I recently read an article about a school of alternative approaches to learning for children with heightened sensitivities, such as empaths, telephaths sand psychic intuitives. You might imagine that standard tests would be inappropriate. Test takers would have the ability to ‘hear answers’ in the mind of informed test-givers. Standard curricula would seem inapplicable. Students might regularly challenge authority beleiving they knew more or "what is right". Yet, how would topics seldom covered in most classes become a focus of learning methods in this unique school?
The founder and developer of this pioneering school based her structure and approach on psychologist Abraham Maslow’s 8 characteristics of the self-actualized person. Only teaching methods that supported Maslow’s 8 primary goals were chosen and applied for the period this school was open. You might also assume the teachers involved themselves would need to have a keen sense of mind games themselves, in order to work around the thinking of their pupils.
It’s interesting that such approaches may also be useful for different kinds of students who are traditionally labeled with specific abilities or disabilities. Consider your own formal and informal training and learning processes. Connect the emotional and other intelligence you have since chosen to adopt for your own reasons:
1) Capable of self-absorption. Students were permitted to pursue activities of study alongside traditional subjects. When they became consumed by something, they had freedom to focus at the exclusion of all else, as the child deemed necessary. This proved very effective as it promoted problem-solving and excelling at one’s own pace, in subjects as diverse as reading, algebra and divination.
2) Choices toward growth. Teachers devoted time discussing how to make choices toward life or destruction with manifold consequences. Pupils learned to think about inter-connectedness among beings, how choices influenced everyone and everything. This taught taking responsibility, being accountable and overcoming learned helplessness.
3) Believing in one’s judgment. “Substantiate your claim” often echoed in class . Children’s views were highly-respected, yet they were required to explain and prove their views based on logic or credible evidence. Debates were promoted, as were moots (mock trials) so children could learn to present ideas and beliefs with clarity.
4) Being honest & shedding defense mechanisms. Punishment didn’t exist at this school (except for extreme behavior where kids were sent home) . Instead, youngsters were taught to sit down to resolve difficulties. There was no option to escape or run away from tempers or anger. They had no choice but to work it out.
5) Building courage to state one’s views publicly. Children were taught how to listen to their internal dialogue and feelings, so as to recognize the value of their own thoughts. Implicit in the ability promoted to share beliefs publicly, was the idea of listening to views without judgment. This bred tolerance and understanding.
6) Working to the best of one’s chosen goals. Each child was encouraged to set personal goals . Older children’s schedule was a mix of class and self-directed study time. Independent study projects were required. Younger children often preferred hands-on building or creating. They sensed and learned in multiple dimensions.
7) Awareness of peak experiences. To discern what learning felt like was a key goal recognized only by each individual. It was the teacher’s role to meet each child where he or she was. This released the burden of having to sense what ‘game’ to play to be seen as successful. Grades weren’t given which alleviated stress. No child was taught shame or embarrassment by being made to feel better or worse.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 9:02AM