So, I posted in my Friday Fill-in that I'm reading "The Power of Mindful Learning." I've actually just started it, but I already want to blog about it. Here is some food for thought from just the Introduction. It's a list of "pervasive myths" that the author, Ellen J. Langer, believes need to be questioned:
1. The basics must be learned so well that they become second nature.
2. Paying attention means staying focused on one thing at a time.
3. Delaying gratification is important.
4. Rote memorization is necessary in education.
5. Forgetting is a problem.
6. Intelligence is knowing "what's out there."
7. There are right and wrong answers.
I've blogged before about how moving into unschooling caused me to question just about everything I believed, with Why? being the most powerful question. When I ask Why? about each of those myths, I get some pretty underwhelming answers. How about you?
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8 months ago
3 comments:
What really helps me is not just questioning "Why?" we're told certain things must be done, but also questioning "Why not?" to things we're told can't be done.
The truth about "why" may keep me from doing things that I don't believe in, or things that aren't right for me. The truth about "why not" encourages me to pursue the possibilities of what is right for me.
Food for thought. Thanks. I'll have to check this book out, for sure.
My answer to all of those questions (except maybe #6) would be "it depends." There's a grain of truth to each one, given certain circumstances. Most of them don't apply to unschoolers, anyway, I think.
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