Your writing is a breath of fresh air. I was particularly struck by the bits talking about children's wonder and individuality, and how education (religious and otherwise) so often squeezes that out of them. I've spent a number of years teaching children acting, and I've found a lot of help in the work of Viola Spolin, who created a non-authoritarian method of acting training. Students play games and try to "solve a problem" and are free to do so in their own way. They are never told "how" to do it, because then they wouldn't have the direct experience (they would only have the finger pointing at the moon, or a faded moon brought down by someone else-not the moon itself).
But I have found that the temptation is very strong to tell them how to do it. To give them a shortcut or the right answer, or worry when they don't get it. But as Viola Spolin said "teaching is a cleansing." You have to let go. And my god, when children have the freedom to be what they already are, it's truly inspiring.
Thanks Chris! It's always difficult as a teacher because you feel the impulse to 'push' your knowledge onto the student, as though handing over a material object. It seems that this would be simplest and best. And yet only when we move away from that kind of 'utilitarian' approach to learning, whereby education is merely the acquisition of knowledge for the sake of a given function (modern examinations do nothing to help this) do we see that learning in itself is good, an exposure to life's inherent novelty in such a way as to be changed ourselves, rather than merely 'changing' things ourselves. Both teacher and student have to let go, in a way. It's a subtle distinction (as I said throughout the piece), but a world of difference. And as you say, you know it when you see it. God Himself shines through the learning child.
“Though there are possible exceptions, I would wager that it is at the zenith of human authority that a faith is often most thoroughly devoid of its inner Spirit, precisely because it is obliged to give itself over wholly to worldly concerns. Once the sacred symbols are unravelled on martial insignia, it is only a matter of time before doctrinal questions are artlessly contorted from genuine metaphysical queries to tactical ploys for the sovereign suppression of rebellion.”🔥
Your writing is a breath of fresh air. I was particularly struck by the bits talking about children's wonder and individuality, and how education (religious and otherwise) so often squeezes that out of them. I've spent a number of years teaching children acting, and I've found a lot of help in the work of Viola Spolin, who created a non-authoritarian method of acting training. Students play games and try to "solve a problem" and are free to do so in their own way. They are never told "how" to do it, because then they wouldn't have the direct experience (they would only have the finger pointing at the moon, or a faded moon brought down by someone else-not the moon itself).
But I have found that the temptation is very strong to tell them how to do it. To give them a shortcut or the right answer, or worry when they don't get it. But as Viola Spolin said "teaching is a cleansing." You have to let go. And my god, when children have the freedom to be what they already are, it's truly inspiring.
Thanks Chris! It's always difficult as a teacher because you feel the impulse to 'push' your knowledge onto the student, as though handing over a material object. It seems that this would be simplest and best. And yet only when we move away from that kind of 'utilitarian' approach to learning, whereby education is merely the acquisition of knowledge for the sake of a given function (modern examinations do nothing to help this) do we see that learning in itself is good, an exposure to life's inherent novelty in such a way as to be changed ourselves, rather than merely 'changing' things ourselves. Both teacher and student have to let go, in a way. It's a subtle distinction (as I said throughout the piece), but a world of difference. And as you say, you know it when you see it. God Himself shines through the learning child.
“Though there are possible exceptions, I would wager that it is at the zenith of human authority that a faith is often most thoroughly devoid of its inner Spirit, precisely because it is obliged to give itself over wholly to worldly concerns. Once the sacred symbols are unravelled on martial insignia, it is only a matter of time before doctrinal questions are artlessly contorted from genuine metaphysical queries to tactical ploys for the sovereign suppression of rebellion.”🔥
Potent medicine, as per usual. Excellent stuff!
great stuff
Beautiful! Spotted one small typo: "but it is somwhere beyond the law." The somewhere needs another e :)