What I want to teach my children...

OK, a few years back there was a really interesting thread on HSA, "Things I want to teach my kids...", and I composed a reply. However, I've been exposed to some new things since then, which I would like to use. Here is my original post:

Sep 20, 2005
If/when I have kids, there are certain things I would like for them to know. To some extent, these are things that I have at least gained an appreciation of through my parents' teaching - though there are some areas where I wish I had learned more (particularly 3,6 and even 5 to an extent - but maybe these are the more masculine traits anyway). Before I write the verbose edition, here is a summary of what I would want me kids to learn:

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, con a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyse a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
-Robert A. Heinlein

...and here's another quote that I think goes with this topic. It's from a John Holt interview:

What subject matter do you see as essential?

None.1

[...]

1 Once when John Holt was speaking to a school audience, describing his views on the their structured curriculum, a student asked him, "But surely there must be something important enough that everyone should learn it?" He thought for a moment and replied, "To learn to say 'I'm sorry', 'I don't know', and 'I was wrong'." [unpublished anecdote]

Anyway, here's the long version:

1) How to know what is right.
    General teaching about God, faith, the Bible, etc, with an emphasis on empathy and general kindness.

2) How to think for themselves.
    This is so that they can take what they know is right, and apply it in their own lives. This would include the teaching of general knowlege or "The Subjects" (you have to have something to think [i]about[/i], know what the facts [i]are[/i], etc), and critical thinking skills (essay writing, logic, etc).

3) How to defend against evil.
    This would include both mental and physical evil. I would want them to be extremely good debaters when necessary (not just to show off, get their way, etc...), and I would probably arrange for classes in karate, basic gun skills, and that sort of thing. Also, teaching about the law, rights, and legal processes (how a lawsuit takes place, what the police can and can't do, etc).

4) How to be content.
    In a world full of commercials and many other subtly dangerous frivolities, I want my kids to know what they do and do not need, and what they do and do not want. I think that exploring ones own artistic, musical, poetic, or other creative abilities is a good way to fully appreciate life. Studying past art, literature, etc, helps you to keep everything in perspective. Constructing your own creations provides a form of self-confidence that prevents many temptations. Being good at something you love brings a passion that fills one of the holes in life - if that hole is filled with what it should be filled with, kids won't feel the need to fill it with anything else.

5) How to do things for themselves.
    Whether it be cooking, laundry, basic sewing skills, vegetable gardening, basic car maintenance, camping, first aid, or fixing the kitchen sink, I don't want them to be dependent on others for simple things. I want them to be able to live without electricity, plumbing, the grocery store and other modern conveniences if they have to.

6) How to make money.
    Something that will become a livelihood - also teaching about how to start a business or be self-employed, and the value of an independent income. That doesn't mean that I expect them to do that - they may choose to become employees  - but I want them to feel that they have that choice, and that they are equipped to make it either way.

So, that was the post. I still think the things I wrote were good things for any person to know. However, I don't have much experience educating anyone other than myself (and I haven't even done that as well as I would've liked). Former teacher John Taylor Gatto has lots of experience struggling against schooling institutions, and has written many books including The Underground History of American Education. In that book, as well as most of his others, and most of his interviews, he talks about how bad the public school system is, why it is that way, and how it was designed. Here is a short summary of what he defines the curricula to be that he taught in public schools:

The first lesson I teach is confusion.
The second lesson I teach is your class position.
The third lesson I teach kids is indifference.
The fourth lesson I teach is emotional dependency.
The fifth lesson I teach is intellectual dependency.
The sixth lesson I teach is provisional self-esteem.
The seventh lesson I teach is that you can't hide.

(I believe the expansion of this list was his book, Dumbing Us Down - an essay version is included on the CD-ROM mentioned at the bottom). So, those are obviously things that I want to avoid teaching to my children (or myself, or anybody), and they are obviously things that can be taught if you are not careful to avoid doing so (especially if they were taught to you). Fortunately, Gatto has also hinted in many of his books, articles, interviews, etc, that he knew what the most powerful private, elite, boarding schools in the country taught. He says that he did his best to use this curricula with his own classes (very average or below average students), and had wild successes! I wanted to know this, and I finally have started to find it. In an MP3 recording (MP3 Track 6 on the aforementioned CD-ROM, "John Taylor Gatto - Compiled Thoughts On Schooling 01-10-03.mp3"). Anyway, a summary of that curriculum is as follows:

1. a theory of human nature (what buttons to push, how to get what you    want) - history, philosophy, theology, literature, law
2. skill in the active literacies (speak for strangers, write everyday) - persuasive language CAN be taught EASILY
3. insight into the major institutional forms (courts, corporations, military, etc - details that drive them)
4. politeness/manners
5. independent work (public school = 80-90% teacher decisions, plus group work)
6. strenuous physical activity (to achieve a graceful presentation, NOT a luxury or a way to blow off steam)
7. finding paths of access to people/institutions
8. strong responsibility (grabbing for leadership)
9. arrival at a personal code of standards (never complete)
10. familiarity with master artistic creations
11. the power of accurate observation and recording (example: drawing reality)
12. the ability to deal with challenges of all sorts (this is VERY individualized)
13. a habit of caution in reasoning to conclusions
14. constant development and testing of judgements (make predictions, then follow up)

So, with some alteration, I think I would make a curriculum for my own children to fit this list. The main difference is that in my original list I emphasized things like knowing right from wrong, Godliness, empathy, general kindness; and that and power or skill gained should be used to protect and defend rather than just to show off, or get their way. I get the feeling that the powerful elites DO want to use their skills/power to control and get their way. The only way to effectively defend against that kind of agression is if the populace has exactly the same kind of power and skills. Right now I don't think that we do have that kind of a population, and my children (if I ever have any), will likely not live to see the day when we have that kind of population. Therefore, they will face the temptation to use what they know inappropriately. What would be the good of teaching people to empower themselves if they only use that power to enslave others? None, and I don't want to be any part of that kind of education for anybody.

The CD-ROM I keep mentioning is available for download via bit torrent. To my knowledge, everything on that CD is copyright free, and MEANT to be shared.

Apparently I argue with my subconscious...

Current mood:awake

I had a weird dream last night. I dreamed that I was trying to convince my maternal grandfather (a staunch Democrat in his 90's) to support Ron Paul. He was making the argument that Ron Paul would ruin the value of the dollar by not retracting most favored nation status from China. He was somehow suggesting that Bush was better. I asked how long had China been granted this status? He said 7 years. I pointed out that Bush hadn't retracted this most favored nation status either in all those 7 years. He pointed out that Bush had not been in office quite 7 years, and that most favored nation status had been granted by Clinton... anyway, dreams are so weird. It's just that the exchange sounds kind of logical on the surface, but when you dig into the details it's just crazy! Why is my grandfather supporting Bush's actions? Why would he want to undo Clinton's action? What does most favored nation status have to do with the value of the dollar? When was most favored nation status granted to China, under who, and what is the status of that now? Does Ron Paul really want to keep this status? My dreams make me sound like the "dumbest smart person!" (I, Robot). It's like I'm being SO factual, and logical, and detailed - but a common sense evaluation just makes the whole thing look loony. I think it was GK Chesterson who noted that logicians are the most likely to go crazy. I think somewhere else it was pointed out that delusional people who believe in conspiracy theories are also very logical within their own framework; their framework is just very small, and they don't see the world outside of it.

An MP3 interview of my favorite author...

John Taylor Gatto is awesome! Apparently, so is Conversations with the Cabinet.

Anyway, for those who don't already know of Gatto, he is a former New York state public school teacher. He won many awards for his work as a teacher, but after 30 years he quit and denounced the sytem. He has since become a well-known speaker and author. I first found out about him on one of my rather melancholy walks through the college library - dissatisfied with college, and hoping for a little company among the outcast, dusty volumes of the education section. I found Dumbing us Down, a wonderful little book which pales in comparison to The Underground History of American Education - which is so much more than observation and commentary; it's simply jam-packed with FACTS!

I had always felt that homeschooling was an important shaping factor in my life. Yet, it made me feel isolated - because, let's face it, most people aren't homeschooled, and they couldn't understand other than in a superficial way. I valued that set-apart-ness. Maybe it was arrogance, maybe it was something inside of me that just needed to be seen as unique. Whatever it was, I think it made me insensitive to other homeschoolers who had negative experiences, as well as to outside questioners. I think I had the defensive reaction of Storm in X-MEN 3 "No, they can't cure us. You wanna know why? Because there's nothing wrong with us!" Witness this somewhat angry piece: What about Socialization?

Still, for all my pride in homeschooling, I gradually got to the point where I had to admit that it hadn't made much visible difference. I was still going to college, just like everybody else (and taking much longer than 4 years, at that). I didn't really know what I wanted to do - just like everybody else. I wasn't confident that once I graduated, I'd be able to land a job; or that I would like my job even if I landed a "good" one... just like everybody else. Sure, I had been a National Merit Scholar; but what is that other than a standardized test score? Is that sucess? I used to think so. I don't anymore, and that is mainly thanks to Gatto. According to Gatto, sucess on a standardized test is evidence that you have injured your own creativity. I'm still nothing compared to, say, Benjamin Franklin, or George Washington, or any of Gatto's many sucessful students. Do you know how much formal schooling each of them had? Do you know how young they were when they began living as adults? I'm not going to answer those questions for you. If you really want to know, the answers are easy enough to find. (Please - if I have any abilities at all to inspire people, take me up on this one, small, challenge. *waves hand of Jedi mind control*)

Yes, I was homeschooled, and I still think that was better than any of the modern, American mainstream alternatives. However, it was still patterned after the mainstream methods too much to be as effective as it could've been. But, I've reached this realization about my own "progress" (or lack thereof), and that in itself is an accomplishment. Had I been raised on Sesame Street , daycare, pre-school, and then followed one of the mainstream options all the way through, I don't think I could've come to this realization so easily (not that it was easy, even so). So, yes, I'm thankful to have been homeschooled. But, if and when I have children (according to Adrian that is going to be never, but my mom says my Dad used to say the same thing ), I want to give them a different "homeschooling" experience than what I received.

Anyway, I think I had come to the conclusion - even before Gatto - that test scores, grades, etc, were more about compliance than brilliance. However, that little bit of wisdom didn't paint a very flattering picture of me (a toady is quite a step down from near-genius... why do I suddenly feel like Hook blubbering "I'm a codfish!"). Furthermore, I didn't get the feeling that anybody else would believe me if I went around spreading that idea. So, I kept it to myself, ignored it, etc. I've now come to the conclusion that compliance is a very feminine trait (and girls do tend to get better grades and go farther in school than boys). So, I guess I'm ok with knowing that I have a compliant personality. However, the question still remains, how much of my compliance is innate, and how much is forced?

Discalimer: I am not in any way meaning to discount the work of my parents in pursuing homeschooling. Given that they were both products of public schools, and were raised in pretty mainstream middle-class homes, it's only by the grace of God that I think they had the insight and fortitude to homeschool. I thank God that he allowed them that, otherwise I would be at least a generation behind where I am now.

Oh, and just because it kind-of ties in here, here is an old review I wrote of one of my favorite movies, GATTACA:

It was so cool when I took biology and realized that "GATTACA" is kind of like "QWERTY" in DNA code. Anyway, I think this movie is very sad. It should make us all think. In my opinion, our society already thinks like this, we just lack the technology to take it as far as the movie does. Why else would degrees and test scores and the like mean so much, even if you never actually work in the field you study and even if what you study in the classroom has little relevance to what you actually do in the field? Society cares about labels, not people. They care about perceived efficiency, not what actually works. Sometimes I think I identify with Jerome, mainly because I was a NMS. Consequently, as interesting as technology is, I feel little motivation to advance it given that I don't believe people can use it wisely.

Check out this event: Exhibition of Modern Saxophone

Hosted By: Jennifer Samson
When: Sunday Jun 01, 2008
at 7:00 PM
Where: Lewis Palmer High School Auditorium
1300 Highby Road
Monument, CO 80132
United States
Description:
Thomas Giles, Local Award Winning Saxophonist

Click Here To View Event

The Recording Bug

The Recording Bug has hit! (...bit?) Anyway, Rachel and Tommy and my Dad have been up countless hours the last several weeks making recordings for auditions, contests, school applications, scholarship applications, etc. Now it's my turn!

OK, I will level with you all: MySpace karaoke isn't quite up to par with submissions to Berklee, Interlochen, Downbeat Magazine, and various opera departments and events. But, formality was never my genre anyway (not ONstage, anyhow). However, I love karaoke, I use MySpace, so I had to give it a try. At least now I know that the mic my Dad gave me several years ago (a SHURE PG58 for those who care), and the 3-prong mic socket => USB converter cable from Rodney are all in working order. Though, of course, my sound card's automatic audio manager did pose a few obstacles but I managed to get through all that.

If I want to pay $100/yr, I can record full tracks, list them for public consumption and comment, and save as many as I want (now I can only do 10). Since my Dad has some karaoke CD's with more (good) song options, and Rodney just gave me Cubase, a multi-track recording software (more aimed at midi's), why should I pay $100 when I can do it myself? Not to mention that MySpace karaoke will probably NEVER have a track for Kansas' The Devil Game that would match the quality of my Dad's self-made midi.

But enough rambling. My best recording so far is probably Across the Universe in the style of Fiona Apple; a song I first heard during the credits to the movie Pleasantville (a movie I wouldn't entirely recommend). This was a song originally written and recorded by the Beatles, for which Apple did a cover. If you have never heard Fiona Apple, she has a very unique voice. Here's a YouTube vid of her doing this song (the set is from a scene in Pleasantville), so you'll know what I was aiming for, and not think I sound stoned or something. And last but not least, here is my version, or at least as much as ksolo let's me do for free. As far as I know, none of the other karaoke-ists actually tried to sound like Apple, but you can listen to them too, for comparison. Hopefully that loads for you - if not, keep trying :P

Listening to it again though, I think I want to re-record and change a few things like:
1. Go down in pitch on "rain"
2. Use the British pronounciation of "pass"
3. Maybe have less hiss on "universe"
4. Don't blow into the mic so much on "Pools"
5. Try to have a fuller, more relaxed, less forced tone.

There were also certain things I loved about this recording, that I hope to reproduce in subsequent re-recordings. I particularly like the tone on "possessing," the deep fullness on "me," and the vocal break on "om." The site doesn't let me keep  2 recordings of the same song, but my Dad found a way to make MP3's of these, so I'll just save the versions that way.

I'd really like to do Toni Braxton's Unbreak My Heart, but I can't seem to get it yet. Rachel may say I'm a contralto, but I'm beginning to have my doubts. Who am I kidding? I ain't no Irene Adler...