MY REACTION TO WHITES’ ‘BANKING SYSTEM OF EDUCATION’ AS PORTRAYED BY BLOOM IN THE TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT (TES) (2007) AND ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS POSED BELOW IN RESPONSE TO BLOOM’S ARTICLE
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To what extent do you agree with White that: schools should be inculcating knowledge relevant to modern society, such as the ability to live healthily, to manage money and to find fulfilment?
1. How valuable is this idea of 'personal self-fulfilment' as an educational aim?
2. How important are personal autonomy and the freedom to engage in activities and relationships?
3. How important is 'wholeheartedness'?
4. What counts as ‘worthwhile'?
I agree with White that education must advance and have relevance for each generation. I think that there is so much emphasis on having to meet the demands imposed by curriculum subjects in some schools that there is not always enough time to be able to teach life skills such as healthy living, money management and other practicalities that would be useful for personal development in later life.
I also believe, however, that there are many factors to take into account when considering White’s view. It is not enough to simply state that: “schools should be inculcating knowledge relevant to modern society” (White, 2007). It depends upon which country the schools are in and what constraints, politically, economically and culturally they are operating under.
The current crisis in Syria, where children are indoctrinated into the ways of the Islamic State (IS), illustrates my points above. The Quillam Foundation, describes itself as:
“a counter-extremism think tank based in London focusing on Islamist radicalisation, extremism, terrorism, and how to counter these phenomena…” (2016, online)
They are concerned not only with trying to counteract indoctrination within the Syrian education system, but also with any form of radicalisation of young people and this includes those in the UK. Recent cases of UK schools suspected of indoctrinating it’s pupils in IS ideology have been reported in the media. (Mackie, 2014)
A report by the Quillam Foundation on the way that the education system can be used as a tool to breed terrorism stated that, in Syria:
"Children are taught the rigid IS curriculum, and are
encouraged to spy on their families and friends.” (Benotman and Malik, 2016, p.29)
This report highlights the constraints under which the teachers in Syria are operating. It states:
“teachers who refuse to cooperate with this strict regime are threatened, and often killed.” (ibid, p.29)
Whilst I believe in adapting to changes in education I think that White’s choice of words that: “ schools should be inculcating knowledge relevant to modern society” could, if placed in the wrong context, carry very sinister connotations. Your view on the Syrian education system that exists in modern society depends on which beliefs you hold. According to IS philosophy, the knowledge they are insisting it’s schools impart is relevant to their vision of what modern society should look like for their people. They install the belief in their young people that, if they follow the IS regime and act according to the rules it imposes, this will eventually lead to a utopian state of existence.The view held by those who oppose the IS regime is very different. According to Quillam, IS is:
“using tight control and strategic planning to indoctrinate children with its message of hatred and violence.” (ibid,p.32)
I also believe that White’s statement above appears to ignore the value of learning from history. I agree, to an extent, with the view held by Don Edgar that:
“Educators must understand the fallacies and worthy practices utilized in the past. Through an understanding of these ideologies, future theorists and educators can provide meaningful teaching practices resulting in student learning.” (Edgar, 2012)
I do feel though that, Edgar’s quote above poses questions as to what one considers to be “worthy practices” and what constitutes “meaningful teaching”. Surely these are subjects for debate and, as such, will produce a different response in each individual?
In much the same way as I question Edgar’s chose of words above, I also question what White is referring to when he speaks of ‘personal self- fulfilment’ as an educational aim. White himself states that: "People differ over what they see as worthwhile…” (2007,p.35). If this is the case, which I believe it is, then it is difficult to give a quantitive value to how fulfilled an individual might be on any level and what his perception of worthwhile might be. Each person experiences things differently and places different values upon them. Is this ‘personal self- fulfilment’ meant to refer to one attained through the acquisition of knowledge, a new life experience, relationships, or some divine spiritual state perhaps?
In my opinion, a teacher should endeavour to inspire his or her pupils to want to learn and hope that, on some level, those pupils feel they have benefited from the lesson; because each person interprets things individually, however, I don’t believe you can make ‘personal self-fulfilment’ an educational aim. Also, is the self-fulfilment meant to be directed entirely at the pupil’s learning experience, or does it also encompass that of the teacher delivering the lesson? This is, in my opinion, unclear.
I think that, by making the statement that schools should be equipping their pupils with the knowledge to find fulfilment, White is bestowing the school with far too much importance and also responsibility in the role of educator.
I believe in the importance of personal autonomy and the freedom to engage in activities and relationships providing that the individual has the mental capacity to do so and it is not in any way detrimental to themselves or to others. In other words, it depends on what those activities and relationships are, what the context is and what the moral and ethical implications are for all concerned.
White speaks of the importance of pursuing activities and relationships with “wholeheartedness”. I believe that, anything that has positive value for the individual, be it an activity, a relationship or a personal goal, is important to engage in wholeheartedly, provided that it is safe to do so for the individual and, as far as possible, for those around them.
I will look at this in relation to my own personal experience as a dance teacher. Occasionally, if it is deemed safe by a doctor, an injured pupil may participate in a dance class by what we term ‘marking’ an exercise rather than executing it fully in order to prevent further damage to the injury. In this instance there is value in participating on some level, but it could not be deemed to be wholehearted participation.
I believe White’s view for modern day education is idealistic. His list of “The White way to teaching wisdom” appears comprehensive and inclusive at a glance, in that it advocates an approach to teaching that will produce a well- balanced, happy individual.However the word “wisdom’ itself carries many connotations. Mark Edwards, writing for Medical News Today, states that:
“..there is no enduring, consistent definition of what it means exactly to be wise” (Edwards, 2010).
I agree with Edwards and, consequently, I don’t believe that wisdom, or the way White advocates teaching it, can be as clear cut as White seems to be implying. One person’s definition of wisdom can differ from another’s.
To paraphrase White’s own words, people place different emphasis on what they consider to be important. Value must also, I feel, be placed on other people’s opinions. If you apply this to education then, different approaches to teaching, and to what is being taught, should also be valued. In this case, there is no right or wrong method of teaching and no ‘one size fits all’ approach which can be universally applied or advocated.
In my opinion, education should be an ever-evolving process which endeavours to incorporate the changing world around us and tries to equip young people with as much information as it can to help them on their individual paths. I also think,however, that we must be realistic and accept that school is not the sole educator and that family, society and environment also play a vital role in imparting knowledge to the individual. Whether on a conscious level or subliminally, I believe that individuals absorb knowledge from many different sources on a daily basis.
To conclude then, I would say that I agree with the basic premise of White’s ideology, but question his choice of words in his pamphlet “What Schools are for and why” (White, 2007). I would also question the power he appears to bestow upon the school in the total educational development of the individual.
In much the same way as I question Edgar’s chose of words above, I also question what White is referring to when he speaks of ‘personal self- fulfilment’ as an educational aim. White himself states that: "People differ over what they see as worthwhile…” (2007,p.35). If this is the case, which I believe it is, then it is difficult to give a quantitive value to how fulfilled an individual might be on any level and what his perception of worthwhile might be. Each person experiences things differently and places different values upon them. Is this ‘personal self- fulfilment’ meant to refer to one attained through the acquisition of knowledge, a new life experience, relationships, or some divine spiritual state perhaps?
In my opinion, a teacher should endeavour to inspire his or her pupils to want to learn and hope that, on some level, those pupils feel they have benefited from the lesson; because each person interprets things individually, however, I don’t believe you can make ‘personal self-fulfilment’ an educational aim. Also, is the self-fulfilment meant to be directed entirely at the pupil’s learning experience, or does it also encompass that of the teacher delivering the lesson? This is, in my opinion, unclear.
I think that, by making the statement that schools should be equipping their pupils with the knowledge to find fulfilment, White is bestowing the school with far too much importance and also responsibility in the role of educator.
I believe in the importance of personal autonomy and the freedom to engage in activities and relationships providing that the individual has the mental capacity to do so and it is not in any way detrimental to themselves or to others. In other words, it depends on what those activities and relationships are, what the context is and what the moral and ethical implications are for all concerned.
White speaks of the importance of pursuing activities and relationships with “wholeheartedness”. I believe that, anything that has positive value for the individual, be it an activity, a relationship or a personal goal, is important to engage in wholeheartedly, provided that it is safe to do so for the individual and, as far as possible, for those around them.
I will look at this in relation to my own personal experience as a dance teacher. Occasionally, if it is deemed safe by a doctor, an injured pupil may participate in a dance class by what we term ‘marking’ an exercise rather than executing it fully in order to prevent further damage to the injury. In this instance there is value in participating on some level, but it could not be deemed to be wholehearted participation.
I believe White’s view for modern day education is idealistic. His list of “The White way to teaching wisdom” appears comprehensive and inclusive at a glance, in that it advocates an approach to teaching that will produce a well- balanced, happy individual.However the word “wisdom’ itself carries many connotations. Mark Edwards, writing for Medical News Today, states that:
“..there is no enduring, consistent definition of what it means exactly to be wise” (Edwards, 2010).
I agree with Edwards and, consequently, I don’t believe that wisdom, or the way White advocates teaching it, can be as clear cut as White seems to be implying. One person’s definition of wisdom can differ from another’s.
To paraphrase White’s own words, people place different emphasis on what they consider to be important. Value must also, I feel, be placed on other people’s opinions. If you apply this to education then, different approaches to teaching, and to what is being taught, should also be valued. In this case, there is no right or wrong method of teaching and no ‘one size fits all’ approach which can be universally applied or advocated.
In my opinion, education should be an ever-evolving process which endeavours to incorporate the changing world around us and tries to equip young people with as much information as it can to help them on their individual paths. I also think,however, that we must be realistic and accept that school is not the sole educator and that family, society and environment also play a vital role in imparting knowledge to the individual. Whether on a conscious level or subliminally, I believe that individuals absorb knowledge from many different sources on a daily basis.
To conclude then, I would say that I agree with the basic premise of White’s ideology, but question his choice of words in his pamphlet “What Schools are for and why” (White, 2007). I would also question the power he appears to bestow upon the school in the total educational development of the individual.
Further response to White after reading White’s Pamphlet (2007)
Having now read White’s pamphlet (2007), it is apparent that the view presented in the TES above does not paint a true picture of White’s views. I refer above, for example, to the fact that White, as presented in the TES, appears to place too much emphasis on the school as the sole educator of a child, but, after reading his pamphlet, it is clear that White does also believe that parents,society and the environment also play a part in the total education of the child.
This exercise was a perfect example of the old adage “You can’t believe everything you read in the papers”! It made me realise how important it is to try to find and read the original source being written about and not accept that another person’s representation of it is accurate. Sections of an article, taken out of context, can present you with a very differ impression. After having read the entire pamphlet I now have a different reaction to White’s views, as he does himself answer many of the points I thought he had failed to address. As a result, I found that my own views are actually more in line with those of White than I first thought.
Bibliography
Benotman, N. and Malik, N. (2016) The Children of Islamic State - report Quillam foundation (online). Available at: https://www.quilliamfoundation.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/publications/free/the-children-of-islamic-state.pdf (accessed 2nd October 2016
Bloom, A. (2007) A Curriculum out of Time [an interview with John White]. Times Educational Supplement. 23 February [online]. Available at: http://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/legal/auth/checkbrowser.do?ipcounter=1&cookie
State=0&rand=0.23666626311032568&bhcp=1 (accessed 13th September 2016)
Edgar, W, D. (2012) Learning Theories and Historical Events Affecting Instructional Design in Education, Recitation Literacy Toward Extraction Literacy Practices, (online). Available at: http://sgo.sagepub.com/content/2/4/2158244012462707 (accessed 2nd October 2016)
Edwards, M (2010) What is wisdom? experts Define it. Medical News Today, (online). Available at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/188170.php (accessed 2nd October 2016).
Mackie, P. (2014) 'Islamic takeover plot' in Birmingham schools investigated, BBC News, (online). Available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-26482599 (accessed 4th October 2016)
White, J. (1997) Education and the End of Work: A New Philosophy of Work and Learning. London: Continuum International Publishing.
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