In his October 22nd blog article, “Lifelong Learning”, Bruce McMenomy asked: “What does real lifelong learning look like when no one else is looking?” In answer he wrote: “I would say that the chief identifying characteristic is probably humility, a posture of respect for and submission to the truth. Genuine lifelong learning prioritizes the truth… Continue reading Lifelong Learning: Another Take
Category: Education
Thinking Outside the Cell
One of the greatest difficulties I have as a teacher is getting a student to ask questions. In the modern classroom, asking questions means admitting ignorance, and somehow, despite the fact that the student is there to learn something he presumably doesn’t already know, not knowing has become a character or moral failing. Some students… Continue reading Thinking Outside the Cell
Lifelong Learning
“Lifelong learning” has become something of a buzz-phrase lately, and I find myself a wary adherent. Certainly I am in favor of learning throughout life — my own, especially, since it’s the only one I have any control over. My unease with the phrase is partly born of the fact that it is so ill-defined… Continue reading Lifelong Learning
The Aha! Moment
Have you ever visited the south rim of the Grand Canyon? If you come via Interstate 40, either from the west (Barstow, California) or from the east (Gallup, New Mexico) you drive north through flat desert plateau — if you’re lucky in timing your visit, there may be some spring desert blooms. If not, it’s… Continue reading The Aha! Moment
The Parking Problem
When we first moved to Seattle, we were entranced by the wealth of cultural and educational institutions: art museums, parks, opera, symphony, musical theater, zoos, aquariums, historical monuments. We had quite a list of places to explore, and were excited about visiting them. But after a few years of actual residence, we realized that we… Continue reading The Parking Problem
The Rewards of Risk
‘I will take the Ring,’ he said, ‘though I do not know the way.’ — J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, “The Council of Elrond” Frodo setting off on a nearly hopeless trip to Mordor or the knight taking up the quest for the Holy Grail are, intentionally or not, setting out… Continue reading The Rewards of Risk
The Joy of Failure
The best games make failure fun. In much of life, failure can be costly, even deadly. Games get to define what failure looks like. In games, the blows of failure are softened, so that the player is safe (more or less), but they are not eliminated. Games — and education — grant us a crucial opportunity… Continue reading The Joy of Failure
Education as Transformation
Conformation → Information → Transformation Education is a risky undertaking. It has the power to change us, to lead us out of one state into another, most commonly out of ignorance into knowledge. Indeed, if it does not change us, we might question whether the undertaking is really education. When we are children or students,… Continue reading Education as Transformation
Education as Game
Recently, an e-mail list participant recommended a book which I’d never heard of—Finite and Infinite Games by James Carse. While waiting for that book to arrive, I revisited Johan Huizinga’s wonderful book Homo Ludens. And I also read Karl Oles’ Scholars Online blog post before it was posted. Both of the books address play as an important part… Continue reading Education as Game
Education as Love
Education as Love. Nearly everything we learn about has a historical dimension. History and biography are obvious examples. Science too has a history. New advances depend on prior work. Newton said, “if I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” In 1915, Einstein proposed a test to support his theory… Continue reading Education as Love