how to get educated

Deborah Muise (dmuise@accustaff.com)
Wed, 15 Apr 1998 10:54:33 -0400

>>On Mon, Apr 13, 1998 at 12:16:26PM -0500, Eric Crump wrought:
>>> Maybe if democratic schools were re-conceived as perpetually available
>>> resources for all learners of any age, so people could stop by when they
>>> needed them, it might not seem so necessary to persuade people to learn
>>> things out of synch with their own interests and needs. If, when they need
>>> to read, they had access to the educational resources they need, then no
>>> one would have to be forced to read at some arbitrary particular time.
>>>
>>> Just an idea...

>YES, it is a brilliant insight, and one that really caught my attention as
>well! And YES, there has been much work done in the area of adult literacy
>--WHEN ADULTS ARE MOTIVATED BY A CAUSE--by Miles Horton & Paulo Friere and
>other "popular" educators, that might perhaps be of interest to those in
>democratic schools as well.
>

I think Eric and Robin are eloquently discussing important issues here. Much of adult education now is designed to motivate people. Where did they lose self-motivation? And another thing, since when did literacy have anything to do with success in modern life? The most illiterate memos come from the highest paid executives. I work for them at a MUCH lower pay rate, but spelling correctly. I think real education is an active process that does not begin in childhood and end at adulthood. The adaptability and creativity of humans is more important to lifelong success than any one "subject". Like, for instance, how to send plain text instead of HTML.