"For example, I think we owe it to children to let them dig their knowledge, of whatever subject, for themselves out of the fit book; and this for two reasons: What a child digs for is his own possession; what is poured into his ear, like the idle song of a pleasant singer, floats out as lightly as it came in, and is rarely assimilated."
Cindy Rollins:
The point here is that it is the child's own efforts that produce the learning. This is a key point and one completely missed in modern pedagogy. Please note that we often feel we have educated a child because we have covered certain standards when in fact no assimilation has taken place.
Me to my sixth child:
"Honey, the point is not that you get through the book lickety split or even at all. The point is to get the book through you, to have the ideas in this book spark something in you, to have the content of this book get through to you in a way that it might change you in some way. It's not a race just to get from the front to the back of the book as fast as possible or even by a certain date."
Small, smart alecky voice jeering at me in the back of my head:
Oh, yeah? Are you sure you really believe that? Are you sure that is what the school schedule you put together for her communicates? 'Cos I'm thinking what that schedule communicates is 'stand in front of this fire hose and suck it up, kid.'
Education goes through the child. Schooling is something else. Schooling is what the child grits her teeth and gets through. Which one are you providing?
Some of both, if I'm truthful. :-)
ReplyDeleteWell said, as usual.