Schools and education systems in Britain have been under constant review for many decades and some would argue that teachers should have been more vociferous in challenging the many reforms which have been inflicted on them. Even today we hear voices saying that a teacher’s primary function is not to teach but to look after children’s well-being! To compound the matter, headline issues like the value of diversity, sustainability, globalisation and the prevention of global warming seem to have become the key points of reference of a modern curriculum. This is not to say that an exploration of such issues is not important but they have become totemic.
Some brave teachers have protested at the decline of 'traditional' education; many more are quietly and dispiritedly awaiting retirement and asking where it all went wrong. As a profession, teachers have much to contribute to educational debates and we need to hope that more teachers contribute -and are asked to contribute - to curricular reform.
One who has spoken out - and has been pilloried in return - is Katharine Birbalsingh. Perhaps this explains why so few challenge the prevailing orthodoxies. Her blog is worth a look.You might not agree with what she says but she does raise a number of points which are shared by many in education.
26 June 2011
5 June 2011
A challenge for education
In the previous post we considered the relationship between culture and education. In this post we will look more closely at how a rediscovery of ‘traditional’ education is a pre-requisite for a good society. (The deeper exploration of ‘good society’ is for another time.)
It is common to read of politicians discussing, for example, the link between education and ‘skills’ and how a good education system should align itself with the employment needs and industrial profile of a particular country. Sadly, those who respond that education is a good in itself are portrayed as displaying elitist tendencies or of living in the proverbial ‘ivory tower’. When allied to possible accusations of being ‘exclusive’, this tactic is a convenient way of closing down debate in these aggressively inclusive times.
Those who wish to see the education system underpinned by the search for the good, the true and the beautiful need not despair. The search for ultimate meaning cannot be closed down by a narrow focus on the (still necessary) acquisition of basic skills. The human person needs the wider vision of the liberal arts and sciences in order to understand his or her place in society.
This traditional vision of education reminds us that we are not alone. We are nourished by the legacy of great minds, artists and artisans of the past. As humans carry the name and physical features of our ancestors, the human family can look back to and be inspired by those who sought the good, the true and the beautiful in their own time. While we can admire and appreciate today the words of Dante and Shakespeare and the art of Michelangelo and Constable, as educators we ask ourselves two fundamental questions: will we pass on faithfully what we have been privileged to know; what will we contribute to the body of knowledge we have inherited?
This is the task we face. It is not easy. But face it we must.
It is common to read of politicians discussing, for example, the link between education and ‘skills’ and how a good education system should align itself with the employment needs and industrial profile of a particular country. Sadly, those who respond that education is a good in itself are portrayed as displaying elitist tendencies or of living in the proverbial ‘ivory tower’. When allied to possible accusations of being ‘exclusive’, this tactic is a convenient way of closing down debate in these aggressively inclusive times.
Those who wish to see the education system underpinned by the search for the good, the true and the beautiful need not despair. The search for ultimate meaning cannot be closed down by a narrow focus on the (still necessary) acquisition of basic skills. The human person needs the wider vision of the liberal arts and sciences in order to understand his or her place in society.
This traditional vision of education reminds us that we are not alone. We are nourished by the legacy of great minds, artists and artisans of the past. As humans carry the name and physical features of our ancestors, the human family can look back to and be inspired by those who sought the good, the true and the beautiful in their own time. While we can admire and appreciate today the words of Dante and Shakespeare and the art of Michelangelo and Constable, as educators we ask ourselves two fundamental questions: will we pass on faithfully what we have been privileged to know; what will we contribute to the body of knowledge we have inherited?
This is the task we face. It is not easy. But face it we must.
20 May 2011
Culture in education: some initial thoughts
The first post in this blog aligned education with culture. It is worthwhile dwelling a little on what we mean by culture in the context of education.
The principal understanding of culture in this blog revolves around the many processes and expressions of knowledge which have left their mark on communities. These ‘commanding heights’ of knowledge are reminders of the human person’s search for excellence, fulfillment and happiness. This search looks critically at the world around us while seeking to go beyond the merely material towards an ever greater understanding of the human person’s purpose on earth. What we call culture is the collective expression of these achievements.
To counter the obvious danger of fossilizing this collective knowledge and seeing culture as no more than a legacy from history, we need to ask ourselves what we can contribute to the ‘commanding heights’ of knowledge: this is a challenge for all educators.
Based on this broad definition, the place of culture in education would seem to be self-evident. Regrettably, this is not always the case. Much contemporary educational writing is rooted in the language of ‘innovation’ and undefined ‘relevance’ to the student: good education, on the other hand, introduces the student to what he or she does not know. Therein lies its beauty.
The principal understanding of culture in this blog revolves around the many processes and expressions of knowledge which have left their mark on communities. These ‘commanding heights’ of knowledge are reminders of the human person’s search for excellence, fulfillment and happiness. This search looks critically at the world around us while seeking to go beyond the merely material towards an ever greater understanding of the human person’s purpose on earth. What we call culture is the collective expression of these achievements.
To counter the obvious danger of fossilizing this collective knowledge and seeing culture as no more than a legacy from history, we need to ask ourselves what we can contribute to the ‘commanding heights’ of knowledge: this is a challenge for all educators.
Based on this broad definition, the place of culture in education would seem to be self-evident. Regrettably, this is not always the case. Much contemporary educational writing is rooted in the language of ‘innovation’ and undefined ‘relevance’ to the student: good education, on the other hand, introduces the student to what he or she does not know. Therein lies its beauty.
14 May 2011
'The Lost Tools of Learning'
Every educator should have a selection of inspirational texts in his or her library. These could include substantial works like those by St Augustine of Hippo , Blessed John Henry Newman and Maria Montessori, to name but three.
Fewer people are aware of a much shorter piece on education by the English writer Dorothy L. Sayers. Miss Sayers is more famous for her fictional detective, Lord Peter Wimsey, and while these stories are a pleasant read, her essay on education ‘The Lost Tools of Learning’ is something which merits a wider audience.
Miss Sayers outlines just why, in her considered opinion, modern education has gone wrong. (She was writing in the 1940’s actually.) The text is attached to this piece above. Miss Sayers writes in a style which is elegant and informed – and, therefore, good to read. When compared to the often tortured prose and bullet-pointed notes of modern educational documents, Miss Sayers seems to be writing in another and more precise language.
Those who read this blog will wish, of course, to ‘take education seriously’ and read the essay for themselves. What is of value is some consideration of just how this essay can inform contemporary debates on the purposes of education.
I leave that to you to decide.
Fewer people are aware of a much shorter piece on education by the English writer Dorothy L. Sayers. Miss Sayers is more famous for her fictional detective, Lord Peter Wimsey, and while these stories are a pleasant read, her essay on education ‘The Lost Tools of Learning’ is something which merits a wider audience.
Miss Sayers outlines just why, in her considered opinion, modern education has gone wrong. (She was writing in the 1940’s actually.) The text is attached to this piece above. Miss Sayers writes in a style which is elegant and informed – and, therefore, good to read. When compared to the often tortured prose and bullet-pointed notes of modern educational documents, Miss Sayers seems to be writing in another and more precise language.
Those who read this blog will wish, of course, to ‘take education seriously’ and read the essay for themselves. What is of value is some consideration of just how this essay can inform contemporary debates on the purposes of education.
I leave that to you to decide.
5 May 2011
Learning from 'The Way'
The Emilio Estevez film ‘The Way’ has great educational potential. While those with an interest in the idea of religious pilgrimage will clearly find much of interest in the film, there are other themes in the film which merit some consideration.
The first of these themes is the value of companionship and commensality. Despite their different personalities and life-stories, the protagonists come to share experiences and hopes through walking, talking and eating together. The portrayal of these virtues reminds us of the value of simplicity in life and how education is at its best when it builds on ordinary life and allows the students to help others to live a life of value while searching for illumination. If this broader dimension is not part of the educational experience then we are left with education understood solely as a self-interested search for qualifications and associated careers.
A related theme is the value of the outdoors and how experiencing nature in the company of others is a key moment in developing a sense of wonder and appreciation of the beauty of creation. In a world which searches for the perfect body through the torture of long-distance running and prolonged ‘exercise’ sessions in a sweat-drenched gymnasium, here we see the value of ‘the walk’ through nature as a fine way of keeping the body (and the mind) in shape.
Finally, we see the value of an international dimension to education. While the film is set in Spain, the protagonists come from different countries and find common ground in the walk to the shrine of St. James. It would be good to think that more young people will now take up the challenge to walk to this ancient place of pilgrimage and find hope and peace in the international companionship they find along the way.
The first of these themes is the value of companionship and commensality. Despite their different personalities and life-stories, the protagonists come to share experiences and hopes through walking, talking and eating together. The portrayal of these virtues reminds us of the value of simplicity in life and how education is at its best when it builds on ordinary life and allows the students to help others to live a life of value while searching for illumination. If this broader dimension is not part of the educational experience then we are left with education understood solely as a self-interested search for qualifications and associated careers.
A related theme is the value of the outdoors and how experiencing nature in the company of others is a key moment in developing a sense of wonder and appreciation of the beauty of creation. In a world which searches for the perfect body through the torture of long-distance running and prolonged ‘exercise’ sessions in a sweat-drenched gymnasium, here we see the value of ‘the walk’ through nature as a fine way of keeping the body (and the mind) in shape.
Finally, we see the value of an international dimension to education. While the film is set in Spain, the protagonists come from different countries and find common ground in the walk to the shrine of St. James. It would be good to think that more young people will now take up the challenge to walk to this ancient place of pilgrimage and find hope and peace in the international companionship they find along the way.
17 April 2011
Debating higher education
There is currently a major debate in the United Kingdom about the question of tuition fees for university. It seems that universities in England and Wales will be charging around £6000+ per year. This raises the crucial question of how to pay for tertiary education and how widely available it should be. Political parties are, predictably, doing their best to score points against their opponents but beneath this political cross-fire is an emerging public debate on the definition, purpose and value of a university education.
Various positions are being played out in the letters pages of the ‘quality’ newspapers. For example, the value of technical (vocational) education is juxtaposed with the value of education in the traditional academic subjects. Also, the relationship between higher education and the world of work allows some to call for an increased role for employers in setting the agenda for higher education.
This is an opportunity for a wide-ranging debate on the value of a good education per se and not simply as a training ground for employment. It is a time to set out the value of the humanities and sciences as a field of nurture for the human mind and soul and to share this vision with the political class. To do this requires a degree (no pun intended) of both courage and prudence allied with well-stocked arguments. There is no shortage of good reading material: why not start with ‘The Idea of a University’ by John Henry Newman.
Various positions are being played out in the letters pages of the ‘quality’ newspapers. For example, the value of technical (vocational) education is juxtaposed with the value of education in the traditional academic subjects. Also, the relationship between higher education and the world of work allows some to call for an increased role for employers in setting the agenda for higher education.
This is an opportunity for a wide-ranging debate on the value of a good education per se and not simply as a training ground for employment. It is a time to set out the value of the humanities and sciences as a field of nurture for the human mind and soul and to share this vision with the political class. To do this requires a degree (no pun intended) of both courage and prudence allied with well-stocked arguments. There is no shortage of good reading material: why not start with ‘The Idea of a University’ by John Henry Newman.
7 April 2011
Education: a serious business
Many schools today seek to make the school environment and the process of learning one of fun. While we should all vote in favour of fun and laughter in its rightful place–-and the school is one of the rightful places-–-this should not blind us to the serious nature of education as a process of proper human formation.
The profession of educator is one of the key links in the chain of civilised behaviour. How many teachers would see themselves as such today? It is time to reclaim the ground from those who describe the educator solely as one who teaches skills or who trains the student in the how to pass public examination. The educator is fundamentally the one who leads the child into the wider world of ideas and who introduces the student to the joy of learning through reading, reading and reading again.
The rediscovery of the joy of deep learning is one of many educational challenges we face today. Modern educators must lead by example and immerse themselves in the world of ideas, especially the history and philosophy of education. This will be a key step in reclaiming the 'lost world' of the liberal arts and sciences for our children.
The profession of educator is one of the key links in the chain of civilised behaviour. How many teachers would see themselves as such today? It is time to reclaim the ground from those who describe the educator solely as one who teaches skills or who trains the student in the how to pass public examination. The educator is fundamentally the one who leads the child into the wider world of ideas and who introduces the student to the joy of learning through reading, reading and reading again.
The rediscovery of the joy of deep learning is one of many educational challenges we face today. Modern educators must lead by example and immerse themselves in the world of ideas, especially the history and philosophy of education. This will be a key step in reclaiming the 'lost world' of the liberal arts and sciences for our children.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)