Alternative Learning Systems & Experimental Education
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Entertain A Revolutionary Thought - attending school to learn
Public schools perform much worse at edifying students than private or home schools. They are the wrong environment to facilitate learning. The excuse is public schools help students learn social skills - like how to follow orders.
Primary and secondary education are used to prepare students for college. The education industry markets college degrees as the only route to get a good job or a promotion. Follow and don't think so you can get a nice job, with benefits, in a bureaucracy. Statistics supporting this sales claim for a college degree are from decades ago when the bureaucratic industrial age was still healthy.
That promised job, promotion, or income boost is likely to be lost to corporate outsourcing, downsizing, and eventual bureaucracy capsizing as the new netcohort society develops. In essence the entire government approved educational experience is developing industrial-worker and lower management candidates for jobs that won't exist.
If you are required to attend school; shouldn't the emphasis be on learning to logically reason, adapting to a changing world, and acting with wisdom?
Consider alternative learning for yourself and those you love
Wisdom and understanding are enthusiastic pursuits rather than a historic record. What you know is becoming more important than where you learned it.
"You wasted $150,000 on an education you coulda got for a buck fifty in late charges at the public library." - Good Will Hunting
Instead of Education: Ways to Help People do Things Better
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Serving Gifted Learners Beyond the Traditional Classroom: A Guide to Alternative Programs and Services (The Critical Issues in Equity and Excellence in Gifted Education Series)
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Homeschooling Our Children Unschooling Ourselves
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Guerrilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education With or Without School
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Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher's Journey through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling
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The world we perceive has been shaped by schools we attended.
Perhaps government approved schools have not failed; but have instead delivered exactly the product desired - compliant citizens.
Western Society's educational bureaucracy has become moribund, and hence archaic. Ignoring the fact that desire of learners is more important then organization and administration, they stifle creativity and reward conformity.
The educational establishment has continually extended its power by including younger children and older adults. The health of state authorized institutions is dependent on the successful indoctrination of the people it claims to serve.
Start each day with a loyalty oath, continue the day with rewritten histories, finish with homework as a reminder that your future profession requires a vocation oriented college degree.
Emphasis on science and math that few will fully comprehend will make the mass of students feel inadequate and needing of supervision. Don't fund or ignore all the other disciplines that are involved in being human - subjects where many students would find their passion and abilities. Break subject matter into discrete and short duration chunks that never allow the intense joy of discovery that comes from continued, in depth study.
Don't encourage physical activity in children except in supervised group activities. Call them sick and give them drugs if they will not conform. Train them to be good citizens - yielding meekly and quickly to the demands of any authority.
This formula fit well with the industrial age.
A populace thus trained is unprepared for the enormous change that technology is bringing to all of our lives.
"The mice which helplessly find themselves between the cat's teeth acquire no merit from their enforced sacrifice." - Mahatma Gandhi
As the world quickly changes, those empowered by a joy of learning will be able to adapt and avoid the poverty of dislocated lives. Those still in school are at greatest risk as their education under duress is failing them even before it is complete.
We that are finished with indentured education will be wise to unschool ourselves and break the coerced social contract with a bankrupt system.
"Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom." - Albert Einstein
Seek freedom
Day Of The Longtail
The world is changing. We need to change quicker than the world to position ourselves for success.
Everyone benefits when a middle man is cut out - except the middleman. The technology age has allowed consumers of products, knowledge, and ideas to go direct to the source and remove intermediaries.
Creators can see what their clients really want so specificity improves. End users can select directly from many choices so competition improves their options.
Removing middle layers of distribution improves both price structures and choice. The parallels between this videos Twilight Zone of media journey and the future path of education are quite interesting.
You are now entering the educational disintermediation zone.
Day of the Longtail
Movie Trailer: In celebration of the publication of Chris Anderson's book, "The Long Tail," The old world of media faces an invasion from another planet. The horror. The horror. (By Michael Markman, Peter Hirshberg, Bob Kalsey; Produced for The Computer History Museum) http://www.thelongtail.com/ More info: Chris's book examines the economic models for distributing content. It's now possible to move from having a few megahits controlled by a limited number of publishers to having thousands even millions of titles available all the time. YouTube is a big part of this revolution. We made this video from the perspective of the old line media companies who might view the Long Tail revolution as a threat.
Runtime: 2:13
442219 views
10 Comments:
Both you and your children will benefit.
"A child educated only at school is an uneducated child." - George Santayana
Educational systems developed to assist nation states in controlling their populations have outlived even that purpose. Their monopoly on children's minds has been broken by interconnected computers, TV, and video games. People are realizing there is a difference between society and government.
We have gained access to enjoyable learning tools. The question is -- have we been so taught to hate learning that we cannot rediscover its joys?
You do need to love learning. The age we are entering will be one of constant adaptation. cultivating that love of discovery you knew as a child is not optional - it is becoming far more important than any certificate or degree representing obsolete knowledge.
"In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists." - Eric Hoffer
The decline of archaic educational systems is accelerating. Private schooling alone is not the solution either. Private schools have been far more effective than public, but they are less effective than self instruction by motivated learners.
"The risks and rewards of natural enterprise are greater, and of far more value to society, than illusions of security that enslave human cogs in a social machine." - Allan Wallace
We have entered a new age where creativity, flexibility, and desire for achievement will determine success. We need flexible learning systems that allow students to develop these attributes.
"Since we can't know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it in advance. Instead, we should try to turn out people who love learning so much and learn so well that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned." - John Holt
It is reasonable to enjoy learning like a preschool child -- 24/7/365. Once we rediscover the joys of learning we will never stop seeking that knowledge most valuable to us. People want to succeed at what they love and for whom they love.
We need to provide learning tools and get out of their way.
teaching and change - how it effects you
How Children Learn (Classics in Child Development)
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Complete Guide to Online High Schools: Distance Learning Options for Teens & Adults
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Success Without a College Degree: Dissolving the Roadblocks Between You and Success
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Make Money Teaching Online: How to Land Your First Academic Job, Build Credibility, and Earn a Six-Figure Salary
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Summerhill School: A New View of Childhood
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"It is the mind that makes the body rich."
"Regardless of what you have been taught to believe; your most important asset is time - not money or possessions, your most important impact will be made through relationships - not through positions or certifications." - Allan Wallace
"He that can not reason is a fool, He that will not is a bigot, He that dare not - is a slave." - Andrew Carnegie
Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie - Dunfermline's most famous son in a short promo for a proposed film on his life
It's time to do what is best for you and those you love.
homeschool, adult unschool, experimental college, student directed learning, or dozens of other good choices
Some learn outside of normal structured education simply to avoid being forced into a box. Others want to avoid course structures catering to the least motivated student. Many also want to emphasize learning rather than forced cultural assimilation.
"Academies that are founded at public expense are instituted not so much to cultivate men's natural abilities as to restrain them." - Spinoza (1632-1677)
Perhaps you too are looking to release your individual creativity rather than being taught bureaucratic survival skills. You can create and share learning at a peer to peer educational center - The Netcohort Institute.
You may even want to consider creating a college degree substitute.
There are hundreds of varied and good reasons to opt out of educational formats created during and for the bureaucratic age.
"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced". - Vincent Van Gogh
Not Just For Kids
We all need to overcome some of what we have been taught, in order to become everything we might be.
Math and science are good;
but so are dance and music and laughing and history and dreaming and art and ...
becoming whole.
Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?
Back to the basics is a longer trip than we thought.
Create Your Own Lens On Alternative Education
Thank you for reading. Don't let me get in the last word.
"Your world view is too extreme - if you refuse to thoughtfully consider other's views." - Allan Wallace
State you ideas here, click that make a lens button at the top of this page or on the alternative learning group page. You can make a lens like this one, for free, that can also make you, or a charity, a little money.
Visit the alternative learning systems group. You can add your lens and help create a resource to help anyone wanting to escape dysfunctional public systems.
If you support public education, make a lens and start your own group. I'll put a reference link to your group in pleasant terms and you can put one on the same terms back to me.
We can then let people decide for themselves.
lravidlearner wrote...
I've listened to Sir Ken Robinson speak several times and agree with him wholeheartedly. We're definitely due for a new educational model! Welcome again to the Education in the Technology Age Group.
Posted June 15, 2009
tandemonimom wrote...
Wonderful lens, as usual! Welcome to The Homeschooling Group!
Posted April 25, 2009
BFuniv.com wrote...
Carmen, Thank you for writing. Yes, society's ills run deep, but somehow educational reform always comes back to throwing more money at a broken system. There will be no miracle cures, but much of what is currently wrong with society can be blamed on our educational bureaucracies.
We have heard similar arguments before, when limiting class sizes to 30 pupils was presented as the answer - it wasn't at 30, 25, or 20 students. Even one on one teaching has limitations - if the curriculum is sufficiently restrained and the teacher hobbled. Home schooling is just one answer - but it is one that works. There are other answers for other students, but flexibility toward each child is a key.
If your main concern is the poor and broken, it would make more sense to subsidize private educational initiatives for them alone, rather than general public ones that fail or drop half the students.
Posted December 28, 2008
Carmen wrote
Good idea, but too many variables. Only very, very, few children can benefit, these are the from homes that have stable, loving, parent(s) who care enough, and are smart enough to do homeschooling. The reality is that too many children live in broken homes, homeschooling would be very difficult. These are the hordes of children who will continue going to public school. Take away public school, and how will they get an education? Something is better than nothing. Perhaps it would be simpler to cut down class size to 10 students/teacher, pay teachers a decent salary, and lower the outrageous wages administrators earn. Students would have a better environment to learn and excel.
Posted December 28, 2008
jeolaa wrote...
Really an inspiring lens. This site rocks. Everybody should consider the alternative learning for themselves and those we love. Like wise, when you search for Online education step into Education and surf the stuff about the Online University Courses and College Studies.
Posted June 22, 2008
enslavedbyfaeries wrote...
Until the past year I had never given much thought to what my girls were learning in their public school classrooms but last fall we given the opportunity to join a Montessori/Liberal Arts school and it has turned out to be the greatest gift. They have the freedom to make choices and have learned to be self motivated. Their confidence has skyrocketed and they are actually inspired by what they are learning. Thanks for sharing your ideas and thoughts. 5*'s for a thought provoking lens.
Posted May 29, 2008
tonyab wrote...
Oh my - this is great! I checked out the list of your other lenses as well. I wish I had "bumped into" you before! I'm on your side sir! (And thanks for visiting my lensography.)
Posted May 18, 2008
Dean_Geyer wrote...
5 Stars....5% of all school age children have a learning disability. Lots of help available for Home Schooled Kids. See the lens that my daughter and I published. She has "audio processing disorder" and is now doing very well. Visit us at Hey Teacher My Child Can't Read
Posted May 11, 2008
Tony_Ward wrote...
Hey, Great comments! As a founder member of the NZ Homeschooling Association (in 1983) I couldn't agree more! Check out my website at: http://www.TonyWardEdu.com.
Well done.
Posted March 05, 2008
Renegade-Dream-Builder wrote...
Great lens. I am a survivor of the public school system. As a dyslexic I began my journey to read and write at age 49. Today I am an author who's soul purpose is to help others realize school is not the end of life. All they teach you is what to think, not how to think. Definitlly a 5" in my book lens like this are sooo important.
Gary
The Renegade Dream Builder
Posted February 07, 2008
Directnet wrote...
What a very interesting lens. Great insights on a great topic. Thanks!
Nice Job!
Posted January 14, 2008
Evelyn_Saenz wrote...
So nice to run across fellow unschoolers. I just published a new lens http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/workshop/wisest-teacher-ever about John Holt and unschooling. I'd love to have you come over and check it out.
Posted November 08, 2007
The_HomeScholar wrote...
Great lens. My youngest son is crazy about Bastiat. He goes on and on about Bastiat and The Law. It started when he was eleven. Homeschooling has really allowed him to excel. Check out my lenses (expecially the one on gifted education). I hope you enjoy them.
Posted November 07, 2007
Patti wrote
I was a public school teacher who now homeschools. When I try to talk about ideas like this with people (not necessarily homeschoolers), they look at me like I have two heads. When I was in college in the early 90's, I predicted that we would see the public school system crumble in our lifetime.
Posted May 19, 2007
BFuniv.com wrote...
Thanks Angela,
There is a lot of room for others. My site is open source - feel free to start your own College to learn.
Posted February 25, 2007
AngelaHarms wrote...
I'm right with you on the "proud to be unaccredited." Take a look at http://www.squidoo.com/ulc to see. I love the work you do. I hope BFU grows like wildfire (and some similar, less Christian universities form)!
Posted January 26, 2007
change
Denial is most dangerous when change is structural. The bureaucratic age is ending, your past is not your future.
Your survival is not guaranteed.
Your historic world view is now self-destructive. Improvement is only available through intentional perceptional change.
Where can you fine more of this type of information?
What if I want to know more?
Click to view these education lenses.
They have additional insights
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"We are surrounded by easily perceived barriers that limit our achievement. Most such walls were erected using substantial appearing mists of ignorance. We need to discover and acknowledge these boundaries, and then run through them." - Allan R. Wallace
Esperanto attempted to bridge gaps words can not. Microfinance bridges a gap in life's possibilities at that same level, the learning stage
100% of direct income from my lenses goes to micro-finance solutions for world poverty provided by the Grameen Foundation. The Grameen Foundation is creating a rising tide of positive influence upon our world.
Will YOUR life be based on what you want to use it to accomplish, or by random urges of what you want to do?
by BFuniv.com
Allan Wallace trains and inspires visionaries.
Allan is Rector of Bastiat Free University and author of Speculation Rules.
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