We, Generation Z, have lived ALL our lives permanently plugged into a network of digital devices. We’ve been raised around e-mail, texting, tweeting and sharing. We’re a cultural phenomenon to those of previous generations. The following explains my point: As I continued reading the book, "Free to Learn" by Peter Gray, I came up with a sentence which said, “think of a cat preying on a mouse…” I had to actually stop and reread the sentence twice, if not more, in order to understand Gray wasn’t speaking of a computer mouse, but of the actual animal.
We, children are naturally motivated to play, not just using the skills, which are more praised and prominent among adults, but also, using new skills that lay at the culture’s cutting edge. Because of this, we, kids, learn to use technology a lot faster than do our parents. I can’t even count with my fingers and toes, the amount of times I’ve mocked my mom for struggling with such basic technological concepts or skills—there was this time, she got so incredibly frustrated because “the computer screen wouldn’t get bigger” and made me sprint downstairs, making it seem like a life crisis, when all she had to do was tap the full screen button right next to her mouse! Children know how to recognise the skills which will be of most relevance and use in the future; the skills of OUR own generation. Sugata Mitra, at the time a science director, made an experiment on children’s capacity for self-education. He illustrated the three main aspects of our human nature— curiosity, playfulness, and sociability— all which can combine beautifully to serve the purpose of education. Human educative instincts can provide a foundation for education in our present-day culture as they did in hunter-gatherer cultures. Just as we are born into the world with instinctive drives to eat and drink what we must in order to survive, we were also born with instincts to educate ourselves. The real onus for education has always laid within children ourselves; by taking away our freedom, you’re taking away opportunities we need to learn. After thoroughly analysing every criminal, I can confidently say the most wanted thief for stealing children’s freedom is probably school. Somehow, over the years, its gained such power, it now interferes in every aspect of a child’s life. Childhood is now viewed through the lens of schooling either directly or indirectly; correct me if I’m wrong, but when you meet someone new, a typical question you’ll ask is “what grade are you in?” Isn't it? We are taught not to go beyond what was taught. How often is it that you see a student looking for alternative methods to solve, for example, an arithmetic problem the teacher has already shown how to solve? Not something you see everyday...or week huh? I can recall at least fifteen times at school when students showed a spark of curiosity or interest in class and the teacher cut them off, so as not to “waste precious time where we could be working”. School is an expert in suppressing curiosity and enthusiasm. I can’t speak for others, but before reading this book, when I thought of “play”, I thought of the behaviour itself, not of the motivation and mental attitude that come with it. The thing is, the same way schooling is viewed of as a synonym for education, play is the current synonym for “messing around” or “entertaining oneself”. Perhaps, like Gray said, play would be taken seriously if it were called something like “self-motivated practice of life skills”. We have allowed the schooling system to blind us to the natural ways of children. Adults with the most freedom on when and how to do their work, commonly experience it as play. When one chooses instead of being compelled to perform some task the person is way more likely to complete it more fully and effectively, rather than doing the minimum to meet necessary requirements. This is probably no surprise to you as it wasn’t for me, however, what does amazes me, is how easily people forget these obvious points when dealing with children! There’ll come a point in the distant not-too-distant future, where we’ll reach a tipping point when people will demand changes in the laws which make schooling compulsory. There will be a major shift in beliefs about what is “normal”. Eventually, the coercive system will fade away and voluntary educational opportunities will rise. Change is difficult. No one wants to be constantly questioned and bothered upon his/her decisions; no one is willing to admit that coercive schooling doesn't work. Doing something so different from the norm takes courage— like Gray said, “it can be difficult to swim against the current”. Someone’s got to take the lead for the others to follow. I’m optimistic someone will. I’m optimistic about the future of education. I’m optimistic that people, like I did, will come to their senses and restore to children their freedom.
2 Comments
Corey Topf
7/28/2015 01:58:41 am
Daniela, you hit on one of the biggest challenges we face in schools: complacency. The irony is that schools are supposed to be places of learning, growth, change, critical analysis, development. But how rare is it for schools to take a critical look at themselves and make research-based changes?
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Bon
7/29/2015 06:01:28 am
Daniela, your writing has voice. The way you craft your sentences allows for the reader to feel connected to your ideas. The tone varies; it's light at times and critical and persuasive in others.
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Daniela Ontaneda16 year old Junior at Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt who's taking the IB diploma program. Archives
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Future Blog Posts:
-Free to Learn by Peter Gray reflection
- If you could change someone's life - If you could change one thing about yourself - Should students be allowed to grade their teacher - What happens after death? - Are precognitions and deja vu different? - Mysteries of the mind - Mentalism - The positive of experiencing pain - What is existentialism -Impact of media on society |