learning = dependence?

(again, same reference as below: Knowles, et. al.)

From the second assumption of the andragogical model (which is different from the pedagogical model - or how kids learn):

"2. The learners' self-concept. Adults have a self-concept of being responsible for their own decisions, for their own lives. Once they have arrived at that self-concept, they develop a deep psychological need to be seen by others and treated by others as being capable of self-direction. They resent and resist situations in which they feel others are imposing their wills on them. This presents a serious problem in adult education: The minute adults walk into an activity labeled "education," "training," or anything synonymous, they hark back to their conditioning in their previous school experience, put on their dunce hats of dependency, fold their arms, sit back, and say "teach me." this assumption of required dependency and the facilitator's subsequent treatment of adult students as children creates a conflict within them between their intellectual model - learner equals dependent - and the deeper, perhaps subconscious, psychological need to be self-directing. And the typical method of dealing with psychological conflict is to try to flee from the situation causing it, which probably accounts in part for the high dropout rate in much voluntary adult education. As adult educators become aware of this problem, they make efforts to create learning experiences in which adults are helped to make the transition from dependent to self-directing learners." (p. 65)

I'm sure you can find one example in your life where this is totally true. Think back to your college days... or even the stereotypically college student... I would guess that much of the rebellion that comes from college students stems from this transition into adulthood. They are living in an environment where they are expected to act like adults - wake themselves, feed themselves, be generally responsible for themselves - and yet this environment still wants to tell them what to do in many ways. "Go to class, or you'll get into trouble." "No girls allowed in the boys dorm after 10pm, or you'll get into trouble." "No drinking until you're 21, even though we expect you to act as an adult in every other way, or you'll get into trouble." "Listen to us, or you'll get into trouble." Yeah, right.

So, when the government says the same types of things, why do we roll over and say, "well, ok"?

"Let us provide healthcare for everyone, and everyone will be ok." "Let us create jobs, and everyone will be ok." "Let us bail out the banks, the auto industry, and anyone else who needs help, and everyone will be ok." "Listen to us, and everyone will be ok."

Sure, there's a more positive spin on it... but since when did we become so trusting? Since when did we forget our history?!?

I just wish I could get off this topic... but I'm afraid I've got two more months of seeing parallels between typical adult behavior and what we're doing to ourselves now. I guess that should read nonparallels. *sigh* Maybe May will bring us that proverbial change we've been so desperate for. Maybe I'll stop seeing current events in my textbooks about adult learning, and maybe the government will see to it that everyone really will be ok. Well... at least one of those might happen. =)

school = learning?

So, Alpine is done with school... as far as the book-work goes. I'm so jealous!! I'm NOT jealous, however, of the boards he will have to take in only a few months. Since I have been trying to dutifully attend to my homework (ugh), I thought I would share some interesting points here:

(All citations from:
Knowles, M.S., Holton, E.F., & Swanson, R.A. (2005). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development. (6th ed). Elsevier: Burlington, MA.)

Carl Rogers was a humanistic psychologist who is considered the father of client-centered therapy. This runs in the same vein as andragogy (not androgyny, as I keep trying to say), the study of adult learning, which views adult learning as learner-centered rather than teacher-centered. That's enough background for this quote:

"Clinically, I find it to be true that though an individual may remain dependent because he has always been so, or may drift into dependence without realizing what he is doing, or may temporarily wish to be dependent because his situation appears desperate. I have yet to find the individual who, when he examines his situation deeply, and feels that he perceives it dearly, deliberately chooses dependence, deliberately chooses to have the integrated direction of himself undertaken by another. When all the elements are clearly perceived, the balance seems invariably in the direction of the painful but ultimately rewarding path of self-actualization and growth." (p. 51)

Read it again - I know it's a little wordy, and strangely wordy (and punctuated) at that.

Here's what I read: Though a person might choose to be dependent for several reasons - either because he has always been that way, or he might have gotten there unintentionally, or maybe he temporarily has to because there isn't another choice - I have not yet found a person who, when they really look at themselves and their situation, actually chooses dependence. Though it may be difficult, people generally want to choose the path that will be most rewarding - that of perserverance and hard work.

This is said in regard to learning - both formally (in school) and as a patient... that basically no adult wants to be told what to do. That is not rewarding, it doesn't make us feel good about ourselves, and we don't feel worth anything. Supposedly, we want to take responsibility for ourselves... we want to make our own decisions... we want to contribute in some way.

So... why is it that we seem so quick to let the government "take care of things" for us... to let the government "give" us something, only so they can restrict our actions because of their so-called generosity?

Yes, I've got my head firmly inserted into Glenn Beck's rear... but I swear, I thought of this weeks before his rant about nearly the same thing. I guess that's why I like him so much... he believes in responsibility, and all the other things that I also believe in. When he rants about something on his radio show or on tv, in many cases, Alpine or I have ranted about the same thing. This wasn't supposed to turn into a Glenn Beck Love Fest, but some things just can't be helped... =)

In conclusion... what the heck are we doing to ourselves?!?

MarioKart!!

My cousin celebrated his 6th birthday last week, so we went to his house to celebrate yesterday. Here's the cake I made for him:

So, if you aren't a MarioKart addict (like I am), this is "Mushroom Gorge." You can bounce on the red mushrooms...

... you can throw banana peels and turtle shells at other drivers to try and wreck them, the colored zig-zags increase your speed, and the ? boxes give you items to use to help yourself... and sometimes hurt yourself!

This was a family affair: my aunt found the cars on ebay; my sister came up with the idea to use sugar cookies instead of cupcakes for the mushrooms and a spring to "spring" a car from a red mushroom; my dad indirectly came up with the idea to use Runts for the "weapons"; my mom made the sugar cookies, arranged the "spring" out of craft wire and helped decorate the cookies. We all took part in demolishing it... once someone had the guts to make the first cut! I must admit, with all the accessories, it turned out better than I expected!