Hi Steemit friends,
This is a post about an alternative educational model.
Most of us hate the current education system, because it just doesn't fit with what we feel aducation should be all about.
A lot of what our children are taught at schools and colleges is standardised to "one size fits all". But most parents don't want their children to be modelled on someone elses ideas. That isn't what we had children for, right ?
The truth of the matter is not that the education system is corrupt, or anything other than the very best intentions for the students. But they are training our children to operate in our civilisation, our society. If our society was an Utopia, then this seems a very rational idea, to maintain the Utopia. But society isn't like that, and we all know that it isn't like that. In many ways our civilisation is a complete disaster, and on many levels, we are seeing that disaster become a global catastrophe.
By educating our children to function effectively in the status quo, we are prolonging the status quo, we are prolonging the path to catastrophe.
The reason I have titled this post Education in the Permaculture Style, is because the problems with our education system is directly mirrored in the problems we are experiencing with farming, mining, fishing, and the distribution of wealth. There is a growing consensus that in the last few hundred years, we have got things badly wrong. Humanity is not on the path of a glorious future, but the destruction of the life supporting systems that we all need to live. The current education system operates by reinforcing those ideas and principles in our childrens minds, and when they get older, they will continue to make the same mistakes as previous generations.
Is there a solution, or are we doomed ? Well, exactly the same question has been raised regarding our methods of producing food. The permaculture argument says that the earth has been producing enough food for everyone for millions of years. And no-one needed to plant a single seed, or plough one field, or spray one crop. Nature has the answers, and always has. And it is the understanding and acceptance of natural processes that can save the life giving system of the worlds ecosystem.
Could it possibly be that the education of our children could be similarly refocussed ?
I happen to believe that the education system is pivotal in securing the future of humanity. Because it is the children we are educating that are the future of humanity.
And it is within the current education system that we can recognise just how badly wrong we have got things.
The educational system, as it stands, teaches our children. It teaches them all sorts of things from mathematics, to literature. From geography to history. It teaches them how to behave in society. It teaches them the rules and morals that are acceptable, and those that are not. It teaches them to be models of society. To be a living heritage of what has gone before. But I believe that this type of education is wrong.
It is the children that should be teaching us !
Don't run away just yet. I am not the nut job you may have thought from that last statement. Please hear me out.
Each one of us are unique individuals. There is no such thing as normal. We all have experienced a completely unique life, never lived before, and never to be lived again. This unique experience is the promise that awaits our children. As we go through our formative years, our experiences mould our personalities. We adapt, and function based on our earlier experiences. This idea is not exclusive to humans, but to all living things. This is the basis of the idea that life will prevail. But of course, we must also accept the argument that life experience is not everything. Genetic inheritance is important in our ability to adapt to a given environment. But put all of these things together, and we realise that every individual is very special indeed, and can never be "normal", whatever that means.
In the case of permaculture, then the ethic is to let things happen naturally. Do not force production, or influence the plants environment artificially. And the ecosystem will thrive. We see this is natural environments like rainforests, or uninhabited plains. Life explodes.
So, back to the education of our children. Do not force feed them information, or behavioural expectations. That is the same philosophy as monoculture. In fact , teach them nothing at all. Let them play. It is during this natural process of play that children learn most about themselves and their environment. And they most definitely do not need, or want, adult involvement.
Then, we wait and watch, just like we watch a sapling developing.
Then, one day, you will see what I call the spark.
It may not be until quite late in their development, that a child will pick up on something that interests them, that they like,
And just like the sapling that starts to show preference for some of its branches, that is when we should step in as parents.
We have all seen this happen with children. All of a sudden they have a fascination with something. Space exploration, dinosaurs, nurses, gardens, and mostly it is completely out of the blue.
They like the activity. No. They love the activity. This natural process is so powerful, that it is not a matter of directing them, it is a matter of stopping them. Have any of you had children that are fascinated with dinosaurs for example ? If any of you have and I said to you that you should teach them all about dinosaurs, you would most probably laugh at me and say that the child knows more about dinosaurs already, than I could possibly teach them.
As parents, all we can do is to provide the substance they need to explore their interest. You won't need to teach them. They will learn all by themselves, at a rate that you couldn't possibly emulate in a classroom. This knowledge, accumulated in the formative years, stays with us for life. But unfortunately is usually a pipe dream that became a hobby.
Wouldn't it be wonderful, if the activities we loved doing, was what we did all day ? Now that is a dream life. Well, why not ? You see, the things we enjoy doing is our individual purpose. It gives meaning to our lives. It is literally why we are. Why teach our children things that are of no interest, or use to them ? If your child likes constructing things, they will lap up mathematics, geometry, and physics. But won't be very interested in geography, or sports, or literature. And because they are not interested in those subjects, they won't learn them very well. But the subjects that are associated with their interests, just watch them become experts. If your child likes growing things, just watch them learn about biology, and agriculture, but give them a Meccano set ... well, they might try building a farm out of it.
What I am trying to say is that it should be the children teaching the adults. Telling them what they like, what interests them, who they are. Not the other way around. And just like a seedling, you will very soon learn to put that plant pot in a position it likes.
Here is the beautiful bit. Can you imagine a world full of people who are spending their days doing something that they love ? Can you imagine the explosion in production ? Believe me, if we ever attained that, then humanity would absolutely thrive. Our species would become as successful, beautiful, and diverse, as the rainforests.
It is not in the interests of those who benefit from our current society to go down that road. They prefer our schools to produce factory fodder, or military fodder, or wage slaves, because it is those individuals that end up lining their pockets. Therefore the only way to adopt these ideas at the moment, is to home school. And unsurprisingly, the adults who were home schooled lead happier, more rounded, and stable lives.
The question is really quite simple. Would you prefer your children to be incredibly successful, or incredibly happy. They are not always the same thing.
As a permaculture convert. I believe that nature has all the answers. The natural creation has all the answers. Including child development.
The musical finale for this post, I have added below, is a really sad song that says it all.
I hope you understand the significance,
