We already know that traditional education is showing signs of running on empty. But would a radical transformation of the education system be possible? And if we accept that possibility, in what direction should we move?

I think the first step is to better understand the word “teaching.” Teaching—most often on a compulsory basis—has been the foundation of Western education for at least 200 years.

Teaching is about putting the world into boxes and presenting it to someone in a neatly organized and explained way. But can life, the world, and reality really be explained?

In traditional schools, what we see most often is compulsory education. The same goes for universities. And organizations, too. It’s as if it were simply impossible to conceive of education without these attempts to pigeonhole people. Is that really the case?

Very briefly, I would like to propose three approaches here for envisioning an education capable of rekindling people’s hearts. And, furthermore, one capable of addressing the exponential complexity of the world.

More discoveries, less education

Human beings are born with an incredible capacity (and need) to learn. Young children navigate the world guided primarily by their curiosity, a natural human instinct.

Over time—or rather, due to the excessive amount of compulsory education we receive throughout our school years—that curious gaze becomes increasingly clouded.

Until, one day, when we’re asked what we’d like to learn, what fascinates us, what we’re truly passionate about intellectually, we’re left speechless.

The more blind and mute we become, the less able we are to discover things for ourselves. We become dependent on others’ explanations, held hostage by instruction. We begin to confuse learning with “courses,” “classes,” “training,” and the like.

As my friendConrado Schlochauerlikes to say, if there isn't an arrow pointing to it and saying, "This is a course," then we don't learn.

And why should we care about that, anyway? Because the ability to discover things for oneself is what drives the most remarkable inventors, scientists, and artists. And, between you and me, we need more invention, science, and art in every area of life.

More invitations, less pressure

When you were taught Bhaskara's formula, did anyone come up to you and ask if you really wanted to know that? Most likely not.

Bhaskara's formula is a prime example that applies to virtually everything taught in school. The process is the same: there is no consent.

You might be thinking, “But this formula is an important part of human knowledge and needs to be passed on to younger generations.” But the big question is: what’s the point, if it’s available anytime on Google?

Do you remember Bhaskara’s formula today? If you work in a field related to mathematics or engineering, maybe you do. However, when I ask this question during lectures, it’s very rare for more than 5% of the audience to remember it.

Another question we need to ask ourselves: Why did someone choose Bhaskara’s formula to be taught and leave out so many other things? Why aren’t feminism, African philosophies, or K-pop taught in schools?

Yaacov Hecht, a brilliant Israeli educator, uses the analogy of the “square” to represent the knowledge contained in school curricula.

Is what's outside the box less important? To whom?

Returning to the starting point, we need to restore consent in education. That is why we should focus on invitation rather than compulsion.

If I’m interested in photography and want more people to join me on this journey of discovery, I invite them. An invitation can always be declined—and when it’s accepted, it sparks passion and engagement rather than hatred and indifference.

Imagine what your experience in school or college would be like if it were based on invitations.

More humility, fewer certainties

The more compulsory education we receive, the more standardization and discipline we are subjected to, the more we tend to become arrogant.

It's as if, after so many years of being boxed in, we can't stand seeing others break free.

We’ve become short-sighted; we see only our own little world, and worse, we aren’t even aware of it. We think our truth is “the” truth.

That wouldn't be a problem if the world were perfect and all we needed to do was reproduce it faithfully, just like a photocopier.

If we want a better future, we’ll need to create it, not just replicate what already exists. These three paths—Discoveries, Invitations, and Humility—are ways for us to learn how to create something new with our own hands.

And if everything I’m saying here sparks your curiosity (or even resistance), I invite you to discover the many other voices that are already building an education system based on these pillars. You can find some of them in thisarticleI wrote.

 

References

Democratic Education: The Beginning of a Story. A book by Yaacov Hecht.

 

About the author:

Alex Bretas is a TEDx Speaker | Author | Facilitator of self-directed learning communities — www.alexbretas.com