During his tenure as a principal, Machiguchi promoted, even at the elementary school level, what he termed as "productive vocational activity" (pg 19). He prescribed a half day of learning and a half day of activity, giving students practical application of essential skills... in the region in which he taught, these skills were mostly agricultural or manual labor. His writings, Ikeda explains, delineate the benefits of this approach:
1) Provides efficiency in teaching
2) Effective use of educational facilities by doubling the (in-class) student body
3) Provides no "examination hell" as students are applying skills in front of experienced eyes rather than testing on paper
4) Graduates leave with skills and experience to enhance meaningful work
This holistic approach to education and generally to human development, in theory, should produce truly global citizens - which should be the driving force behind education and the essence of education. Ikeda describes Makiguchi's six transformative criteria (indices) for "enabling the student to engage in value creation":
1) From unconscious, emotional modes of living to a life of self-mastery, consciousness and rationality
2) From a life of less to one of greater value creation
3) From self-centered to a social and altruistic mode of living
4) From dependent to independent modes of living in which one is capable of making principle-based judgement
5) From a life of dominated by external influences to a life of autonomy
6) From a life under the sway of desires to self-reflective modes of living in which one is capable of integrating one's actions into a larger sense of purpose.
So where are you at? Do you waiver between several criteria or are you staunchly, steadfastly adhering to one more than the others? Do all apply to your life equally or is one a more prominent, driving force? Can one criterion exist without the others? Is there an area where you should, could, or are mindfully doing more work? Have you ever really considered these concepts in a concrete way?
Aimee,
ReplyDeleteThe author of this book sounds like an incredible, rare individual. I looked at your criteria and thought about my daughter. I would want her to have all the transformative criteria Makiguchi speaks of. In my ever so humble opinion, #4, the ability to make principle-based judgment, would be only slightly more important than the rest because it originates in knowing herself, her intellect, her temperament, and her areas of expertise (which have to originate with #1, but I’m going to be stubborn and refuse to acknowledge that :) ). It is my sincerest hope for my daughter she will develop #3 and #6. The idea of being something larger than yourself reminds me of Claudia’s blog. A sense of true fulfillment and peace comes from serving a larger sense of purpose. Excellently put, thank you.
Kirsten
It is funny that I also thought of my teen age son as I read this. He is struggling mightily with the autonomy and independence and I am struggling with the values! He lacks awarenss of the values aspect and I need to still protect him as he moves through this critical phase.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, for myself, I have come to many of these awarenesses through my own life experiences and sometimes, there is no education as effective as living.
I had to understand the principle of holistic life and education before I could even focus on what my scattered experience was teaching me. I spent well over 30 years lost in a unstructured developmental pattern, until all was shattered, and I had to bring myself back together again, and in that process, I discovered these concepts of a holistic existence. People have put a great deal of thought into this for a great many centuries. I often feel as if I have wandered around blind.
I finally found a theory that supports my skills, or my weaknesses?
ReplyDeleteI have not ever had 'luck' taking standarized tests. I just can't, it was indeed a constant problem when I was in medical school. Fortunately, medicine is an art that allows you to think, practice, analyze, and show...
But here in the US I had the worse experience of all. I took the GRE, my personal nightmare...
Those results could say that: I am a complete ignorant with no future. I did not even got the math section right, and I am a very good in math!! I felt frustrated, hopeless and of course those results did not help to show what my really skills and knowledges are. I love explaining myself in front of the class or in paper. If one of the benefits of this approach is to provide no "examination hell", I will expend every minute to make this idea possible.
If we are saying that we are unique and individual, it does not make sense that the evaluation system does not take that in consideration.
I couldn't agree more with Claudia and Gail. It takes living, failing (or at least not doing as well as we might hope), and trying to climb that mountain again to really understand where our strengths lie. If we as educators can remain ever diligent and mindful that each student has a different process and commit to and put effort toward being flexible and dynamic in order to help them succeed, we too will find success! Even if that means one student takes a multiple choice exam on paper or the computer, one writes a paper or gives a presentation, and one comes to your office for an 'interview' or oral exam. It is our duty not to make our lives easier, but to ensure the best possible educational opportunities for our students.
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