuffled around to quite a number of teachers throughout the day, often even at the elementary level) - which of course for many parents means taking time off from work.  In some cases, that is just not really possible.  As your kids get older, you can ask them, how do they feel about the education they are getting?  What else could you do?  Ask them to watch these movies (Waiting for Superman and Race to Nowhere) or even screen them school-wide.  Go to PTA meetings, write inquiries to the principle and teachers, and present all or some of these points.  (I'll lay out the 10 points Professor Reinsmith makes, and you can go here for expansion upon each point, which I recommend you do.)  Let them know you care.  Ask them, flat-out, how they feel about these points, and how much they are really able to address the children's learning in this way:

"Ten Fundamental Truths About Learning

1. Learning first takes place through osmosis....
2. Authentic learning comes through trial and error....
3. Students will learn only what they have some proclivity for or interest in....
4. No one will formally learn something unless she believes she can learn it....
5. Learning cannot take place outside an appropriate context....
6. Real learning connotes use....
7. No one knows how a learner moves from imitation to intrinsic ownership, from external modeling to internalization and competence....
8. The more learning is like play, the more absorbing it will be-- unless the student has been so corrupted by institutional education that only dull serious work is equated with learning....
9. For authentic learning to happen, time should occasionally be wasted, tangents pursued, side-shoots followed up....
10. Tests are a very poor indicator of whether an individual has really learned something...."

In conclusion, Professor Reinsmith states: "All of these interconnected truths are general enough to apply to learning of any kind. They are so basic and obvious that one may wonder why they need to be stated at all. Our greatest educators have espoused them in some manner during the course of Western history. Yet it is the simple and obvious that we tend to overlook when discussing or recommending educational change. We often engage in educational activity as if these truths didn't exist--and then wonder why we fail to engender learning in our students. In any profession ignorance of its elemental laws will lead to shoddy, even disastrous, results. Perhaps a large part of the reason we educate so poorly is that we fail to observe and work within the fundamental principles of our craft, so we don't create environments in which they can be applied. Successful teaching can ensue only where the fundamental truths of learning are both observed and respected. Periodically, teachers on all levels need to return to those basic truths--however mysterious they may be--and reflect on them at length." (emphasis mine)

Many, if not all, of these points are at the heart of the unschooling philosophy (read a previous post that attempts to address what that is if you haven't heard of it), and why many of the life-schoolers that I know do what they do - because it is a whole lifestyle that lends itself naturally to nurturing learning in this way.  And I don't think it's impossible for schools to move towards this model, especially with the boom and boon of the internet and technology.

At the beginning of the last school year, I had the pleasure of covering President Obama's Education Address delivered at Wakefield High School here in Arlington.  (As some of you know, I'm a photographer who freelances sometimes with alexandrianews.org.)  I have to admit, I was inspired by some of what he had to say, and reminded that school - as broken as the system may be - does serve many many children with a way out of poverty, with hope for a brighter future than their parents and grandparents had, with an environment where perhaps someone takes the time to show they care, when it seems that no one else does.  And I know that there are also plenty of children, coming from supportive, well-meaning, involved families, who are self-motivated, strong, confident, and are able to weather the storm and get a pretty decent education out of the whole deal, with their sanity intact.  But overall, at what cost?  For so many of our children, even the ones dealing with it, the schedule, responsibility, and pressure is overwhelming, to the point that some just want it to end.
 
The sentiment coming from the top and trickling on down through the ranks is based on an old paradigm.  I think there is more than one road to success to be considered, more than one way to 'get an education', in or out of school.  As with so many issues concerning Obama, I believe his intentions are genuine and good, but that the actions needed to even begin to fix this issue may be insurmountable at this time, as the population has exploded and we are faced with a Herculean task of educating the masses; especially since society and the economy have been structured in such a way that both parents (if the child still 'has' both parents) must work, just to make ends meet, so children, from a very young age, must be placed somewhere, preferably for free, and occupied, all day long, 5 days a week.  In many households across the country, any family time, much less 'quality' family time where there is real connection and bonding taking place - without the time pressure of rushing to extracurricular activities, dinner, homework, cleaning up, getting ready for bed - is rare.  And we, as a culture, are experiencing the repercussions of that.  But that's the subject for another post...

As long as teachers are being forced by protocol (and fear of losing their underpaid jobs) to adhere to the SOLs and teach to the test, how much are they really being given the freedom and creativity to draw on these fundamental truths about learning as espoused by Professor Reinsmith?  How much are they being allowed to draw upon their own knowledge and ideas which inspired them to become teachers in the first place?

Here is a brief compiled excerpt of some of what the President had to say.  The last 5 sentences here are the most significant to me.  You can read the entire prepared speech here. 

Pres. Obama:

© artis moon amarche 2009

"...[W]hat I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself. 

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide....

And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it....

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork....

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying. 

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future....That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America."

The problem is that at the end of the day, ultimately, what does matter for every single one of us, is happiness.  And if you're being bullied day in and day out because of how you look, where you come from, where your parents come from, what your sexual orientation is, or so on, how can someone tell you that's no excuse for having a bad attitude?  Where's the love?  So many kids are really hurting because they are growing up in this disjointed, disconnected society where oftentimes they are left to feel emotionally isolated, like no one understands them, no one really knows them, and no one really cares.  (Common sense says that the bullies are hurting too in some way, as suggested by some recent articles I've read on the matter in the recent flurry of teen suicides.)  If they have the personal fortitude to tune it all out, or stuff it all down, and focus on their studies, get the grade, ace the test, what is awaiting them?  The promised land of college, where they very well may find more cruelty and harassment, and where they will get a 'higher' education with a much higher price tag, emerging from said institution saddled with debt that will be facing them for, in many cases, the majority of (if not the entirety of) their adult lives, so that they can go work in a job that they may not even like.  How many of you work in jobs that you can't stand?  How many people do you know who actually like and feel passionate about what they do? 

I don't pretend to have all the answers, because I don't, not even close.  At this point, what I can do is teach my own (because fortunately I am in a position to be able to do so), share & glean some  knowledge and creativity with other families & community around me, and keep asking questions - how can I do it better?  How can 'they' do it better?  Is the competitive, end-goal-driven, one-size-fits-all way of educating our youth contributing to the increasing epidemic of general apathy and disturbing cruelty some students display toward each other?  What type of education do our children, the adults of tomorrow, need to truly prepare them for life in the 21st century?  Somehow I feel, for one, education has to move beyond simply educating the mind, beyond the end-goal of diploma-college-$$JOB$$, and address emotional and spiritual development as well.  Is that possible to achieve on a mass scale?  The Mind & Life Institute is one organization I've come across that seems to have some interesting ideas on the matter.  I personally feel that integrating the arts and creativity are key to bringing in the emotional and spiritual components, which is why I'm a fan of Sir Ken Robinson.

What are your thoughts on the matter?  How do you deal with these issues in your own family?  Do you have any ideas for a revolution in education?  I'd love to hear from you....

last week: learning & playing

     Life feels so full right now, not in a rushed, frenetic, stressful way, but in a fulfilling, energizing, refreshing, and inspiring way.... I'm totally loving it.  Last was a good week, and last Monday seems like such a long time ago.  I thought I'd share a recap (which I'll do here from time to time, partly for myself, because sometimes I wonder, where did the time go?)
     Most days we begin with our morning routine of waking (well, waking for the kids - I'm up from the ripe hour of 4:45 AM with Atom!), teeth, face, make bed, get dressed, have breakfast, & do some work (not Phoenix of course).  All this happens in a fairly stress-less leisurely manner unless we have some place to be first thing in the morning (meaning by 9:30, 10, or even 10:30).  Then I usually have to find myself saying to Adobe a whole bunch of times, "Come on, we gotta get into hustle mode!  Move along or we won't make it to x, y or z."  And I try to stay calm, and not yell :)  (That's where the meditation comes in handy remember?  Being present and aware of how I say something.  The same exact thing said with a genuine smile sounds so different.)  Typically, morning routine goes from around 8:15-10:30/11, but there's a flex & flow to it, just the way I like.  And my girl is definitely a night-owl and late riser by nature, just like her momma.
     So then, after all or most parts of the morning routine, last week went like this:

Monday - Morning play outside in backyard clubhouse.  It was totally gorgeous out, so Adobe took a bunch of stuff out into the grape arbor and made a really cute club house, and she and Phoenix played outside for awhile.  Then, I called Jeneen to see what they were up to, and we decided to go join her, Stash, Haiku, Rilke, & Amelie at River Farm Garden Park in Alexandria.  

What an absolutely beautiful spot.  The kids had a real blast, making house, picking flowers, exploring, and frolicking barefoot.  Amelie's mom Danielle joined us, and we had great talks.  We stayed for about four hours.   

Tuesday - We went to the homeschool drama club performance of The Crazy Zoo.  This class is led by the fabulous Joshua Rich who creates a new play each session for the group based on the characters they want to play.   Joshua also happens to be a fabulous pianist (sounds a bit like George Winston) so if you're looking for some new good, soothing music, check him out.  Afterwards we went to Hayes Park where the kids all played for about 3 hours.  Phoenix absolutely loves chasing after all the big kids, trying to keep up, alternating between boys and girls.  The whole time at the park, he was off doing his own thing, alone, or with the other kids, and only asked for me once, to help him get on the swing.  Then, on the way home we had a fabulous curb find of two playskool cars and a trike to add to our collection of kiddie vehicles. 

Wednesday - In the morning, we went to a class at Hidden Pond Nature Center.  The kids got to drag the borders of the pond with nets and see what living creatures they could find.  

My first find was a dead turtle :(  But, I got to bring him home so I can dry him out (aka let him rot) and do something cool with the shells.)  We also found freshwater shrimp, a backswimmer, and a damselfly larvae.  Here I learned something new. The damselfly is very similar to a dragonfly, but their bodies are much thinner, and usually when they're at rest, their wings are folded back whereas dragonflys' are out to the sides.) 

     Others found a live turtle, a couple small fish, and other cool stuff.  The guide had containers at pond side to hold the critters, and then, we went back inside the main building where he identified each species, put stuff under the microscope and had a cool setup with a camera looking into the microscope that showed the image on a screen we could all see.  It was very high quality & crystal-clear image.  Super cool.  Then, we played at the playground there for a while, snacked on our lunch, came home to defuse for a few, and then Adobe went to her voice lesson with our friend Kisha, wife of Groovy Nate.  Kisha is helping Adobe prepare a song for her upcoming Talent Show party.

Thursday - We met up at Melanie's house with the families we are doing our collaborative vibe with.  The mommas talked, the kids played.  A good time was had by all. We solidified a little more what our collective will be looking like as we get it going to the point of rotation so that 2 or 3 of us are 'off' during that time.  For the next couple more weeks, we will all be together.  It is so awesome to see the kids of differing ages all playing together, not segregating themselves.  Phoenix, who is the youngest, was going between hanging with the 'big boys' (a 4-yo & two 9-yos), and being babied by the girls (who are turning 6 and 8, on the same day, two Fridays from now!)

Friday - We took a workshop on the Chinese Lunar New Year, offered by Stacy Clark.  That was fun.  She read a story about the Chinese Lunar Year, meanings & symbols, the kids got to make a few different crafts and sample traditional Chinese New Year foods - dumplings and tangerines.  Then, we ran a few errands, and went to Chuck E. Cheese for an hour.  We were supposed to meet up with a couple of friends, but that fell through, so we came home and chilled out for the rest of the day.

Saturday - Adobe had the last class of a drama class she's been taking through Encore Stage.  They did a portion of the Wizard of Oz, and Adobe was the wicked witch.  They had a performance for parents at the end of class.  (I'll have to get pics from our friend - I was shooting video & will share when I get it uploaded.) Afterwards, her friend Katy came over and they hung out, Phoenix slept, Atom was running errands, & I had some alone time for a bit... (That's when I began working on this post, but didn't get to finish... Domestic duties were calling me.)  In the evening, we went to our friends' house in Mt. Rainier - Sara & Domingo.  Great conversation, lovely raw food dinner, yerba maté, fun, & laughter.  And some healing energy. 

Sunday - I spent the day doing a Reiki I, II, & III Master/Teacher workshop.  Very exciting to tap into something I have felt instinctively and begin down this path.  More on that in another post sometime... Adobe had a double-birthday party to go to, and Phoenix and Daddy got some bonding time. 

      I look forward to the day when we can figure out a way for Daddy to have more freedom in his life too.  He has a grueling job as a union welder, working 6 am to 2:30, or 4:30 when they're pulling tens.  Sometimes even longer.  Playing with fire and moving and lifting lots of really heavy stuff, while being really cold about half the year.  I know it's hard to go bust his tail all day every day when we're having fun.  Hopefully as I get my business going more over the next couple years, we'll have more stability and find a different way for him to make a living, hopefully being his own boss.  In the meantime, I think a new job will come his way this year that is not going to be as hard on him.  I'm willing it to happen.

     Atom, I love you, and we really appreciate all the hard work you do, even if we're not always good at showing it; we know that as it stands right now, we owe a large part of our freedom to your hard work & self discipline!  Thank you!!!