A Curriculum Primarily based Upon Love

“You want energy solely once you need to do one thing dangerous, in any other case love is sufficient to get every little thing performed.” ~Charlie Chaplin

As a youthful trainer, I spent loads of time studying in regards to the training of younger youngsters. That is how I got here to study such child-centered fashions as Reggio Emilia, Montessori, Waldorf (Steiner), and democratic free colleges. It is how I got here to know the foundational concepts of Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky, and extra up to date thinkers like like Bev Bos, John Holt, and Mister Rogers. However to get to these concepts I needed to reject most of what of passes in our occupation as “finest practices.”

“The other of Love is just not hate, however energy.” ~C.S. Lewis

What I’ve come to reject is the thought of adult-centered studying. What I’ve rejected is the concept that adults should in some way management youngsters to ensure that them to be taught. What I’ve rejected are approaches that place grownup energy over youngsters on the heart as a substitute of affection for youngsters. 

“They worry love as a result of it creates a world they cannot management.” ~George Orwell

Any mannequin that begins with a curriculum devised by adults “for their very own good” is about energy over youngsters, not love.

Any mannequin that values tidiness and order underneath the rubric of “classroom administration” is about energy as a substitute of affection.

Any mannequin that assumes that youngsters will be taught little of significance with out “educating” is about energy.

“In an effort to get energy and retain it, it’s crucial to like energy; however love of energy is just not related with goodness, however with qualities that are the alternative of goodness, equivalent to pleasure, crafty, and cruelty.” ~Leo Tolstoy

You realize you might be studying about energy when the sentences start with “Have the kids (do that or that) . . .” or “Get the kids to . . .” or “Inform the kids . . .” These are statements of command, the hallmark of each methodology that depends upon energy.

“When love guidelines energy disappears. When energy guidelines love disappears.” ~Paulo Coelho

Strategies based mostly upon energy might be recognized by their inflexible schedules, each day by day and developmental, during which everybody should continuously fear about “falling behind.”

Energy predominates in locations the place adults search to arrange youngsters for some future life fairly than permitting them to dwell the life they’re residing.

“The place love guidelines, there is no such thing as a will to energy; and the place energy predominates, there love is missing. The one is the shadow of the opposite.” ~Carl Jung

Love doesn’t dictate; love doesn’t handle; love doesn’t want methods and ideas for manipulating youngsters. Love is about connection. It’s about relationships. It’s about listening. It’s about acceptance. It’s about this distinctive and delightful individual. As Mister Rogers wrote, “To like somebody is to try to simply accept that individual precisely the best way she or he is, proper right here and now.” That’s the place child-centered studying begins. Love doesn’t put together youngsters for all times as a result of to like somebody is to know that they’re already, proper right here and now, residing.

“Love is the alternative of energy. That is why we worry it a lot.” ~Gregory David Roberts

After we place youngsters on the heart of their very own studying, listening to them, understanding them, and loving them, we’re making a bulwark towards energy. By a curriculum based mostly upon love we set youngsters free to suppose, which is, ultimately, the one place actual studying occurs and the place, frankly, the spark of revolution is feasible. In a world that values energy over love, that may be a daunting factor.

“When the facility of affection overcomes the love of energy the world will know peace.” ~Jimi Hendrix

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