Looking back on my 12 years of public education...

[Peleke4]

I am surprised that not one teacher ever discussed anything to do w/ PD and self-help. This crossed my mind when I browsed a particular website which is basically a Myspace obituary. The vast majority of people passed away at a young age. What really surprised me most were the high number of suicides. It was an eye-opener. I never realized how common suicides are.

A suicide that really caught my attention was this girl who seemed to have it all. She was so beautiful, you'd be mesmerized. She was popular, in a relationship, had a lot of friends. She was a well known talented dancer who was trying out for this popular theatre show. They say that the odds were highly in her favor that she'd get the spot. Sadly, the day before auditions, she took her own life.

Looking back, I went through a shitload of classes that didn't do a thing for me. I'm not utilizing anything I learned from Oceanography, Agriculture, and Geometry for instance. It would be amazing if the public education system implemented some kind of personal growth and development class. Now this is the kind of class that would really benefit students. This would be the kind of class that would teach students ideas like the following: the importance of one's self-image and how it greatly determines how his/her life unfolds; reveal to students that we truly have CHOICE... that we don't necessarily have to accept any thought or feeling that comes our way... we have a choice on the matter... stop running on autopilot! This class would emphasize the importance of being your own best friend rather than worst enemy... you get the idea

Wisdom and knowledge gained from a class like this would surely be utilized in a student's future. If a class like this were to prevent just one suicide from occuring, just one, then why isn't it in the curriculum? And it's not just suicide. I could only imagine how much good could come out of this.

It really trips me out that after so many years in the public education system, PD and self-help was never addressed. But hey, I'm in my early 30's now. Perhaps there have been changes?

[Shamou]

Peleke4! I know what you mean... PD could do so much to help the kids... That is why I think that sites like this one are so important...

I personally supervise a few young lions who are just getting into business... you should see how eager these young people are to learn...

The solution, I think, is in personal efforts... it is said that we each influence at least sixteen people a day... so, it is sixteen opportunity to spread the good word...

Good thread...
.

[Doku]

My solution to this problem for my kids: homeschool.
I can teach what they want, at the speed they learn, and in a way that they can learn. Leaving plenty of time for proper socialization, and teaching the things that they need to know. (finances, cooking, etc)

[medaille]

This is one of my favorite topics to discuss.

A very, very essential book to read on this topic is John Taylor Gatto's Underground History of American Education which is available free to read online at: Table of Contents - John Taylor Gatto

It covers how school affects people psychologically. Namely, that the school structure itself promotes certain tendencies. It promotes people to be externally motivated both with regards to an authority figure and to become more like their peers (aka sheep). It stifles individual creativity and the fulfillment of personal goals.

To understand why school doesn't cover things which would so obviously only benefit people is to understand the purpose of public institutionalized compulsory schooling. You have to imagine yourself as the ruler of a country, as a king, dictator, or in capitalism as the titan's of business. You have certain goals. You want a stable working system with yourself at the top. You create two sorts of school systems, one for the class of people that make the decisions and one for the class of people that follow decisions. The first one creates people that are much better at following their own internal motivations and to accomplish their goals. These people are better suited for making decisions that shape a nation. Unfortunately, you can't have everybody trying to make decisions at the same time. If everybody had an influence, then the system would be too unpredictable. It would control itself and you most likely wouldn't stay on top. So you create a school for the common people which is designed to keep them on the bottom.

As a capitalist, you want people working for you, not as entrepeneurs. You want people that follow directions well and don't rock the boat. Public school is designed to shape children into those people. In America it was shaped by Rockefeller and Carnegie in the early 20th century and was based on the prussian school system.

It would be against the school systems interests/base goals to teach children personal development or entrepeneurship. It's really, really sad. When I look out at the population, I see so much pain that is caused directly from people not knowing or understanding their true selves. How many people are working in jobs that don't personally fulfill them? How many midlife crises are their when people snap out of autopilot mode and say to themselves, "holy Sh!t, what have I been doing with my life?" How many drugs are taken, suicides done, eating disorders started, etc just because people can't cope with trying to fit themselves against an external model? Those are the symptoms of the separation of the true self and false self aka the ego which society (helped along greatly by school) shapes for them.

School should be designed to promote each individuals uniqueness. To teach them to fulfill their life missions. It shouldn't be used to force them to fulfill someone else's plan for them.

[Peleke4]

Thanks for the insight Medaille. That was mind-boggling, a big-time eye-opener

[Doku]

Some other "pro-homeschool" links/articles:
(Yes, I am aware that some of them are from "propoganda" sites, but any person that is strongly anti-home school will post links from the teachers union sites, etc.)

Against School, by John Taylor Gatto
The Six-Lesson Schoolteacher, by John Taylor Gatto
Homeschooling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Marc Tucker "Dear Hillary" Letter

Here's a quote from the last one.
Please note that the "client needs" here means "business needs" and "corporation needs", not student or parent needs.

What is essential is that we create a seamless web of opportunities, to develop one's skills that literally extends from cradle to grave and is the same system for everyone -- young and old, poor and rich, worker and full-time student. It needs to be a system driven by client needs (not agency regulations or the needs of the organization providing the services), guided by clear standards that define the stages of the system for the people who progress through it, and regulated on the basis of outcomes that providers produce for their clients, not inputs into the system.

[mlc82]

The #1 Thing that I learned in public school was: No matter how hard you work, and how much studying you put in, and how many assignments you can quickly accomplish, you're still stuck here for 8 hrs of the day, so there is no point in trying to excel- you might as well just read whatever book you brought, or (usually) don't go at all. And my folks wonder why I hate the idea of a standard 9-5 job so much, and why I hardly ever actually went to school...

[RT Wolf]

Have there been changes? What you described is pretty much how it is right now. I've seen that myspace obituary site, kinda spooky. What it comes down to, instead of trying to blame people or create conspiracy theories (that underground book is actually really interesting, but it should not be seen as "us vs them"), in my mind is the level of consciousness of the society. What comes out of that level of consciousness will only serve to propogate that same level of consciousness.

The question is what can YOU do to help improve htat. Obviously Pavlina's taken a very positive step in that direction, but i think there's more each of us can do.

I'm starting to teach young people about personal finance and the basics of investing and just compound interest. My intention is that by preventing people from getting stuck in the mouse-on-a-treadmill mentality of going to a job ot make enough moeny or what have you, people will make more conscious and courageous choices.

[medaille]

Have there been changes? What you described is pretty much how it is right now. I've seen that myspace obituary site, kinda spooky. What it comes down to, instead of trying to blame people or create conspiracy theories (that underground book is actually really interesting, but it should not be seen as "us vs them"), in my mind is the level of consciousness of the society. What comes out of that level of consciousness will only serve to propogate that same level of consciousness.

The question is what can YOU do to help improve htat. Obviously Pavlina's taken a very positive step in that direction, but i think there's more each of us can do.

I'm starting to teach young people about personal finance and the basics of investing and just compound interest. My intention is that by preventing people from getting stuck in the mouse-on-a-treadmill mentality of going to a job ot make enough moeny or what have you, people will make more conscious and courageous choices.

I definitely think that it's true that there's a small group of people that try to pull the strings for their own benefit, especially with regard to schooling. But your definitely right in the "us" vs "them" mentality. It helps a little bit in knowing why things are the way they are, especially for people in autopilot, but ultimately it isn't very empowering and doesn't help us get out of the problem.

It certainly doesn't do us any good to just blame them and they certainly aren't going to change for us.

I sincerely think that most of the answers are already here, but just need to be pieced together as a community. Education in my mind is best served in an apprenticeship style, where you can observe and learn in a more natural style and work on something that's relevant at the same time.

I don't see the need for empire or continuous economic growth. Our economy shouldn't require it.

I think we're supposed to find our passion, and become completely immersed and great at it. Then we're supposed to share it with each other, teach each other, and make each other more capable people.

[Ree]

I was fortunate enough to have a couple of GREAT teachers when I was in school. One of them had a favorite saying: When someone tells you that curiosity killed the cat, you say that satisfaction brought it back

Unfortunately, I expected the same quality of teachers for my children that I was lucky enough to have back in the day and we were sorely disappointed. We yanked our children out of public school as quickly as possible.

Underground History is an interesting read. The author makes the point that it isn't an us versus them kind of thing. Seems to me that public education these days is a huge machine. He points out that it is the largest union in the country. Anything that big can't be good.

[carenkh]

As a radically unschooling mama, I love this thread! What I was thinking when I read the OP's question was 'They can't teach or model this in school! They'd have no students left!' People would see what an odd little thing compulsory schooling is. I'm always surprised when otherwise thoughtful, aware people buy in to the whole school mentality. I guess it's because they can't see any other way.

[Love]

I agree, PD is really important for students. I was trying to figure out a way to get it in the schools, when I stumbled upon a nice little program. It offers the beginning to students--working on goal-setting, money management, and career readiness. The class is once a week for students. I think it's an excellent beginning to getting PD in schools.

[Brutha]

Why is the system the way it is? What are the german ideas on which it is was modelled in the 19st century?

Knowledge is Power. Those workers are power because they lack knowledge. Give them knowledge of math and history.
You should teach children knowledge to break the gap between powerful and powerless parts of society.
You don't need to teach practical skills but breach the knowledge and power gap.

Emotions are useless because the enlightened man will act rational, because their knowledge allows them to see a problem in multiple perspectives.

You can learn how to think while dealing with any topic abstractally. A lot of the information gets forgotten but the ability to think abstractally will stay.

Then we have a more modern movement at the moment that you should teach children practical things that they can actually use in their life.
Skills that are useful in the labor market are practical things.

[Amandaaa]

isn't it funny that the most important things you never learn in school...?

[Jason S]

I'm proud to say that I'm actually doing something about this... three things, in fact. I hear your lamentation loud and clear; I wrote a retrospective on exact topic on my blog, in a post called "I wish they would have taught me this stuff in business school," and I feel very strongly about being part of the solution to this problem.

First, I chose a line of work as a consultant. This puts in me in direct contact with individuals who are bumping up against those unseen limitations in their thinking, and gives me a chance to help them break free. It also gives me the ability to write regularly (through my blog) on topics that challenge conventional wisdom.

Second, I wrote a self-help book. Originally self-published, I had enough success with the first, limited printing that we're doing a revamp / re-issue. The book is designed to help people recognize--gently--the problems with their underlying assumptions about what it takes to succeed, and then give them alternatives. (The whole notion of internalizing success rather than externalizing it is a fundamental underpinning of the book.) It's called How to Self-Destruct: Making the Least of What's Left of Your Career (And What to Do If You Fail at Failing). (Hey, just because the issue is serious, that doesn't mean the solution can't have a little humor!)

Third, I procured a position with The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (which impressed me with its philosophy of service and commitment to the future). I was put in charge of coordinating the PD track for business psychology students this year, as well as a small handful of students with whom I'm working to create a self-sustaining, student-led consulting center. These students are learning how to think critically for themselves; my job is to guide and support rather than to dictate and control. Our hope is that upon graduation, when these students place themselves in business as HR professionals, consultants, and therapists of one kind or another, will take this model of thinking with them and help bring it to others.

I don't know if this is a lot or a little, but for me, it's everything I can do. I don't think I feel more powerfully about any other issue out there than the empowerment of society through meaningful education.

[The David]

Originally Posted by Doku

My solution to this problem for my kids: homeschool.
I can teach what they want, at the speed they learn, and in a way that they can learn. Leaving plenty of time for proper socialization, and teaching the things that they need to know. (finances, cooking, etc)

Not a bad idea. After some really bad experiences with homeschooling, I shudder when I hear that word. If I were just now being introduced to the concept under a different name, I would probably think it to be a very logical alternative, if done right.