I recently read 9 Essential Skills Kids Should Learn at http://blogs.yis.ac.jp/beyondlaptops/essential-readings/
Leo Babuata, the author, had me hooked almost immediately by comparing his preparation for the newspaper industry to the irrelevancy of the modern school system and its insistence on teaching old-fashioned ideas and methodology.
Next, I completely agreed with his choice (and the position) for the first skill a student should learn: asking questions. As I recently highlighted here and in my class presentation, I believe that healthy skepticism is crucial to learning. Sure, kids already naturally do this but I like Babuata's concept of asking them questions in return, in the style of Socrates, so that they can have their curiosity piqued and then learn from themselves.
Also, Babuata mentioned his frustration with 'unschooling' after students are taught incorrectly. I too find it incredibly inefficient to reteach subjects like history ("Yes, I know you heard that George Washington cut down his father's cherry tree and then refused to lie about it, but that was a patently false mythology granted to him long after his death by his less-than-forthright biographer."). Or, here in Korea, I find myself constantly retraining students' pronunciation because their middle school teachers drove, rammed, and jack-hammered the incorrect usage into their spongy brains.
I guess the word of the day is: overhaul
The idea of "unschooling" children is a pretty interesting one. I definitely think it is one of merit and has some great points. Teaching children to learning on their own sounds great in theory, but I have a feeling that it is easier said than done. I guess the best result from this, if implemented effectively, would be a very tailored learning experience that would allow a child to reach their full potential in whatever field they are passionate about. It sounds great, but it obviously wouldn't work the same with every kid.
ReplyDeleteI do like the 9 essential skills that he proposes you instill in your children. They are broad and seem to cover all the bases. A pretty good blueprint for the essential skills you need in life basically. However, as he states in the article, we don't know what the future holds. What if the current system doesn't change much, would these kids get into college? I guess there would still be criteria you'd have to meet to make sure these "unschooled" kids meet the standard, right?
Interesting idea for sure!
I like your theory of "teaching the kids to ask questions" In Korea students are definitely taught to listen and accept whatever their teacher says and ask no questions just memorize. I like your theory of getting the students to be skeptical and think for themselves.
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