The book that brought Ivan Illich to public attention was Deschooling Society (1971), a radical critical discourse on education as practised in "modern" economies. Giving examples of what he regards as the ineffectual nature of institutionalized education, Illich posited self-directed education, supported by intentional social relations, in fluid informal arrangements:
Way before his time, Ivan Illich, envisioned homeschooling and learning networks on the internet.
There is increasing dissatisfaction with government schooling and the rise of alternative educational resources is in ascendance. For more check out the Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO)..
Ultimately, we all have to responsibility for our own education. One of my favorite bumper stickers reads, "Don't let schooling interfere with your education." True education is what we teach. You learn what you teach so what are you teaching constantly by what you say and how you behave? How is your teaching working for you? It that really what you want to learn?
ReplyDeleteInstitutional schooling where the student is treated like an object and trained to perform on a standardized tests like a trained monkey or dog is demeaning of human dignity. It is a sad commentary on the incentives currently in place for what is called government schooling. This approach to training students to perform seems antithetical to UU values especially the first principle of the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Modern schooling is often a form of child abuse.
ReplyDelete