Conditioning vs. Education
Welcome to the newly revamped OpenEd Daily! Each weekday, we’ll send you:
- 1 thought
- 1 trend
- 1 tool
And for fun, we’ll sometimes toss in a bonus ‘( __ ) of the day’ – a meme, a word, a quote, or an educational philosophy.
We hope you like the new format.
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THOUGHT
Education vs. Conditioning
The latest podcast features Isaac Morehouse musing on the definition of education – which he distinguishes from mere conditioning (i.e., there’s a difference between learning and just salivating at the sound of a bell).
| Education | Conditioning |
| Involves agency and willingness to learn | Imposed from outside |
| Conscious participation | Shapes behavior through rewards/punishments |
| Teaches how to think | Teaches what to think |
| Nurtures problem-solving abilities | Focuses on fact regurgitation |
| Driven by curiosity | Driven by compliance |
Key Takeaway: All humans are born learners. A toddler using a footstool to reach a shelf is a tiny scientist at work. But traditional schooling often stifles this innate drive, replacing curiosity with compliance.
Food for Thought: Your paper certificate might show your level of conditioning, not your level of education. Discuss among yourselves.
TREND
The rapid growth of microschools
Education is evolving towards greater flexibility and personalization. Microschools, founded by parents or teachers seeking more adaptable learning environments, are proliferating. The names and varieties are hard to keep track of… Acton, Montessori, Waldorf, and forest schools, to name a few.
Furthermore, traditional boundaries between different educational methods are blurring. We’re seeing hybrid models where students might attend public school part-time while pursuing other educational opportunities. As public schools face declining enrollment, they’re adapting by offering virtual options and more flexible schedules.
Parents may soon approach their child’s education for the year like college students planning their course schedules – selecting from a wide array of in-person and online options, public and private institutions, tutors, and homeschool resources. The shift towards open education isn’t about prescribing a single “right” way to learn but about expanding possibilities for every learner.
TOOL
The sculpture approach
Think of educating your kids less like a painting and more like a sculpture. In other words, instead of agonizing over the perfect brush strokes, focus on chiseling away what doesn’t work from a hunk of granite.
Here’s how to apply the “educational sculpture” approach:
- Identify what’s not working for each child
- Remove those elements that cause stress or hinder learning
- Allow space for natural interests to emerge
- Test different methods and approaches
- Gradually refine your approach as you learn what works best
Sometimes there’s more to be gained from subtraction than addition.
As Michelangelo said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”
He didn’t create David by adding more marble. He “liberated David from within the stone. Your child’s potential is already there – your job is to chip away at what’s obscuring it.
(QUOTE) OF THE DAY
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
See you tomorrow!
– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)