From A Torrent To A Trickle
The terrible cost of our current system:
In this country, we are spending $850 billion a year on the controlling process that we call “education.”
That’s $8.5 trillion every decade.
But the real cost is all the things that never get invented, the discoveries that are never made, the creative ideas that never materialize.
In this country, we are spending $850 billion a year on the controlling process that we call “education.”
That’s $8.5 trillion every decade.
But the real cost is all the things that never get invented, the discoveries that are never made, the creative ideas that never materialize.
We would be systematically manufacturing chronically neurotic, stressed and
unhappy creatures that would function at a fraction of what they were intended. They would be deeply
bored and passively waiting for shallow amusements or drugs to numb the pain.
What would we produce?
Can you imagine the disaster that would ensue if we applied traditional education techniques to the raising of little babies?
After considering the true, natural and normal learning styles of babies, let’s see how they would fare if we placed them in a school to enforce a curriculum such as crawling 101, pulling up 102, first words 103, objects 101, making sentences 211.
What if we allowed them to change subjects only when a bell rang? What if we applied shame and pressure? What if we fashioned a sterile environment using mainly workbooks and textbooks? What if we made them wait until the other babies did their learning tasks? What if we withheld treats and comforts until they complied? What if some superintendent decided what they could learn and when?
After considering the true, natural and normal learning styles of babies, let’s see how they would fare if we placed them in a school to enforce a curriculum such as crawling 101, pulling up 102, first words 103, objects 101, making sentences 211.
What if we allowed them to change subjects only when a bell rang? What if we applied shame and pressure? What if we fashioned a sterile environment using mainly workbooks and textbooks? What if we made them wait until the other babies did their learning tasks? What if we withheld treats and comforts until they complied? What if some superintendent decided what they could learn and when?
"I can't see why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.” ~ John Cage