Education 8: Curiosity

"To talk of using the schools to teach morality is a bad joke. We might as well talk of using the Army to teach pacifism." John Holt

Category:

Education

Tags:

• curiosity
• education
• teaching
• schools
• unschooling
• home
• school
• philosophy
• psychology
• child
• development

[RobertPFreeman]

Another great video. I admire your passion for and rational evaluation of the subject, to dare to treat children like people. I've heard you mention Alice Miller and John Holt, are there any other authors you would recommend on parenting, child development, education, etc?

I was also wondering if you have heard of a book called "Raising Children Who Think for Themselves" by Elisa Medhus?

[aaron0883]

I haven't heard of it. I like some of Stefan Molyneux's pod-casts, and his book "On Truth" in regards to parenting. I have been listening to some pod-casts by a guy named John taylor Gatto and I like his ideas. He has also written some popular education books (but I haven't read them yet). Otherwise, that is about it.  If you want to borrow any books, just tell me ... I know you live near by.

[DotPaulish]

If I remember correctly, he has been a teacher himself. He is not saying the solution is simple or obvious, he is saying there is a problem that needs fixing and submitting his own ideas.

[JMB129]

i learned more by just being curious and going to the library or buying books from Amazon in the last 7-8 years than I did in all my years of grammar school/high school. I know people who, once they get their degree/diploma, never read another god damn book the rest of their lives. Going to school is like going to an all you can eat buffet and having someone else pick out what goes on your plate. It's bland and you lose your appetite. You want to eat a lot, just not the shit they give you.

[grimslider75]

@MariborchanX

is "a proper education" one of those conditioned standards we have been taught to uphold, or is it something that must be supplied by a socially and economically dominant institution(s)? I would say that it is both.

[TheOtherCounselor11]

have you ever tried telling like a kindergarten teacher that reading is easy? i just mentioned it today to a girl who's going to college for education, and it was very scary...invalidates her whole major and career path. it was funny anyway.

[melodia0367]

Wow, i agree with the way you think and i have experienced the same thing with my past education. I recently re-gained my curiosity at age 40 so never too late but wish i'd never lost it all those years ago. I'm now choosing what i want to learn when i want to learn it, not what they say i should learn. Also now i can piece together my own jigsaw and gather the knowledge that answers the questions in my mind to help me understand more about life and the world we live in. Great video!

[UnschoolingEagle]

The educational system has an agenda of its own. It's surprising you don't see this. Our schools teach what the government wants use to hear, unless you have an exceptional teacher. Now that I have been self-learning, I have found out that most of what I have learned throughout all my schooling has been half-truths, or just plain bull crap.

[UnschoolingEagle]

Not radical..... logical.

[stardust005]

Agreed. By the way, you seem quite well-spoken for someone entering his first year in junior high. Seems you're doing things right, keep it up - I'd definitely listen to this guy. School kills curiosity, but if you're aware of this as a student, taking some initiative to try and make it as interesting as possible could definitely help in my opinion. Work the shitty system to the best of your advantage.

[Zenbroo]

This is true after watching videos that aaron has done it made me think about my past and I always remembered parents and teachers saying how horrible video games are and movies but I think I learned a shitload from video games, well certain ones its what I was curious in, I also learned shit from outside school life, too!

[drew335533]

School defiently killed my intrest in books. Before I went into middle school, I would read Lord of the Rings for fun. I am now entering my junior year in high school and am finally getting back into reading for my own joy and to learn on my own. Perhaps, because schools force education on kids, it gives them the impression learning is boring and a waste of time, because kids (like most humans), do not wish to be forced into anything.

[boundedbeautiful88]

When my father was about 30 he was at the forth grade level. He was in school at the time for culinary and they wouldn't let him have his diploma until he got his GED. So in 4 months time he went form forth grade to graduation. So I think what you say is totally the truth. When I have children I am most definitely unschooling. :)