Roger Schank’s Post

Sorry for what is happening. I hope that “School considers him a loser” is only a conclusion in your mind and was not expressed some how by the school. I understand your idea Mr. Roger but I disagree. First, the most of topics we learn in school are useless for our roles in society. Nevertheless, the goal of learning those topics is to develop “thinking skills” in us. For example, learning algebra at school probably could be considered as useless for a lawyer but having the skill to produce a complex algorithmic solution to a problem and execute it was the point. I hope I was able to make my point. Second, respect for authority is a value that is learnt at school and it is important. For example, I disagree with the law but, I must respect the law (despite being working on change it legally). I agree that the education system could be better, anything could be better. I deem it will be good accepting the challenge.

Learning needs deep interest as you have always said. The educational system only considers students with less specific interest that are easier to convince . But most importantly the notion that reasoning, communication, human relations, are the three things that are most important to learn is the basis of all this. Otherwise students with very specific interests will never be thought of as having the highest potential in education, Which is usually how it is.

The three following citations from French philosopher Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) come to mind: 1) Even though we could be learned from the knowledge of others, at least we can only be wise from our own wisdom. 2) It is better to have a well-made head than a full one. 3) It is not a matter of making us more knowledgeable, but better learned. (the original French versions are below) 1) Quand bien nous pourrions être savants du savoir d'autrui, au moins sages ne pouvons-nous être que de notre propre sagesse. 2) Mieux vaut avoir une tête bien faite qu'une tête bien pleine. 3) Il ne s'agit pas de nous rendre plus savant mais mieux savant.

Roger Schank this is a brilliant post. Can you kindly share more details about the curriculum you are building? I could be globally applicable. I would be interested to learn more. Thank you

My son was like that and always challenging the teachers, because he was bored. As a freshman in high school he started the enrollment process to attend the University of Akron, a lot of teachers said he just wasn't ready, academically. Long story short, he is now simultaneously completing his junior year at Ohio State and Senior year at a local high school in Columbus. It hasn't always been a smooth road but he is now 2nd in his HS class.

Roger Schank #covid from #China has given opportunities to billions of us at #WFH as #innovationlabs and #creativity epicenter and I see a few idea at no big cost which can be implemented by adapting to the change. Why not a kid goes to his/her nearby school and access the courses of his/her choice using technology like virtual classroom, AR, VR et.al. There will not be any excuse of teacher not available with unique requirement of a student in that school, Scope of the teachers and school would become as big as school count of the city, state and beyond. If there is nothing available in the network of school for a student for his choice of learning then that student should be rewarded with new resources availability by education responsible of the area. As it is in the Maha Upnishad & Rig Veda that ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् which is true for every learner and every student. वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् means The world is family. Family is the first school for each child from day one. For more information on Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasudhaiva_Kutumbakam  #learning #education #elearning

reminded me of the great Ken Robinson. do watch his TED talk on how schools kill creativity, if you have not seen it. I agree with the post and I have to add I have grown to appreciate what did not interest me earlier, like data, vegetables, exercise. So we have to find a way to make those critical things interesting for children too

We had a presentation in a staff meeting this week about how innovative our College has been over our 110+ years of educating girls. What struck me as important, was that innovation and experimentation in learning and teaching has become more difficult as government has increased regulation and ‘testing’. Schools use to be able to create a real point of difference by offering alternate curriculum and experiences but that is becoming impossible unless schools can fully fund these options themselves.

I was one of these children! Although academically clever from the age of 14 onwards I simply stopped attending school. I wanted to focus on something that interested me And school just wasn’t that. It hasn’t so far catapulted me into the direction I wanted to go in but I feel for the future generation of children. I came up with an idea whilst I was at school to use the first couple of years of secondary school as a feel out for what a child has interest in and then allow them to pursue that interest full steam ahead, whilst still maintaining the core subjects at an acceptable level. The best nuclear physicist of our lifetime might be wasting away day after day drifting further and further from their point of interest because of the ‘one shoe fits all’ school system.