Thursday, August 17, 2006
Urban Burnout
Learning takes place at all times. The lessons that we learn walking down the street are as valid as the lessons that we learn while we sit in classrooms. The difference is, while both are real, the classroom removes you from relevance. Being thrown in the midst of lifes lessons is something that all young people have to cope with, they learn the beautiful lessons, and the terrible lessons faster than they learn algebra, because their world relies on it. It is because of this that i feel there couldnt be a better setting for Curriculum and assessment than an urban setting. At worse we have learnt you can "pad" out a double period or half a day, by taking students to the city, but at best, we learn that learning has no boundries. If we look at knowledge and learning as a spacial metaphor, then there are no boundries. You only need to look at different peoples opposing opinions, to realise that they learnt these opinions. If they are unfounded or unjustified, or plain wrong, it doesn't matter. My point is that there is nothing stopping the human mind seeking any knowledge it wants. What does stop it is outside influences.
Therefore, while in theory, knowledge, can be considered a salt lake, or the prairies in canada, flat, fenceless, limitless, a blank canvas, knowledge or learning has constraints and influences, it ebbs and flows like the pedestrians on the street, and the traffic after peak hour. The same can be said about curriculum and assessment, it is a historic and political affair. Therefore it comes with baggage, it comes with stories, some good, some terrible, it is not a freak of nature, nor is it beyond hope, or flawless, it is a construction of circumstance and oppurtunity and can be interpreted and utilised to achieve both damaging and amazing things.
# posted by ant @ 10:09 AM 
