The Audacious Learner

Thanks to Life Learning Magazine for featuring my Audacious Learner piece, first published in  The Journal of Unschooling and Alternative Learning.

And here it is:

I keep a blog about self directed, authentic learning and recently, I read an article called “Blogging with Audacity” written by Skellie, a woman who'd studied what makes a successful blogger. As I read, I noticed that her ideas about blogging audaciously parallel the very attitudes I would prescribe to approaching learning.

I describe 'the audacious learner,' as exhibiting desirable behaviour to learning new things: that is, being daring and taking risks. All breakthroughs, new ideas, original thoughts are acts of bravery. Getting to something fresh means first stepping into the unknown.

What does it mean to take risks when it comes to learning and acquiring new skills? To start, there has to be interest. Without interest, learning is a very unpleasant affair. You can nurture it, but you can't teach interest. This belongs to the individual; it has to come from the learner.

When you are enamoured by what you are interested in, keen to find out everything there is to know about it and then some, there is no question of allowing fear to stand in the way; this is a hallmark to being an audacious learner.

I recall as a little girl in England, how frightened I was at the thought that I would have to one day read the 'big girl' books my sister was reading at the time. I was afraid, at the tender age of 5 that I would be embarrassed in school because I didn't know how to read.

And when I eventually went to school and we were asked to read 'one on one' with either the teacher or one of her helpers, I recall that I was not allowed to take home the next reader up because I had stumbled on one of the words (one!!) in the first reader. I still remember the word; it was "away."

But I was determined to go home with a new reader and so I went to one of the helpers and read the book to her and this time, got the word right.

The helper, smiling encouragingly at me, told the teacher I needed the next reader up. But the teacher cried, "Shame on you! You sneaked to the helper and cheated."

I was not allowed to take the new reader home, and although I felt embarrassment as she had intended, I was far more indignant that a great injustice had been done. Luckily for me, I was never one to be easily put off.

Behaving and acting out of the norm, going beyond one's boundaries, these are attitudes that are not encouraged especially within the context of public schooling. The opposite is true: they are strongly discouraged. (This brings to mind Ken Robinson, as well Seth Godin: “time and again, the curious are punished”)

But breakthroughs are made by the non-conformists and unconventional.

And that requires stepping outside of one's comfort zone, the familiar or the contrived. It requires imagination. As Einstein famously said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution” (Calaprice, 2000).

In “Blogging with Audacity” (Skellie, 2008) writes a list of what, in our society, it's conventional for people to do and then contrasts it with how non-conventional, successful people behave.

The author writes that it’s conventional that people:

Don’t ask for more than is offered to them
Don’t try to talk with people who are better known or higher status than they are
Don’t admit their failings and mistakes
Don’t celebrate success publicly
Don’t try things that could fail badly
Don’t change their mind once it has been made up
Don’t give up, no matter whether circumstances and goals change
Don’t question what everybody else does
Don’t ask others for help
Now take this list and like Skellie has done, replace the 'don'ts' with 'do' and you have a portrait of the Audacious Learner.

"Don't ask for more than is offered to them?"

Try stopping audacious learners, who will go as far as they want because they know that they are the masters of their own learning. "Nobody gives you an education. If you want one, you have to take it," says educator and author, John Taylor Gatto in a recent article entitled take back your education. "Only you can educate you—and you can’t do it by memorizing. You have to find out who you are by experience and by risk-taking, then pursue your own nature intensely." (Taylor-Gatto 2009).

And because of this confidence, audacious learners are more willing to “approach and talk with people who are better known or higher status than they are” (Skellie, 2008).

It's the will to know, the thirst to 'go and get it' that drives a bold learner to talk to those who are 'already there.'

If their first efforts to open a dialogue fail, they try new and creative ways to get the conversation started. They realize the best way to learn how to do something is talk to people who has done it before. They also know that, because most people assume that experts will be impossible to get a hold of that very few people actually try, making the chances of success much better than they seem (Skellie, 2008).

I think of my oldest daughter, an aspiring writer, who on her own initiative has contacted authors she greatly admires and has interviewed them on their writing techniques and how they write, in order to get ideas on how to develop her own skills. In most cases, she was met with approachable, supportive writers who gave her encouragement and useful advice.

Don’t admit their failings and mistakes?

We learn from making mistakes. If we are afraid to make a mistake then we will never do anything exciting because we already know the outcome of our actions - predictable and boring. Failing is part of the process.

This is one of the worst aspects of institutionalized education: it's bad to make mistakes. You learn to live in of fear of failure. The focus becomes passing tests, at the expense of learning and so we become timid and small in our approach to learning new things.

"They DO try things that might well fail. Because what if they don’t? And if they do, will it really be so bad?"(Skellie, 2008). With audacity comes asking that 'dumb' question and not being afraid of appearing stupid but admitting to not knowing when you don't know. What do you have to fear except a bruised ego at the worst? But if you approach the problem as an adventure other, unforeseen paths suddenly open up to you.

Don’t change their mind once it has been made up?

We can all relate to this one. "You want to what? Quit? No, no. You can't do that. You'll be a quitter. Besides, if you quit, you might never have another opportunity like that again...” and so on. But permitting yourself to change your mind, or recognizing a lost cause and giving up when it makes common sense to is being flexible and that flexibility

will allow you to be able to see other avenues for growth and new goals.

Don’t question what everybody else does?

Question authority is one of my favourite quotes to my kids. Question, question, question. Don't take everything for granted. The Dead Kennedys (1985) told it like it is (although crudely): "The dumbest buy the mostest." Not because something is deemed ‘normal’ does it mean it’s right or inherently good. "They don’t assume (without thought) that popular beliefs are correct, or that popular courses of action are the best ones. They temper the wisdom of the crowd with their own observations and research” (Skellie, 2008).

When you approach learning with an open and inquisitive mind, when you are daring enough to make use of the opportunities that arise and 'carpe diem,’ you are forging your own adventures. What you will gain will be something of your very own and who knows where that will take you?

Unschooling on a budget.

The children want more. As they get older, their interests get more expensive. There are ways to deal with this.

1. Become a really good bulletin board scanner. "There's always something," I check out every bulletin board I see (online as well): in cafés, at the rec centre, and my favourite, the local university has all sorts of amazing opportunities. For example, go to the music department and they'll be offering top-notch free concerts. Go to the Science department- there are all sorts of public lectures. Our university has all sorts of community engagement projects and events. They also have resources such as the planetarium and they offer programs such as 'Let's talk science' for kids. There are also lessons such as dance lessons and rock climbing that are taught by skilled students and that the public can attend. There's the local campus radio station that is always looking for spoken word content- doing a show like we did (Radio Free School) was one of the best ways we had to get access to all sorts of interesting and amazing people to interview!

2. The library. The holy library- I kiss its floors. Books, dvds, games and of course notices of upcoming events that are free, free, free.

3. Get organized. Arrange group lessons and get reduced rates for the individuals in the group. I do this with soccer where a bunch of parents get together to hire an instructor.

4. Get organized. Offer to teach a skill to a group (could be kids, could be adults) in exchange for a skill the other person has. For example, I taught French to a group of unschooled kids and one of the moms taught art.

5. Make use of free online resources. There are tonnes! Use Youtube to learn how to do stuff.

6. Use the school. Sometimes, you might be able to use school resources.

7. Make stuff. Learn basic skills that will come in handy. Cooking. Gardening. Container gardening. Sewing. Knot tying. Guitar. Cleaning products. Personal care products. It is fun and you can teach your kids about toxicity of products etc.

8. Do projects with other people. Collaborate.

9.  Be a history buff, know your land, know what grows around you. Plan a ‘stay-cation.’ 

Join the fun! Volunteer,why don't you?

 10. Save money. Stop buying junk foods, fast foods etc. Don’t buy drinks and bottled water. You will say a fortune if you avoid eating out and buying crappy food.

11. Are they still waiting for YOU to do it all?  Encourage them to get out there and make connections. Network. Volunteer. Volunteering opens up all sorts of opportunities so get out there and serve others. You’ll also grow as a person. Opportunities are not likely to happen when you are stuck in the house most of the day.

12.  It’s not too soon for them to get a job. Keep your eyes open. It might be something like shelving books or sweeping floors. They might have an entrepreneurial streak-help them start their own business. Starting at age seven, my youngest daughter used to sell her zine at small press fairs and take in some nice spending money. Then she went on to do dog walking for the neighbours. Two of my gals offer music lessons (violin and piano) because they've gotten that good.

13. Change your mind-set. Think creatively. Be inventive.Don’t think 'impoverished.'

7 conditions for 7 things kids need to succeed

Thank you CBC for the article entitled ‘The 7 things kids need to succeed: Character traits include grit, self-control and social intelligence.’
This piece is based on the work of journalist and author Paul Tough, ‘How Children Succeed—Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character.’
There were a few thoughts that immediately popped in my mind when I read the article. The first thought was ‘how do we define success?’  I appreciated the mention of what ‘becoming successful adults’ means, according to Tough and that is ‘being successful in achieving their goals.’
Great! We are on the same path here. But where our paths separate is in the way to achieving their goals.

Lots of freedom from conformity!

Don't expect school to teach the 7 personality traits for success as outlined by Tough: grit,  curiosity, self-control, social intelligence, zest, optimism and gratitude.

I argue that schooling is not conducive to promoting most, if not all of these traits. Why? Because however well-intentioned, schooling starts from a place of compulsory, obligatory education that has little to do with what really promotes these traits. I'd argue that these traits are developed in-spite of schooling. Rather, the basis of these traits stems from passion.
We must begin with what grabs us; what has us eager to stick it out with-through thick or through thin-because we are deeply interested in, or committed to that thing.
You’ll continue to have a tough time nurturing curiosity, zest, grit etc without the foundation of love of whatever it is that the kid is into.
For example, if a kid hates everything that is being taught in the classroom, yes they might develop the self control to not break every pencil in the room. I ask you though, wouldn't that child’s experience of achieving self-control be so much more meaningful to her if she learned self-control by being intrinsically motivated through the pursuit of her deepest interest? She would be facing the inevitable obstacles as they come from a place of authenticity, rather than some made up school situation-where the 'reward' is hollow.

So I will offer my 7 conditions necessary in which to develop those 7 personality traits for success:

1. The freedom to pursue what interests the child.  This develops zest.
2. Time. Plenty of uninterrupted time to explore, think, create. This promotes curiosity.
3. Opportunities to fail. This develops self-control.
4. Opportunities to succeed. This nurtures optimism.
5. Including the child in the everyday world- exposing him to as much of the world as possible.   This promotes gratitude.
6. Encouraging the child to contribute to the community-his opinion is valued and needed as much as the other. This nurtures social intelligence.
7. Nurturing the belief in self. Not by praise and flattery but by supporting that child’s interest. This promotes grit.

Did you know?
Britain has produced a range of remarkably gifted multidisciplinary scientists and scholars who are sometimes described as polymaths. The group included, in recent times, Bertrand Russell, A. N. Whitehead, J. B. S. Haldane, J. D. Bernal, and Jacob Bronowski. Russell commented that the development of such gifted individuals required a childhood period in which there was little or no pressure for conformity, a time in which the child could develop and pursue his or her own interests no matter how unusual or bizzare. Because of the strong pressures for social conformity both by the government and by peer groups in the United States -- and even more so in the Soviet Union, Japan, and the People's Republic of China -- I think that such countries are producing proportionately fewer polymaths ....
- Carl Sagan, The Dragons of Eden (Ballantine, 1977)

What should an educated person know?

I've asked myself many a time, what constitutes an educated person? What should an educated person know in today’s ever-changing world? John Taylor Gatto wondered too and in his essay ‘The Curriculum of Necessity or What Must an Educated Person Know?’ he shared with readers a list of qualities that Harvard University issued to students. Not surprising to me, these qualities are less about academics and more about the person’s ability to be adaptable in thought and flexible in his or her approach to daily living. Here’s the list:
1) The ability to define problems without a guide.
2) The ability to ask hard questions which challenge prevailing assumptions.
3) The ability to work in teams without guidance.
4) The ability to work absolutely alone.
5) The ability to persuade others that your course is the right one.
6) The ability to discuss issues and techniques in public with an eye to reaching decisions about policy.
7) The ability to conceptualize and reorganize information into new patterns.
8) The ability to pull what you need quickly from masses of irrelevant data.
9) The ability to think inductively, deductively, and dialectically.
10) The ability to attack problems heuristically.

‘Without guidance.’ ‘Alone.’ It really hammers home the idea of independence in thought. The way I see it, the logical conclusion to being educated leads to taking responsibility for one’s actions in the world.
Other top universities have issued similar lists. Here’s Princeton University’s list of skills that make an “educated person”:
The ability to think, speak, and write clearly.
The ability to reason critically and systematically.
The ability to conceptualize and solve problems.
The ability to think independently.
The ability to take initiative and work independently.
The ability to work in cooperation with others and learn collaboratively.
The ability to judge what it means to understand something thoroughly.
The ability to distinguish the important from the trivial, the enduring from the ephemeral.
Familiarity with the different modes of thought (including quantitative, historical, scientific, and aesthetic.)
Depth of knowledge in a particular field.
The ability to see connections among disciplines, ideas and cultures.
The ability to pursue life long learning.

Summarizing these qualities, it becomes clear that education begins with YOU the learner. Education is not dumped into you. Education is pursued doggedly, lovingly, with an independent will, with the desire for mastery, for truth, for freshness and innovation. Education is about building character. It’s about being part of and contributing to the community. An educated person is a creative person, a creative thinker, a person who can think for themselves and act accordingly. To be educated means to be able to teach yourself. Increasingly, in today’s world having acquired degrees and such is not enough to be considered educated. An educated person seeks to know her/himself; who they are.

Opportunity Knocks (Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra).

When band member of the succulent Amanda Palmer’s 'Grand Theft Orchestra' put out a call to  area violinists and cellists to play the Toronto concert, our 15 year old daughter took the initiative to put together a video of herself playing. She sent it on. Weeks later, she got the news. She was in! When the music arrived via email there were only two days in which to learn it.

She pushed on. One piece was particularly challenging the requiring a phenomenal speed. She felt there was no way that was going to happen in two days time. “Too difficult,” she emailed back. “It’s okay. You can simplify it,” he replied. What a relief she felt.

Then the big night arrived. She played up there; alongside another violinist, cellist and viola the youngest musician the band has ever played with. “Definitely one of the highlights of my life!” she said after the event.
“It’s because she said ‘yes’,” my husband insisted.  'Yes' is the key to opening up opportunities.
I agree. But there is also the idea that opportunities come to those who are prepared. Be prepared for when those opportunities come knocking.

Of course the challenge is recognizing an opportunity when it presents itself. Sometimes we are looking and waiting and waiting for that opportunity when in fact it is right there, under our nose.

Mark Twain once said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
You can listen here.

Remembering Maggie Hughes; fellow spoken word radio producer and friend.

"The push must continue." Maggie Hughes.

Maggie Hughes has passed.
I remember meeting Maggie from my days doing community radio at McMaster University campus radio station, CFMU 93.3 FM. That was from 2001 to 2007. She had her show about social justice, environment and poverty issues. We had Radio Free School- a show supporting folks who educate their kids without school. We supported each others programs and I recall fundraising for the station and donating to her show; and she donating to ours even though she was on a fixed income.
That's the kind of person Maggie was; when she saw a need, she rose to the occasion. She gave and she expected others to follow her example.

She spent time helping me figure out how to best record an interview; what technology worked with what, and sometimes she would try to dump one of her old recording devices on me--although I'd tell her I didn't need another piece of ancient equipment banging around my place.

Later on, when I started working with Environment Hamilton, a local not-for-profit, Maggie of course was frequently at the fore, making sure that the work we do to help protect and enhance the environment in Hamilton was communicated through "The Other Side."

Maggie lived that other side. And her mission in life was to give voice to those who can not speak for themselves; all the time exposing those who try to screw the good people of Hamilton over with their sneaky deeds. She'd always ask, "What can people do?" to help fight injustice; and she'd get right to work.

Maggie. At least once a week, staff at Environment Hamilton knew that when the phone rang, it would be Maggie to share the latest (justifiable) concern of the day. She would call to give us an update on the emissions from the industrial stacks she would faithfully monitor -emissions that contribute to the pollution and degrade air quality which in turn severely impacted her health, (she would be house-ridden on many a smoggy summer day).

Sometimes she called just to be reassured about personal issues she was having, certain that she would find a sympathetic ear. She knew she could be a "pain in the arse" as she sometimes called herself and at many events where she was recording a show for her long standing program, she'd worry that her MS would kick in and she'd not be able to speak. Worse, she feared she would do something stupid to embarrass herself; "If I start acting weird, can you take over the recording?" she'd ask, ever finding a way to make sure the word got out.

I'd often suggest that she take on a student she could mentor to help with the program for those days when she was too sick. "A good idea but I want someone who will stick around-someone invested in the community,"she'd insist.  She wanted to ensure that the person she poured her time and talent into would be as committed to the program as she was; a challenge for certain, because Maggie was particular and she wanted things done 'her way or the highway.' It would be no easy feat matching her tirelessness!

But now she has passed and I bid her farewell. Good ol' Maggie. You gave it your all. You were a champion of the people and I will always remember you at your best: racing down the City's streets, this woman all ablaze, riding your wheelchair like it were some kind of royal chariot; sporting a jaunty cap atop your short and spunky hair- as good as any jewelled crown ever was; your eyes burning fiercely behind wire-rimmed spectacles.
And I'll remember you too as you were on your better days when you would walk and that was thrilling to see; you striding about like you owned the place- because you did. In those moments, like a queen overseeing her realm, you owned the place when you'd stand up for your beloved Hamilton, putting your body on the line day after day after day, so that others could have healthier ones.

Am I risking too much to unschool?

There's this false assumption that if you’re on a modest income, you can’t unschool. The thinking goes that unschooling is for the financially secure; those who can afford activities like travel, entertainment, exposure to costly cultural events, cutting-edge resources and of course tutors.
This is certainly untrue in my neck of the woods. Nor is true in almost every other unschooling/homeschooling milieu I know of. Most families I know who unschool have financial constraints. These families are usually one income households on tight budgets, or parents running their own businesses, or parents who work part time. These families make it happen. They barter services, they're constantly on the look out for free opportunities. The library is their greatest supporter. The great outdoors is a steady friend and teacher and of course community resources are invaluable. Redefining expectations of what a 'good life' is is key to successful unschooling.
Still the question arises; are we risking too much to unschool? What happens in the event of an emergency- say a dental emergency? What happens if you can’t make your mortgage payment and it’s your fault- because you should have put the kids in school and got a real job?
It can be a really tough call when you decide to give up job opportunities (that you studied hard for besides) in order to unschool your kids. Family members can be quick to criticize you and you secretly wonder too, if you are crazy.

It boils down to priorities and priorities do change. When my kids were little I was determined to stay home with them so that living in city housing was the only way our family could live on one income to make it happen.

Having too little money can cause untold stress; that’s why many unschooling moms try to maintain a part time gig, or some arrangement to earn money while the kids are very little. This also helps keep your foot in the ‘working world.’
If the stress of  having too little money becomes unbearable, families will make arrangements to put kids in school for a year or so and continue to use the unschooling philosophy in their homes. You have to do what you have to do. I know people who wish they had not stuck it out with unschooling; their children suffered too much because of the poverty they were in. This is particularly true when a couple does not see eye-to-eye on unschooling; that is, when one parent is not on board with the idea and only consents to do it grudgingly. If both parents are on board, it makes unschooling on a budget a whole lot easier.
Reality Check; the economy, in general, is in rough shape and maintaining a job that has long term benefits is getting harder and harder. Making one's own way looks like a good alternative and if that includes unschooling, then all the better.
I call on all unschoolers to be active citizens for unschooling. This means making working to ensure universal medical care continues to be available; that affordable housing is available, that there are community gardens and other opportunities available. To unschool we need to have those basic necessities met. This is the same for kids who go to school; if they don’t have daily meals, if they live in a shelter, if they have no decent coat or shoes to wear,  it is going to be a whole lot tougher to focus on what is being taught in the classroom.
My next post will be unschooling on a budget.