Reminder of way of learning
All the subjects mentioned should be the subject of stimulating talks. Choose well known people in the subject to come and speak.
At the end, without any contact with each other, get each student to write a point that particularly interested them. Later when their subconscious mind has had time to link up brain synapses, get each to write a further question that occurs to them that they would be interested to know. They can instead say the point they found most interesting and follow that.
The teacher is now their companion in helping them to research and follow their interests and questions.
Research on any question will touch gradually on all subjects as everything in life is linked. Much personal knowledge will be gained, building each on his/her own previous knowledge and own experience.
The teacher should NOT suggest ever any questions herself. Each student should follow what interests them on any point or question. They should not use book questions but use their own experience and build upon that.
Instead of arriving at university with memorized book knowledge, and with answer examples regurgitated, they will have real unified points of understanding.
That is the way of natural learning and the teacher walks witth them as a friend.
In thinking and reading about the way of learning that is mentioned here, I found myself thinking about the history of reflection that has arisen about this subject.
When Aristotle takes up his work on Metaphysics, very early on, he speaks about the spontaneity of human wonder, how natural it is for human beings to ask questions. Then, in his Posterior Analystics, in one section of it, he takes up a discussion on the nature of the scientific question. These same reflections are then later taken up by St. Thomas Aquinas who also acknowledges the naturalness of human wonder and how the beginning of all things for human beings begins with wonder and the asking of questions.
If the asking of our questions is intelligently done (wisely ordered), much more can be accomplished in terms of creating conditions that can facilitate subsequent acts of understanding. In our own day, these reflections have been taken up by the Canadian Jesuit philosopher, Fr. Bernard Lonergan. In his work, he initiates a full scale study of the nature of human inquiry through an intentionality analysis which more clearly reveals how human knowing is not to be understood in any simple way. It is not a simple thing. It cannot be compared to any form of information transfer.
Different elements need to be distinguished and, if a teacher is aware of these and how they all interrelate, he or she is in a better position to make good decisions on how to create an environment which can elicit a healthy development in the human asking of questions. Without learning to ask our own questions and without self-confidence in doing so, we will not become learners functioning on our own. Much of the traditional pedagogy was handicapped in this regard and I suppose we can try to ask questions about why this was so.
Somewhat humorously, I can remember a teacher of mine years ago who wanted to put a big sign up at the front of the classroom: THINK. But, she was afraid that the school board would become upset with her…
Thank you Brother Dunstan for your very brilliant summary of the work of Bernard Lonergan on these very questions which I was advocating for the teen=agers.
I believe though that Lonergan pointed out acts which are now substantiated by what is now known about the brain: that the synapses are wired up to suddenly after subconscious reflection suddenly to present and illuminate more understanding, but from which even more questions will arise. It is the nature of our brain.
The historic questions I suggested for the teen to ask about a habitual acttion indeed were from Lonergan, who like Montessori saw a universal truth and used this to show a way of helping us to be true to ourselves
I think that this conversation should really be in the forum for others to see and take part. Like you my technical knowledge is sparse but I have a computer wizard and guide who made the web site for me. I see him tomorrow and will ask if he will transfer out conversation to the forum.
Thanks Brother Dunstan for raising the academic tone of my Blog!
I have not contributed to a blog before… I wonder if you could confirm this message has reached you?
Lovely to see you on Sunday.
Marie-Clare