“Mass education was designed to turn independent farmers into docile, passive tools of production. That was its primary purpose. And don’t think people didn’t know it. They knew it and they fought against it. There was a lot of resistance to mass education for exactly that reason. It was also understood by the elites. Emerson once said something about how we’re educating them to keep them from our throats. If you don’t educate them, what we call “education,” they’re going to take control — “they” being what Alexander Hamilton called the “great beast,” namely the people. The anti-democratic thrust of opinion in what are called democratic societies is really ferocious. And for good reason. Because the freer the society gets, the more dangerous the great beast becomes and the more you have to be careful to cage it somehow.”
Noam Chomsky
Wednesday, 27 March 2013
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Words for Wednesday - Noam Chomsky Quotation
"The first kind of education is related to the enlightenment - highest goal in life to inquire and create; search the riches of the past; try to internalize; carry the quest...
The second kind of education is related to indoctrination - from childhood young people have to be placed into a framework where they will follow orders that are quite explicit."
Noam Chomsky
The second kind of education is related to indoctrination - from childhood young people have to be placed into a framework where they will follow orders that are quite explicit."
Noam Chomsky
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Web Treasures 2
More stuff I've enjoyed recently...
National Film Board of Canada has great free videos to watch. To start with, try this one.
INFED explores informal education, lifelong learning, social pedagogy and social action. Great stuff for anyone questioning their ideas on education.
'Home Education is About Learning, Not Schooling' article from the Huffington Post.
Ross Mountney's Blog cover's lots of HE topics and more besides (Ross is a HEor and HE author).
'What To Do Next if You're Too Cool for University' article from The Guardian.
I'm Unschooled, Yes I can Write is a blog from "an unschooling vegetarian animistic green-anarchist feminist hippie child".
Oh yes, Blogger is also giving me grief with comments so please forgive me if I've not replied to your comment yet! Earlier in the year there were a few weeks of Blogger-isn't-playing-nice with photos and now I'm having problems with comment replies. Ah well, it's no doubt temporary (as it was, eventually, with the photos) and I'll be able to reply to comments at some point soon.
That is, if you niiiiice people leave any...
National Film Board of Canada has great free videos to watch. To start with, try this one.
INFED explores informal education, lifelong learning, social pedagogy and social action. Great stuff for anyone questioning their ideas on education.
'Home Education is About Learning, Not Schooling' article from the Huffington Post.
Ross Mountney's Blog cover's lots of HE topics and more besides (Ross is a HEor and HE author).
'What To Do Next if You're Too Cool for University' article from The Guardian.
I'm Unschooled, Yes I can Write is a blog from "an unschooling vegetarian animistic green-anarchist feminist hippie child".
Oh yes, Blogger is also giving me grief with comments so please forgive me if I've not replied to your comment yet! Earlier in the year there were a few weeks of Blogger-isn't-playing-nice with photos and now I'm having problems with comment replies. Ah well, it's no doubt temporary (as it was, eventually, with the photos) and I'll be able to reply to comments at some point soon.
That is, if you niiiiice people leave any...
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| Yes, I love old books as well as the web |
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Words for Wednesday - Robert R. McGammon Quotation
"We all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to birds and read the clouds and see our destiny in grains of sand. But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls."
Robert R. McGammon
Robert R. McGammon
Monday, 11 March 2013
Talk Your Truth
I adore the little film you'll find at the end of this post. I was gonna post it as is. But then I started to type a small introductory note and here I am... declaring myself again. lol
As someone who has loved to debate, to question, to argue (usually without personal assasination) I've really noticed how uncomfortable most people now are with conviction, disagreement, dissension. It strikes me as a class thing. As so many of us try to become middle class we find ourselves adopting a culture of manners that is antithetical to honesty.
All those Austen heroes and heroines trying desperately hard to convey their emotions without using emotional language... and boy, do the middle classes like to model themselves on a relatively privileged 19th century elite... makes for a linguistic nightmare when it comes to authenticity. Yes, honesty is soooooo important to me that I'm slating great literature...
No, that's not the full point. Here's what I'm getting at - I've found, from both personal experience and years of running courses on highly charged issues (anti-racism, religious tolerance, ageism, disability rights etc) that honesty is a precursor to personal growth. Let people say what is burning their tongues and they hear themselves. Maybe not the first time... but really listen, and they'll listen back. When people are safe to say the outlandish, the offensive, the unspoken, then reflective dialogue can begin. And with dialogue comes change. Honest to goodness, person to person, shared earth, change.
You want to make the world a better place? Stop your verbal vagueness and encourage others to get real with their words. No, that doesn't mean nastiness is mandated. It means saying it like it is for you. It means allowing yourself to be ignorant and accepting the ignorance of others. It means staying present to common humanity even as we charge at each other with our weighty social constructs. It means not getting offended over mere words. It means speaking your truth no matter how uninformed you are, how illogical it is, how unreferenced your argument.
You have the right to an opinion!
And so does s/he.
Sure, you might find, by the end of a heated discussion that your opinion has changed... you aren't wedded to your opinion for goodness' sake, but own it while you have it!
I mean, what's all this about equating people with their words? It's a result of prioritising the intellect over behaviour. Of seeing people through their vocabulary, their grammar, their syntax, their accent, their cultural reference points, their academic credentials. It moves us from asking ourselves the BIG questions about what people do to what they say. It means you can get offended because, in my ignorance or momentary anger, I use out-of-date terminology ... but I can't get offended if you make your day-to-day money creating or marketing products and experiences that are unrelentingly socially divisive.
When I'm assigned low status because of the words I use and you refuse to engage in discussion until I use your kind of language... well, it's the oldest form of imperialism there is, isn't it? Take away a peoples' heartfelt words and make them share your headspace. It sure makes it easier to justify dehumanising others, to pollute the planet, to value profit above life...
I mean, what might you learn if you said what you really thought? What might I learn? What kind of world might we create if we stopped poisoning, injuring, killing one another... and just made one another uncomfortable instead?
Or maybe some of you defend yourself so much more than I because you realise your social comfort is built on my experiential discomfort?
You know, as I see it, honesty is the pre-requisite of real relationship, of intimacy. Sure, honesty on both sides really helps... but we can't change other folk... so start lets start with ourselves. Lets stop telling lies, talking half-truths, censoring the shameful thought... for therein lies the core of who we are, the wealth of our individuality and the bigger truths that connect us all.
As someone who has loved to debate, to question, to argue (usually without personal assasination) I've really noticed how uncomfortable most people now are with conviction, disagreement, dissension. It strikes me as a class thing. As so many of us try to become middle class we find ourselves adopting a culture of manners that is antithetical to honesty.
All those Austen heroes and heroines trying desperately hard to convey their emotions without using emotional language... and boy, do the middle classes like to model themselves on a relatively privileged 19th century elite... makes for a linguistic nightmare when it comes to authenticity. Yes, honesty is soooooo important to me that I'm slating great literature...
No, that's not the full point. Here's what I'm getting at - I've found, from both personal experience and years of running courses on highly charged issues (anti-racism, religious tolerance, ageism, disability rights etc) that honesty is a precursor to personal growth. Let people say what is burning their tongues and they hear themselves. Maybe not the first time... but really listen, and they'll listen back. When people are safe to say the outlandish, the offensive, the unspoken, then reflective dialogue can begin. And with dialogue comes change. Honest to goodness, person to person, shared earth, change.
You want to make the world a better place? Stop your verbal vagueness and encourage others to get real with their words. No, that doesn't mean nastiness is mandated. It means saying it like it is for you. It means allowing yourself to be ignorant and accepting the ignorance of others. It means staying present to common humanity even as we charge at each other with our weighty social constructs. It means not getting offended over mere words. It means speaking your truth no matter how uninformed you are, how illogical it is, how unreferenced your argument.
You have the right to an opinion!
And so does s/he.
Sure, you might find, by the end of a heated discussion that your opinion has changed... you aren't wedded to your opinion for goodness' sake, but own it while you have it!
I mean, what's all this about equating people with their words? It's a result of prioritising the intellect over behaviour. Of seeing people through their vocabulary, their grammar, their syntax, their accent, their cultural reference points, their academic credentials. It moves us from asking ourselves the BIG questions about what people do to what they say. It means you can get offended because, in my ignorance or momentary anger, I use out-of-date terminology ... but I can't get offended if you make your day-to-day money creating or marketing products and experiences that are unrelentingly socially divisive.
When I'm assigned low status because of the words I use and you refuse to engage in discussion until I use your kind of language... well, it's the oldest form of imperialism there is, isn't it? Take away a peoples' heartfelt words and make them share your headspace. It sure makes it easier to justify dehumanising others, to pollute the planet, to value profit above life...
I mean, what might you learn if you said what you really thought? What might I learn? What kind of world might we create if we stopped poisoning, injuring, killing one another... and just made one another uncomfortable instead?
Or maybe some of you defend yourself so much more than I because you realise your social comfort is built on my experiential discomfort?
You know, as I see it, honesty is the pre-requisite of real relationship, of intimacy. Sure, honesty on both sides really helps... but we can't change other folk... so start lets start with ourselves. Lets stop telling lies, talking half-truths, censoring the shameful thought... for therein lies the core of who we are, the wealth of our individuality and the bigger truths that connect us all.
Saturday, 9 March 2013
Web Treasures
Okay, so here's how it is - I like to surf around this here interweb thing... and I find all sorts of stuff that I collect a shortcut for or favourite or some such... some of it's HE related and some of it not... and I keep meaning to share some of them... so here goes (yeah, I think I may make a habit of this post... but don't count on it) -
Grit's Day is a pretty uncensored (thank goodness) look at real HE lives. Intelligent, honest and often funny - read her.
Sometimes It's Peaceful is full of HE information, insight and cleverness. What's not to love?
Maire Staffordshire writes to support freedom in education - and she does a good job of it.
Unschooling Rules charts Clark Aldrich's work helping people access education without schooling.
Ellen Mc Henry's Basement offers some great free educational downloads (Cupcake has been enjoying the shark cards)
A Magical Childhood does a wonderful series of posts on 10 Ways to Make Today Magical
Home Education Forums is what is says - a place for HEors to share, discuss and inform.
And hey, people, if I haven't mentioned you yet or I haven't left an appreciative comment on your blog, it doesn't mean you've been overlooked - I'm just struggling to keep this blog-reading and blog-writing thing going whilst my daughter has some serious objections to my giving attention to anything other than herego wellbeing!
Chances are, if you're reflective and you tell the truth as best you can I'll appreciate yourmusings ramblings stream of consciousness alternate selves unerring reportage and considered opinions (or whatever it is you just gotta say). Want to make sure I come look? Leave a comment
... and yo, you peeps who read but don't blog (what's that about???) check my sidebar and the posts labelled 'websites' for further web surfing suggestions!
Is there some website you think I and other HEors should be checking out? Share below!
Grit's Day is a pretty uncensored (thank goodness) look at real HE lives. Intelligent, honest and often funny - read her.
Sometimes It's Peaceful is full of HE information, insight and cleverness. What's not to love?
Maire Staffordshire writes to support freedom in education - and she does a good job of it.
Unschooling Rules charts Clark Aldrich's work helping people access education without schooling.
Ellen Mc Henry's Basement offers some great free educational downloads (Cupcake has been enjoying the shark cards)
A Magical Childhood does a wonderful series of posts on 10 Ways to Make Today Magical
Home Education Forums is what is says - a place for HEors to share, discuss and inform.
 |
| Yes, Cupcake uses a pink diamante mouse! |
And hey, people, if I haven't mentioned you yet or I haven't left an appreciative comment on your blog, it doesn't mean you've been overlooked - I'm just struggling to keep this blog-reading and blog-writing thing going whilst my daughter has some serious objections to my giving attention to anything other than her
Chances are, if you're reflective and you tell the truth as best you can I'll appreciate your
... and yo, you peeps who read but don't blog (what's that about???) check my sidebar and the posts labelled 'websites' for further web surfing suggestions!
Is there some website you think I and other HEors should be checking out? Share below!
Thursday, 7 March 2013
Autonomous Wisdom
Cupcake - "I don't want to see her anymore mommy. She makes me so cross and angry inside because I hardly ever get to play what I want to play when I'm with her. She's so bossy!"
Mommy - "Really baby?"
Cupcake - "Yes. She's really bossy and I don't like being bossed."
Mommy - "Are you ever bossy baby?"
Cupcake - "Well, sometimes I am mommy. Like when I'm playing wolves. Sometimes you have to be a boss whan you're a wolf."
Mommy - "Yes, you're right about that darling. There's a clear hierarchy in wolf packs and all the wolves are happier when they know who's in charge."
Cupcake - "Yes mommy, so sometimes I boss about a little bit when I'm a wolf.... but otherwise I'm not bossy."
Mommy - "So, if you're not bossy otherwise baby, what are you? Are you a follower?"
Cupcake - "I am sometimes mommy, but not always."
Mommy - "So what are you if you're mostly not a boss and not a follower?"
Cupcake - "I'm a leader mommy! I listen to what everyone says and if someone says something that's better than my idea then I go with that one. I'll say, 'Good idea!' and we can do things their way for a bit. Then I get to be in charge again and sometimes I get to have them follow my idea. See? I'm not a boss, I'm a leader."
Cupcake - "Do you know what happened at dance class mommy?"
Mommy - "No, I don't baby. What happened?"
Cupcake - "This girl asked me why I didn't go to school."
Mommy - "Oh, really? And what did you say to her? That you were home educated?"
Cupcake - "No. She didn't ask me what I did instead of going to school mommy, she asked me why."
Mommy - "Oh... right... so what did you say"
Cupcake - "I said I didn't go to school because I like being with my mommy."
Mommy - "Really sweetheart? You said you don't go to school because you like being with me?"
Cupcake - "Yes, cos that's true. And do you know what happened then?"
Mommy - "No baby, what happened then?"
Cupcake - "She went and told all the other girls in my group and then they each came to ask me, one at a time, why I didn't go to school!"
Mommy - "And what did you say to them baby?"
Cupcake - "The same thing, of course! That I don't go to school because I like being with my mommy!"
Mommy - "Yes baby, it's possible I won't be around to see your children. I hope I can be but I don't know if I will."
Cupcake - "That's okay mommy. The most important thing about you is what I'll tell my children - that I had a mommy who really, really loved me while she was here."
Mommy - "Really baby?"
Cupcake - "Yes. She's really bossy and I don't like being bossed."
Mommy - "Are you ever bossy baby?"
Cupcake - "Well, sometimes I am mommy. Like when I'm playing wolves. Sometimes you have to be a boss whan you're a wolf."
Mommy - "Yes, you're right about that darling. There's a clear hierarchy in wolf packs and all the wolves are happier when they know who's in charge."
Cupcake - "Yes mommy, so sometimes I boss about a little bit when I'm a wolf.... but otherwise I'm not bossy."
Mommy - "So, if you're not bossy otherwise baby, what are you? Are you a follower?"
Cupcake - "I am sometimes mommy, but not always."
Mommy - "So what are you if you're mostly not a boss and not a follower?"
Cupcake - "I'm a leader mommy! I listen to what everyone says and if someone says something that's better than my idea then I go with that one. I'll say, 'Good idea!' and we can do things their way for a bit. Then I get to be in charge again and sometimes I get to have them follow my idea. See? I'm not a boss, I'm a leader."
***
Cupcake - "Do you know what happened at dance class mommy?"
Mommy - "No, I don't baby. What happened?"
Cupcake - "This girl asked me why I didn't go to school."
Mommy - "Oh, really? And what did you say to her? That you were home educated?"
Cupcake - "No. She didn't ask me what I did instead of going to school mommy, she asked me why."
Mommy - "Oh... right... so what did you say"
Cupcake - "I said I didn't go to school because I like being with my mommy."
Mommy - "Really sweetheart? You said you don't go to school because you like being with me?"
Cupcake - "Yes, cos that's true. And do you know what happened then?"
Mommy - "No baby, what happened then?"
Cupcake - "She went and told all the other girls in my group and then they each came to ask me, one at a time, why I didn't go to school!"
Mommy - "And what did you say to them baby?"
Cupcake - "The same thing, of course! That I don't go to school because I like being with my mommy!"
***
Cupcake - "I know you might not be alive by the time I have my children mommy."Mommy - "Yes baby, it's possible I won't be around to see your children. I hope I can be but I don't know if I will."
Cupcake - "That's okay mommy. The most important thing about you is what I'll tell my children - that I had a mommy who really, really loved me while she was here."
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| Beloved |
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