Babies and small children have an enormous desire to learn things and find out. Later on in life, this 'learning' will often become a separate thing from their everyday life, an attitude which school encourages. With home education, it is possible to prevent that and ensure that 'learning', 'play' and 'everyday life' do not become separate and distinct things. This longing to learn is rather like a mighty river. We do not create it, let alone make it happen through any external coercion! All that we do is guide it into various directions; harness it if you will. All parents do this, even those most devoted to the principle of autonomous education. Whether a child watches television and learns the names of the tellytubbies, or if she is given huge letters to play with and learns their names, the direction of her learning will be dictated by the environment in which she grows up. Giving her free choice is an illusion. Her choices are made within the context of the environment which we as parents have chosen to make for her. if there are plenty of attractive children's books on a low bookshelf within easy reach of a baby, then she might choose to take a book and look at it. if there are no books in the house, then that choice is denied her. Or perhaps there are books, but they are expensive books like encyclopaedias, which are kept out of reach and can only be looked at under supervision of the parents. If the television is left on all day, then she may gravitate towards it in preference to other activities. This too is an environment which has been created for her by the parents.
In other words, giving a child free choice in learning and the activities which she chooses can only be done within the environment which her parents have chosen for her. Since we create the environment; it is we who dictate her choices, or at least the range of her choices. This is rather analogous to the Marxist view that the political consciousness of the masses is dictated by their living conditions and the society in which they find themselves. They are not really free to make sensible choices. Even the most autonomously educated child is being moulded and guided by her parents into the directions which they hope she will take. This is done by ensuring that her very consciousness is shaped by the environment which they have engineered to this end.
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"In other words, giving a child free choice in learning and the activities which she chooses can only be done within the environment which her parents have chosen for her."
ReplyDeleteBut we live at a moment in time when information is everywhere. If a child has access to the internet they will be exposed to a huge amount of information. I don't doubt the influence of our family home on our children's choices but I think it is probably far less significant now than it would have been twenty years ago - because of the influence of the internet. No doubt this is why people who *do* wish to exercise a great deal of control on their children's learning (perhaps for religious reasons) strictly monitor and/or limit access to TV and internet.
"In other words, giving a child free choice in learning and the activities which she chooses can only be done within the environment which her parents have chosen for her."
ReplyDeleteAllie is right and your description of controlling a child's choices did cause me a wry smile, I have to admit, SW. DH and I have so little control over our children's choices, it is almost ridiculous!
Both my children are currently obsessed with activities not only about which I know next to nothing, (we access specialist help when needed), but also which involve me overcoming several long-standing phobias...eg: of being kicked by horse or of falling off a rock face. Creative preference change has been useful in this regard.
Neither of my children have so far expressed a desire to go to the moon, which might, I suppose, prove difficult to act upon, and so far we have found that the world is our oyster and that their choices are not restricted.
Well of course choosing to have Internet access or television is a decision made by parents. If a child wishes to take up fencing, this depends upon the parents agreeing to the activity and being able to pay for it and take the kids there regularly. if a child wishes to become a vegetarian, this too depnds upon parental choice. As I say, from when the child is a baby, the way that her parents have designed her environment decides what she will even be aware of or want to do; even what she knows about. A child without books, television or Internet might not even know that an activity such as fencing exists.
ReplyDeletePart of autonomous education is providing as much information as possible about what is available out there, not limiting choices. Yes, there will always be limits (like going to the moon) but autonomous education has the potential to be the least limiting education option for a child.
ReplyDelete"if a child wishes to become a vegetarian, this too depnds upon parental choice. "
ReplyDeleteWhy is this necessarily so? It is perfectly possible for a parent to respect a child's food choices and, for example, help him eat a vegetarian diet. This is a good example of facilitating the autonomous education of the child.
Preventing a child being a vegetarian when he wants to be one is highly likely to be coercive.
The Anon above is right. When parents set out along the path of autonomous education, they do their best to make choices available and possible.
I wouldn't dream of enforcing either meat eating or vegetarianism on a child. We have a mixture of both in our family and even had a vegan for a few years.
ReplyDeleteI was looking for Education Choices and I landed in this post. Had fun reading, I'll be visiting for more for sure
ReplyDelete