A regular field trip for us suburban Louisville kids was to go to Shakertown. Our teachers would wax on about their different way of life, though the only connection to any curriculum would be that "this is how the early Kentucky settlers" probably lived. To us kids, it was just a gimmick, a fun day to not be stuck a desk, spelling words before playing the same old games at recess.
At the school I helped found, Highland Montessori School, simplicity is a guiding philosophy. This isn't as much about the children, for whom everything seems simple. It's guided at the adults. Our brains seem wired to complicate life. If a child wants to sleep until 9am, then by all means that is what is best, whether s/he is 4 or 14. Biology knows what is best, why do we mess with it?
Simplicity also guides the school's business practices as well. Profit-maximizing monopolistic pricing theory aside, there is no need to confuse both the parents and the bookkeepers with tiered pricing schemes. HMS establishes one price, and that family pays that tuition each month until their child has completed school. Both the school and the parents can more accurately budget months and years ahead.
Simplicity also guides the school's business practices as well. Profit-maximizing monopolistic pricing theory aside, there is no need to confuse both the parents and the bookkeepers with tiered pricing schemes. HMS establishes one price, and that family pays that tuition each month until their child has completed school. Both the school and the parents can more accurately budget months and years ahead.
Why do our leaders insist on complicating school curriculums by force-feeding children? Research shows over and over that children--and adults--learn best when they _want_ to learn something. This kids's TED-x talk on Hackschooling" totally gets it. Learning can be fun, and it doesn't have to be complicated.
When I was in college I learned that problems that presented themselves as complex often weren't really. Whether it was a essay for a course I didn't like or an econometrics problem set or a relationship issue, I taught myself to just put the question in the back of my mind and let it sit there. Nine times out of ten, the simple solution would appear while I was going for a jog or watching Lake Michigan or watching Cheers reruns.
For me, the simple life is well-portrayed, perhaps glorified, by the elves in the Lord of the Rings. (In fact, after the Fellowship of the Rings came out, I bought the domain "livelikeelves.com"--what should I do with it?) Their entire world is natural, from the clothing, enormous treehouse homes of wide-open living spaces and a pacifist yet realistic outlook on the world. I'm sure such thoughts entered many an Atlantans mind when stuck in traffic on Tuesday.
Settle down. Simplify. When confronted with a seemingly complex problem, think "What would the Shakers do?" and then go make something with your hands.
When I was in college I learned that problems that presented themselves as complex often weren't really. Whether it was a essay for a course I didn't like or an econometrics problem set or a relationship issue, I taught myself to just put the question in the back of my mind and let it sit there. Nine times out of ten, the simple solution would appear while I was going for a jog or watching Lake Michigan or watching Cheers reruns.
For me, the simple life is well-portrayed, perhaps glorified, by the elves in the Lord of the Rings. (In fact, after the Fellowship of the Rings came out, I bought the domain "livelikeelves.com"--what should I do with it?) Their entire world is natural, from the clothing, enormous treehouse homes of wide-open living spaces and a pacifist yet realistic outlook on the world. I'm sure such thoughts entered many an Atlantans mind when stuck in traffic on Tuesday.
Settle down. Simplify. When confronted with a seemingly complex problem, think "What would the Shakers do?" and then go make something with your hands.
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