This space is provided for people to share their views about the ideas in Education for Humanity and the best way forward for education in the future.
Therese Barton
I found Education for Humanity an inspiring vision for what learning could be. While most systems of education encourage excellence at all costs – to the detriment of creativity and exploration – here is a roadmap for learners to acquire knowledge that encompasses wisdom, insight and intuition; that fosters a sense of humanity and decency; that is answerable and able to learn from mistakes.
The book acknowledges the importance of information per se, but also of learning how to evaluate an argument, of seeing its wider implications. In a world that tends to push individual, material success ahead of a more integrated world view that measures achievement against society as a whole, Education for Humanity could provide an urgent solution to the educational and global issues that beset us today.
Education for Humanity Reply
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response and for your understanding of the spirit and mission of our work.
Deany Lawrence
Education could be so different. Children could be educated in the ways of the real world, learning exactly how it operates and be provided with an environment that allows them to able to hone the skills needed to find their own way through life. This means alongside the traditional subjects, which have their place, they could be taught how to survive and thrive within society itself. They would be able to gain knowledge and experience in basic life skills – from the mundane such as paying bills, taxes or budgeting with the household income to more advanced issues like deciding how best to use their natural abilities in forwarding a cause important to them. This goes hand-in-hand with encouraging compassion and commitment to helping others, rather than just focusing on what occupation they might choose and dedicating all their time to that one pursuit. In this way children could be allowed to put their often boundless energy into the concern of their choosing, not held back by the constraints of heavily structured education and tight deadlines for their homework. They will then be able to grow as people in a system that is more suited to their pace and personal interests as opposed to one which places more value on learning and reciting facts than actual meaningful growth. At present more emphasis is placed on absorbing meaningless knowledge, such as knowing how many wives Henry VIII had or some obscure algebra that even Mathematicians agree they will never use, than on the individual student's development. When I was in school there were certain teachers who inspired me and permitted me to do “my own thing” at times during our lessons. This in turn made me feel able to follow my dreams and create my own reality, one in which I was free to think, feel and do as I pleased. Sadly, the majority of the academic world does not operate in this way and I was stifled as I progressed through the education system. It doesn't have to be this way; my dream is for schooling to be seen as a means to bring out the best in children, not force them to be the best and compete against each other for grades, but to truly encourage what is best for them... In doing so, they are likely to do what is best for others and for society as a whole because they are following their natural instincts and conscious reasoning in a way traditional teaching methods could never inspire them to do.
Education for Humanity Reply
Thanks for sharing your ideas and experiences, Deany.
Therese Barton
I found Education for Humanity an inspiring vision for what learning could be. While most systems of education encourage excellence at all costs – to the detriment of creativity and exploration – here is a roadmap for learners to acquire knowledge that encompasses wisdom, insight and intuition; that fosters a sense of humanity and decency; that is answerable and able to learn from mistakes. The book acknowledges the importance of information per se, but also of learning how to evaluate an argument, of seeing its wider implications. In a world that tends to push individual, material success ahead of a more integrated world view that measures achievement against society as a whole, Education for Humanity could provide an urgent solution to the educational and global issues that beset us today.
Education for Humanity Reply
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response and for your understanding of the spirit and mission of our work.
Deany Lawrence
Education could be so different. Children could be educated in the ways of the real world, learning exactly how it operates and be provided with an environment that allows them to able to hone the skills needed to find their own way through life. This means alongside the traditional subjects, which have their place, they could be taught how to survive and thrive within society itself. They would be able to gain knowledge and experience in basic life skills – from the mundane such as paying bills, taxes or budgeting with the household income to more advanced issues like deciding how best to use their natural abilities in forwarding a cause important to them. This goes hand-in-hand with encouraging compassion and commitment to helping others, rather than just focusing on what occupation they might choose and dedicating all their time to that one pursuit. In this way children could be allowed to put their often boundless energy into the concern of their choosing, not held back by the constraints of heavily structured education and tight deadlines for their homework. They will then be able to grow as people in a system that is more suited to their pace and personal interests as opposed to one which places more value on learning and reciting facts than actual meaningful growth. At present more emphasis is placed on absorbing meaningless knowledge, such as knowing how many wives Henry VIII had or some obscure algebra that even Mathematicians agree they will never use, than on the individual student's development. When I was in school there were certain teachers who inspired me and permitted me to do “my own thing” at times during our lessons. This in turn made me feel able to follow my dreams and create my own reality, one in which I was free to think, feel and do as I pleased. Sadly, the majority of the academic world does not operate in this way and I was stifled as I progressed through the education system. It doesn't have to be this way; my dream is for schooling to be seen as a means to bring out the best in children, not force them to be the best and compete against each other for grades, but to truly encourage what is best for them... In doing so, they are likely to do what is best for others and for society as a whole because they are following their natural instincts and conscious reasoning in a way traditional teaching methods could never inspire them to do.
Education for Humanity Reply
Thanks for sharing your ideas and experiences, Deany.