What Are We “Teaching” Our Children?

March 15, 2010

There is no such thing as “teaching”. Some people present information and ideas, but those are only of use to the student if the student is interested enough to learn and apply them. Otherwise, at best, students will memorize, regurgitate, and forget whatever they are “taught”.

Our school system is obsolete, because it focuses almost exclusively on what should be taught, and how to measure whether that was accomplished. But, as Oscar Wilde said, “Nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.” Instead, schools should focus on helping students LEARN, based on their interests, aptitudes, and internal motivations.

Posted in Life, choices, homeschool 62 Comments »

For the Warrior, Poet, Mystic: On Finding Love

March 6, 2010

LOVE

as

Outward Kindness

rests

On Strength,

Magical

and

Certain,

Mystical

and

Centered.

ETHEREAL JOY

from

CHANCES TAKEN.

Peace

Walks Slowly

On Still

Water

Between World

and

Illusion,

at times

Unaware,

Guided By

LOVE.

*

(Swans, Boats)

Posted in choices, love 38 Comments »

How to Stay Sane While Waiting for a Diagnosis

March 4, 2010

This week I have the distinct pleasure of putting Vermont’s universal health care system to the test.

For a few weeks now, I haven’t felt exactly right. I can feel my heart beating harder than it should, my chest hurts, my cycles are all screwed up, and I feel like I’m breathing through a straw… at 10,000 feet above sea level.

For the record, I’m not usually a hypochondriac. In fact, I go to great lengths to avoid seeing anyone in the medical profession, for reasons I won’t get into right now. If anything, I have a tendency to downplay the significance of my symptoms. But I have a new theory that EVERYONE becomes a hypochondriac while waiting for a diagnosis. The degree of paranoia is directly related to the amount of time one has to wait.

Posted in Life, acceptance, anxiety 38 Comments »