Comments on: Tools for Conviviality http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/12/16/tools-for-conviviality/ Making the Connections Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:31:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Thomas http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/12/16/tools-for-conviviality/#comment-122718 Thomas Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:16:58 +0000 http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2007/12/16/tools-for-conviviality/#comment-122718 Regarding education, while I agree with Illich regarding the 'where you dropped out' nature of education, I am a strong proponent of giving people university- level (or self study) textbooks - I dropped out of school after grade 8, did Gr12 through correspondence, and am now doing a Masters (undergrad is often just as mind-numbing as high-school if more useful, whereas in a Masters, one is responsible for one's own study & research, and it is hence far more challenging & interesting), and before I finished gr 12, I was reading & enjoying Uni-level physics & chemistry texts. One can of course also subvert the where-you-drop-out scheme by tutoring, etc - many students fail in (grade) school due to poor eating habits, family trouble, bad sleeping habits etc. and one gains access to affect such issues by offering free tutoring to poor students. Teaching new habits to deal with an emotionally harmful environment is easy (<a href="http://www.shalif.com/psychology/content1.htm" rel="nofollow">Ilan Shalif's techniques</a>, though one should master it first, before teaching it to others). I've done lots of tutoring, and of course, one should be competent in the material one is tutoring (i.e. practice). Another benefit would be that it puts pressure on the systems of accumulation - professionals suffer more (potential) competition, with less available for delivery. Regarding education, while I agree with Illich regarding the ‘where you dropped out’ nature of education, I am a strong proponent of giving people university- level (or self study) textbooks – I dropped out of school after grade 8, did Gr12 through correspondence, and am now doing a Masters (undergrad is often just as mind-numbing as high-school if more useful, whereas in a Masters, one is responsible for one’s own study & research, and it is hence far more challenging & interesting), and before I finished gr 12, I was reading & enjoying Uni-level physics & chemistry texts.

One can of course also subvert the where-you-drop-out scheme by tutoring, etc – many students fail in (grade) school due to poor eating habits, family trouble, bad sleeping habits etc. and one gains access to affect such issues by offering free tutoring to poor students. Teaching new habits to deal with an emotionally harmful environment is easy (Ilan Shalif’s techniques, though one should master it first, before teaching it to others). I’ve done lots of tutoring, and of course, one should be competent in the material one is tutoring (i.e. practice). Another benefit would be that it puts pressure on the systems of accumulation – professionals suffer more (potential) competition, with less available for delivery.

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