A Love of Learning | Education
Ownership of Education The gift that lasts a lifetime WRITTEN BY
Gina Prosch
T
alk of education brings to mind images of school days gone by. Riding the bus to school, memorizing multiplication tables, standing in cafeteria lines. Be quiet. Don’t stare out the window. Read this book. Take this test. Dash from one room to another. School days become a series of go here, now stand there. Do this, not that. And lest you forget—if you mess up, it all goes on your permanent record. It’s no wonder school gets a bad rap. What if there were a better way? What if children had an active role in their education? What if they learned about things that sparked their imaginations? What if, even from a very young age, kids owned their own education? Too often, we have a knee-jerk reaction to suggestions that children should have a voice in what they learn. Perhaps we fear our children will opt to learn nothing, or they won’t learn the “right” things, the things they’ll need to know later on in life. Anyone who’s spent more than 10 minutes in the company of small children knows they are full of questions, and their questions are the launching pad for their ownership of education. As educator and homeschool advocate John Holt says, the best way for children to learn is “not by deciding what we think they should learn and thinking of ingenious ways to teach it to them, but by … answering their questions … and helping them explore the things they are most interested in.” Holt points to the deep and abiding purpose of education: to encourage learning, to cultivate curiosity, and to increase a child’s understanding of the world around him or her. Learning isn’t something that happens in school apart from life, but rather, learning is life itself. When children experience ownership of education, they become self-directed and develop a sense of autonomy. Because their learning reflects their interests and values, children retain their sense of curiosity. Children are motivated because they have a buy-in on what they’re learning about. 98
ILLUSTRATED BY
R.W.
More than any toy or trip to the zoo, giving your children ownership in their education is a gift that will last their whole lives through. Because, as Holt points out, “true learning—learning that is permanent and useful, that leads to intelligent action and further learning—can arise only out of the experience, interest, and concerns of the learner.” Facilitating Ownership of Education Whether you’re a teacher in a traditional classroom, a homeschool parent, or someone in a teaching role through church, 4-H, scouting, or another civic organization, giving kids ownership of their education isn’t complicated—simply follow their interests. 1) Ask Questions Discover what a child finds interesting by asking open-ended questions. Open-ended questions begin with the words “why,” “how,” “what,” “describe,” “tell me about,” or “explain.” “What sorts of things would you like to learn about?” “Tell me about your favorite pastime…” “Describe your ideal day at school…” These are open-ended questions that encourage children to reveal something of themselves. 2) Listen Actively Ask a question—get an answer. So the next step is to listen, really listen carefully, to their answers. Then, act on those answers with integrity. Asking questions and ignoring the answers is the educational equivalent of a bait and switch. Don’t ask, “What would you like for supper?” if you’ve already got meatloaf in the oven or pizza on delivery. Don’t ask, “What would you like to study for science this year?” if you have already purchased the physics curriculum. 3) Integrate Input Ask your 8-year-old what she wants to learn about. Her answer? Ancient Egypt. Feed that curiosity. Read books about the Nile, draw pictures of the Sphinx or color in King Tutankhamun’s mask. AMERI CAN ESSE NCE
