Are we really moving into 21st century thinking
with new roads and innovative information in education? Thinking outside of the prescribed small
package will bring new understanding and realizations that can provide the
answers for a successful educational viewpoint. Understanding human dynamics
can be the guidance to educational excellence for today. It is time to
realize that a new philosophy that includes exploring outside of the box is
necessary.
Currently the textbooks and teaching materials come from a
left-brain set of rules. This encourages schools and society to produce
automatons that do not ask questions but rather think and perform as taught.
This extends to TV programming, advertising, emphasis on sports and elimination
of the arts, violent games, and raucous “music” from handheld instruments, and
gaming arcades. This structure contributes to less intelligence in many young
people often called ‘dumbing down’.
Can we free them from the shackles of the past? There is a
bigger picture where unlimited possibilities from self-expression and
creativity to educate the whole student are paramount. Learning is about
experience, balance, and expanding abilities and talents. “Success breeds
success,” I was taught while attending college to become a teacher in the 50’s.
. Out students need to feel the success of their abilities and efforts.
Looking to wisdom from the past can be the foundation of a
new paradigm for success in education. This offers a special approach to
teaching. This presents opportunity for children to find their own talents and
express their imagination; it allows growth in their personality and
individuality. Our children could become competent and confident members
contributing to society.
“You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find
it within himself.” Galileo. Fortunately,
many teachers are “seeing the light” and inspiring
students to develop their minds and talents and skills. Children are coming to
school with increased intellectual capacity, spiritual clarity, and aspirations.
In many cases, these youngsters were considered abnormal, treated harshly, and
drugged into submission. Sadly, these exceptional children were forced to
conform to the “norm”.
More parents are recognizing their
young children as gifted and wisely treating them as such. This is seen with
more private schools than just parochial ones and home schooling blossoming
with an awareness of the beneficial influence of fine music encouraged with the
numbers of youth choirs and orchestras growing.
New educational systems and
resource materials will reflect factual universal and planetary history, and accurate
information. As unjust laws and policies are changed education worldwide will
accurately reflect universal truths. The writing, printing, and distribution of
textbooks will be done expeditiously in conjunction with computerized lessons. Those
teachers prepared to teach from this new basis will step up to this mission.
It will be a dynamic system where the children can change
the classroom as the term unfolds. This would be classroom-by-classroom. The
teacher will only have one goal . . . that the children learn certain concepts
by the end of the term, and prove they know everything expected. Each classroom
will be able to govern how long this takes, and how long is spent on each
concept or step, based on what the collective student group decides. This will
eventually feature an evolved classroom where the students, based on their
performance, will actually determine the term. Those classes who finish their
terms early will get longer vacations. This potential future of education will
be one that the next generation will begin to put in place.
Music, writing, painting, sculpture
— all types of arts and crafts — will be given much more emphasis because all
forms of artistic expression come from the soul. Current concentration on
sports and the intensely competitive approach to team sports, and certainly the
disproportionate time and monies allotted, will change to a spirit of enjoying
the games and camaraderie while assisting each other to develop proficiency.
In addition, collectively the classrooms will be able to
collectively dismiss other students in the class who detract from their
learning, and/or individually help those who need review. So instead of the
system deciding who’s fit for a class, the students will. It will be a far more
empowering system, and will always be under the direction of the teacher. Nevertheless,
it’s a far different system from what you have today, where the system drives
the student. In the future, the student will drive the system. There will not
be chaos, as many educators may predict. A funny thing happens when you give
leadership concepts to those who can lead: They do.
"Education is what remains after one has forgotten
everything he learned in school.” Einstein
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