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Health & Fitness

Back to the Institution

Institutions of learning are frequently structured on an outdated, Industrial-era model which produces "standardized" minds, rather than unique, creative individuals who LOVE TO LEARN.

It's back to school time. Again.

Remember how that felt when you were in elementary school, middle school, high school...?

Back To School!

Marketers go nuts over it, to glean cash from parents everywhere across the land. Kids who had a boring summer might look forward to seeing their friends again... But most cringe.

Why?

On many levels, it is the most obvious question out there. Most kids and teens-- even the ones who get decent to high grades-- don't like homework. Most people, of any age, don't really like going to hospitals, government buildings, or other places that reek of institutional bureaucracy. Most public schools, and many private institutions (notice that word?) as well, cannot avoid feeling this way. Semi-sterile, homogenous, long hallways, many doorways into rooms which the inhabitants are required to move to at specific times, in herded semi-masses, frequently tired and bored and not at all interested in the pre-fabricated material thrust at them hourly, minute-ly, taken home to be continued there, regardless of intrinsic interest or the actual engagement of the student, the individual him- or herself.

The very word "standards," which is thrust about these days in reference to schooling as if it's made of solid gold bullion, is very telling. We use it as if it refers to the highest possible intellectual aspiration of an individual in society, of society's impact on an individual-- but the word itself exposes its intent and true meaning. "Standards" refers to Standardization-- the creation of parts to fit the machine. Standardization-- making all approximately the same, measuring and labelling each individual, each tool to be put to use by the machine of society.

This language, these concepts, are out of date. The words, and the entire educational model practiced in most places today, are tied to the Industrial Revolution-- a period in which machines, standardized tools, and standardized minds, were needed by the corporate class, the Titans of Industry, to man and manage their factories. Basic literacy, basic mathematic skills, basic writing and communication ability-- the "three R's"-- were needed and expected. Keeping youngsters off the streets until they were old enough to work in factories also served the interests of the Industrial elite.

Today, the skills of reading, writing and mathematics are still very useful. Science, history, basic computer skills and many other things filling the Standardized curricula of our many Institutions Of Learning are also good in themselves, and useful to learn and know.

But there is something else to learning. Something key, something fundamental to the most natural, most effective learning, which goes largely, often entirely missing in the institutional, standardized, homogenized approach to learning which is all most of us know of school. It is something we deeply need-- and it is something which many students pursue regardless of what institutions expect of them-- and thank goodness for it.

Carl Rogers, humanistic psychologist and author of many books including Freedom to Learn, put it well: 
"If we value independence, if we are disturbed by the growing conformity of knowledge, of values, of attitudes, which our present system induces, then we may wish to set up conditions of learning which make for uniqueness, for self-direction, and for self-initiated learning." 

Self-initiated learning. Self-direction. Uniqueness. Qualities essential to today's information-saturated, high-tech, constantly-changing, complex world. Conformity-- standardization-- of knowledge and skills is not sufficient.

The fact is, the human mind is an incredible, highly adaptable, finely-tuned instrument. It is more like an instrument than a tool, standardized for a particular task. A musical instrument can play any number of songs, diverse styles of music, varying speed, loudness, evoking emotions and affecting listeners in myriad ways. Similarly, the human mind is almost infinitely adaptable, able to apply itself to so many uses and purposes. One of the best ways to get the most intense, effective results from an individual human, from their mind, their mind/ body coordination, from their curiosity, creativity, imagination and overall potential, is to allow for self-direction. Allow an individual to indulge, invest, engage in that which engages them-- and you will see intense focus, efficient improvement in skill, improvisation, real-life application-- you will see authentic, engaged learning,occurring at the speed of life.

This sort of learning occurs everywhere. It is one of the great saving graces of our civilization. Despite our best efforts to homogenize, the likes of John Lennon and Steve Jobs appear, and throw apples into the works. As John Lennon once said of his education: 
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” 

This 'blog entry cannot purport to "solve" the entire question of "what's wrong with education." The fact is, schools everywhere are filled with committed, underpaid, often passionate and inspiring teachers who totally undermine the bland institutional sterility which can afflict so much of how schools are structured, and how they often do fail our students. I myself have been in the teaching profession for well over a decade, and working with kids long before that in numerous contexts, and am happy to work at Pomperaug High School, doing my best to inspire and evoke self-direction, engaged learning, creativity and growth in students every day. After school hours, I provide an opportunity to parents and students who are aware and concerned that the nature of our conventional institutions of learning frequently impose limits and obstacles to authentic, engaged learning. I have established CT Customized Learning as an opportunity for students of all school ages, throughout the Southbury, CT region, to engage in what interests and motivates them, to learn in the space of freedom, in the exponential, unpredictable, customized way that is unique to them-- and unique to the human mind itself. 

Hopefully this year's Back To School experience goes well for your family. If this essay has piqued your interest, please visit my website, and feel free to contact me at any time. I am a parent of two wondrous children myself (ages one and ten, a boy and girl), and I know how much they mean to us. I'm here to help.

 

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Zack Lehtinen is a career-long educator and father of Leo, age 1, and Naia, age 10.  He has developed an after-school mentorship service for Southbury-area students of all ages, and has written the book Customized Learning:  Putting Students in Charge of Their Own Learning, available on Amazon.com.  For more information, visit:
www.CTCustomizedLearning.com

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