Today, I finished Walking on Water. I honestly think so fondly of it, that instead of writing about it I am just going to suggest you go out and read it for yourself. It’s a good one, trust me. So, Instead of writing more about the book I am going to write about my way of learning / reading.
I have a lot of passionate opinions on education, and how children should learn. I believe in unschooling for the most part, even though I went to school my whole entire life. What makes me so sure that unschooling could work for other children is that all the important things I have ever learned have been self taught. Throughout my life I have studied zoology, art, and technology on my own, my only outside sources being books.
I believe that when children have access to the right resources, the possibilities become limitless. To paraphrase what Grace Llewellyn said in The Teenage Liberation Handbook, “which has more books? A school or library?” Stating that school is not the one-stop-shop for education we all give it to be, a much more well rounded education can be provided from libraries, zoos, nature preserves, hospitals, co-ops, parks, etc… Not only will these places supply one with a great education, but foster creativity and expression as well; something schools do not do so well.
These thoughts has been consistent throughout most of my schooling years, and has followed me to college, which has really been no different. My whole life I did bare minimum of what was needed at school so I could go home and read on things that really interested me. I became really good at following directions and getting good grades without effort so I could go guilt-free to my personal work. Now, college requires so much to get a grade as good as a C. This is not a surprise to me, what is is that I got tricked into thinking College would appreciated new ways of thinking and creativity. In college the professors thoughts and opinions are integrated into everything, so if you don’t agree you might as well drop the class. Homework can take up your whole day so you have absolutely no time to enjoy life. I wish I had more time to read books of my choice. Right now I am struggling with balancing my own research and reading with schoolwork. I can not say it’s going as well as I planned.
I could end this with some great advice on how to make the situation all better, but I have none. This is my current dilemma and biggest struggle. I am doing all I can to balance my life, and this may be what I write about; if not too frustrated by the topic. Overall having time to read Derrick Jensen’s Walking on Water was wonderful, it was exactly what I needed and gave me some strength to continue on. To best help the environment I really should know everything about biology and ecology, meaning that I will have to keep pushing myself. One day what I have learned here will matter.
I like what you’re talking about and I have kind of the same feeling.
Back in my country, schools stuff students with useless knowledge and they don’t encourage independent thinking. What we do all day is struggling with countless homework. Purposes of going to school limit to getting good grades, winning in exams, and entering a good middle school, high school, and college. The whole is just a waste of time, up to 12 years! The worst is that you can learn nothing. I cut off school often and finally didn’t go to school for a few months in grade 12 because I could no longer bear that. I stayed at home reading what I truly want and I still got good grades in the end. I learnt almost all what I know from books and trips during my life. I really agree that education is outside school.
In most of Chinese colleges, people don’t study and schools care nothing but money. This is one of the reasons made me choose to study abroad. Comparing with schools in China, I feel better here but what I’ve experienced so far is not as the same as I expected.
What happened when you took the couple of months off of high school? Did your school mind at all? I stayed at home A LOT during my senior year as well, and still managed to get decent grads (I had figured out their system by then). I really love Binghamton, in many many ways but I still feel the amount of time college takes up is overwhelming. I could study all day and it still not be enough to get a B in my biology class. I would like college a lot more if there were more collaboration, I am often looked down on by TAs and teachers for bringing an outside source into our discussion. I think making connections with everyday life is important to learn. I really want to get an internship because I think the hands-on work will keep me motivated.
My school turned down my request at the first. My dad called the principal several times and they finally permitted but I still had to go back for some “important tests”. I took a pencil sketch class, read books, wandered in the ancient lanes (our city has several blocks built handreds years ago and I love them), went small trips, and worked on English for TOEFL. Sometimes I reviewed my school work. Later others requested, too, but my school banned them to do so as they feared a tide of not going to school.
I’ve got a stronger desire for learning and doing something since I started my college life here, which delights me a lot. I expected classes with many questions, opinions and discussions and teachers talking about everything but the book. I like discussions because learning what other people think and their experiences is interesting. I think that knowledge is just a pile of information if not be applied in real life. We always need outside sources as supplements or there won’t be a suggested booklist in the end of a book.
That is really cool, too bad the other kids never got the time off as well. I honestly think high school should consist of independent studies and internships, its really the only way to learn. I skipped a lot of high school so I could stay home and do art / read. It was wonderful having that free time, and I wish I had more.