What is education? | Paul Self | TEDxYouth@ACS

what is education the picture here is of

what is education the picture here is of course anyone who’s been in my classroom

course anyone who’s been in my classroom

course anyone who’s been in my classroom knows this is Raphael’s depiction of

knows this is Raphael’s depiction of

knows this is Raphael’s depiction of school animus Plato’s of School of

school animus Plato’s of School of

school animus Plato’s of School of Athens the Academy this is where the

Athens the Academy this is where the

Athens the Academy this is where the process of Education 70

process of Education 70

process of Education 70 this process is socially messy

this process is socially messy

this process is socially messy disputatious and yet it certainly

disputatious and yet it certainly

disputatious and yet it certainly appears to be purposeful and one could

appears to be purposeful and one could

appears to be purposeful and one could presume productive given Plato himself

presume productive given Plato himself

presume productive given Plato himself has been a best-selling author or

has been a best-selling author or

has been a best-selling author or something like I think the picture I’m

something like I think the picture I’m

something like I think the picture I’m allowing is even more interesting this

allowing is even more interesting this

allowing is even more interesting this is the product of Education look at the

is the product of Education look at the

is the product of Education look at the mine Network and play

confident skill focused entirely human

confident skill focused entirely human so if I ask you in what short and simple

so if I ask you in what short and simple

so if I ask you in what short and simple sentence to write down what his thought

sentence to write down what his thought

sentence to write down what his thought education was definition this is

education was definition this is

education was definition this is education I rather doubt that we would

education I rather doubt that we would

education I rather doubt that we would come up with the same response given how

come up with the same response given how

come up with the same response given how long this process has been going on it

long this process has been going on it

long this process has been going on it strikes me as a little strange but

strikes me as a little strange but

strikes me as a little strange but perhaps not my story the most important

perhaps not my story the most important

perhaps not my story the most important event of my young life perhaps the most

event of my young life perhaps the most

event of my young life perhaps the most important event of my entire life

important event of my entire life

important event of my entire life came completely out of the blue it was a

came completely out of the blue it was a

came completely out of the blue it was a school year 1970 1971 and I had been

school year 1970 1971 and I had been

school year 1970 1971 and I had been transferred around to different schools

transferred around to different schools

transferred around to different schools in the eighth grade I was in on these

in the eighth grade I was in on these

in the eighth grade I was in on these large brick warehouse schools with no

large brick warehouse schools with no

large brick warehouse schools with no windows and I was a little boat trapped

windows and I was a little boat trapped

windows and I was a little boat trapped in the machinery of Education let her

in the machinery of Education let her

in the machinery of Education let her leave a difference to my fate to my

leave a difference to my fate to my

leave a difference to my fate to my thoughts I found myself in a classroom

thoughts I found myself in a classroom

thoughts I found myself in a classroom any classrooms that seemed pointless

half-hearted at best I particularly

half-hearted at best I particularly remember my English teacher I don’t know

remember my English teacher I don’t know

remember my English teacher I don’t know her name

her name

her name and because he’d rather old to be at the

and because he’d rather old to be at the

and because he’d rather old to be at the dying but let’s assume she was probably

dying but let’s assume she was probably

dying but let’s assume she was probably twenty six or seven it’s all relative

twenty six or seven it’s all relative

twenty six or seven it’s all relative isn’t it completely inadequate to the

isn’t it completely inadequate to the

isn’t it completely inadequate to the task that had been presented to her to

task that had been presented to her to

task that had been presented to her to bring life and meaning to that room full

bring life and meaning to that room full

bring life and meaning to that room full of sullen suspicious ignorant and

of sullen suspicious ignorant and

of sullen suspicious ignorant and entirely monthly subjects I suppose that

entirely monthly subjects I suppose that

entirely monthly subjects I suppose that was one of them one day with no preamble

was one of them one day with no preamble

was one of them one day with no preamble no context no explanation no follow-up

no context no explanation no follow-up

no context no explanation no follow-up nothing no connection to anything that I

nothing no connection to anything that I

nothing no connection to anything that I could see or know and have ever been

could see or know and have ever been

could see or know and have ever been able to retrace she walked by my desk

able to retrace she walked by my desk

able to retrace she walked by my desk and dropped a book on my desk looked at

and dropped a book on my desk looked at

and dropped a book on my desk looked at me and said this and this only I think

me and said this and this only I think

me and said this and this only I think you should read this

it was Walden by Henry David Thoreau now

it was Walden by Henry David Thoreau now this gift should not work I don’t know

this gift should not work I don’t know

this gift should not work I don’t know whether you have read the Knievel wallet

whether you have read the Knievel wallet

whether you have read the Knievel wallet but it doesn’t rest on any young adult

but it doesn’t rest on any young adult

but it doesn’t rest on any young adult literature bestseller lists not everyone

literature bestseller lists not everyone

literature bestseller lists not everyone recognizes the moment the precise moment

recognizes the moment the precise moment

recognizes the moment the precise moment in their life their identity and their

in their life their identity and their

in their life their identity and their purpose flash into focus

purpose flash into focus

purpose flash into focus I did just a short simple remember I’m

I did just a short simple remember I’m

I did just a short simple remember I’m 13 I come from a working-class family my

13 I come from a working-class family my

13 I come from a working-class family my father was functionally illiterate he

father was functionally illiterate he

father was functionally illiterate he was an orphan from the Great Depression

was an orphan from the Great Depression

was an orphan from the Great Depression there were no books in my house except

there were no books in my house except

there were no books in my house except what I bought with my lunch money and

what I bought with my lunch money and

what I bought with my lunch money and yet I kept this book already the Roses I

yet I kept this book already the Roses I

yet I kept this book already the Roses I went to the woods because I wished

to front only the essential facts of

to front only the essential facts of life and see if I could not learn what

life and see if I could not learn what

life and see if I could not learn what it had to teach and not when I came to

it had to teach and not when I came to

it had to teach and not when I came to Donnie discovered I had monthly at 13 of

Donnie discovered I had monthly at 13 of

Donnie discovered I had monthly at 13 of reading this book and it it sends me

reading this book and it it sends me

reading this book and it it sends me into some kind of internal exalted state

into some kind of internal exalted state

into some kind of internal exalted state I began to learn things and think things

I began to learn things and think things

I began to learn things and think things let’s take a look

let’s take a look

let’s take a look a person’s truest state of being is

a person’s truest state of being is

a person’s truest state of being is inside

the world outside is mysterious and

the world outside is mysterious and demands our full attention reality is

demands our full attention reality is

demands our full attention reality is not obvious

not obvious

not obvious as a Harvard College graduate thorough

as a Harvard College graduate thorough

as a Harvard College graduate thorough already knew many things and yet he

already knew many things and yet he

already knew many things and yet he deliberately retreated into a state of

deliberately retreated into a state of

deliberately retreated into a state of higness about the world living for years

higness about the world living for years

higness about the world living for years in a one-room cabin and apparently doing

in a one-room cabin and apparently doing

in a one-room cabin and apparently doing almost nothing except a bit of gardening

almost nothing except a bit of gardening

almost nothing except a bit of gardening and lots of walks why would he do that

and lots of walks why would he do that

and lots of walks why would he do that this simple uncluttered life gave him

this simple uncluttered life gave him

this simple uncluttered life gave him space for thinking and the possibility

space for thinking and the possibility

space for thinking and the possibility of finding truth finding the true shape

of finding truth finding the true shape

of finding truth finding the true shape of the world is the most important thing

of the world is the most important thing

of the world is the most important thing person can aim for

person can aim for

person can aim for that this truth what smell you might be

that this truth what smell you might be

that this truth what smell you might be unsatisfying and inconvenient is simply

unsatisfying and inconvenient is simply

unsatisfying and inconvenient is simply don’t know lots of place the truth is

don’t know lots of place the truth is

don’t know lots of place the truth is truth

also as if he had spent when he was

also as if he had spent when he was locked up for protesting this match

locked up for protesting this match

locked up for protesting this match American War I learned that a person

American War I learned that a person

American War I learned that a person having found a truth must bring it into

having found a truth must bring it into

having found a truth must bring it into the public world activated what head

the public world activated what head

the public world activated what head possessed this woman to drop this book

possessed this woman to drop this book

possessed this woman to drop this book on my desk what is the extent of what

on my desk what is the extent of what

on my desk what is the extent of what can be accomplished inside a classroom

can be accomplished inside a classroom

can be accomplished inside a classroom but one thing I know that learning is a

but one thing I know that learning is a

but one thing I know that learning is a human thing humans learn that what

so I set myself to answer that question

so I set myself to answer that question still the process after 31 years of

still the process after 31 years of

still the process after 31 years of teaching and a few years of doing some

teaching and a few years of doing some

teaching and a few years of doing some other things back to Aristotle now you

other things back to Aristotle now you

other things back to Aristotle now you see

see

see when did aerosol well you remember the

when did aerosol well you remember the

when did aerosol well you remember the picture previously the young man who was

picture previously the young man who was

picture previously the young man who was in vigorous disputation with the old man

in vigorous disputation with the old man

in vigorous disputation with the old man that was Aristotle but the old man was

that was Aristotle but the old man was

that was Aristotle but the old man was of course a famous teacher Plato

of course a famous teacher Plato

of course a famous teacher Plato Aristotle believed that education was

Aristotle believed that education was

Aristotle believed that education was excellence

excellence

excellence now please stop thinking about run

now please stop thinking about run

now please stop thinking about run faster jump higher as they used to say

faster jump higher as they used to say

faster jump higher as they used to say when I was eight years old them by PF

when I was eight years old them by PF

when I was eight years old them by PF Flyers tennis shoes this excellence had

Flyers tennis shoes this excellence had

Flyers tennis shoes this excellence had nothing to do with competition which

nothing to do with competition which

nothing to do with competition which Aristotle would have stared at and

Aristotle would have stared at and

Aristotle would have stared at and thought to be entirely unproductive as a

thought to be entirely unproductive as a

thought to be entirely unproductive as a means of discovering something important

means of discovering something important

means of discovering something important so I better than you what if that’s a no

so I better than you what if that’s a no

so I better than you what if that’s a no I’d rather it was a kind of focused and

I’d rather it was a kind of focused and

I’d rather it was a kind of focused and efficient itself

efficient itself

efficient itself a person who performed acts of living

a person who performed acts of living

a person who performed acts of living with exceptional competence eternal

with exceptional competence eternal

with exceptional competence eternal dedication

dedication

dedication it was the art of living freely chosen

thousand years or two ahead the zero-sum

thousand years or two ahead the zero-sum game hogs called this called life in

game hogs called this called life in

game hogs called this called life in general the war of every man against

general the war of every man against

general the war of every man against every man competition is our true state

every man competition is our true state

every man competition is our true state of being the only possible state of

of being the only possible state of

of being the only possible state of being and that there is a single fixed

being and that there is a single fixed

being and that there is a single fixed amount of social good that exists and

amount of social good that exists and

amount of social good that exists and will always exist and the only function

will always exist and the only function

will always exist and the only function of life is to grasp as much of this as

of life is to grasp as much of this as

of life is to grasp as much of this as possible and holding successfully

possible and holding successfully

possible and holding successfully defended such as higher education we

defended such as higher education we

defended such as higher education we have somehow bizarrely managed to allow

have somehow bizarrely managed to allow

have somehow bizarrely managed to allow ourselves to be convinced that there

ourselves to be convinced that there

ourselves to be convinced that there only perhaps 130 schools in the world

only perhaps 130 schools in the world

only perhaps 130 schools in the world where a person can receive an adequate

where a person can receive an adequate

where a person can receive an adequate education and the rest of them are

education and the rest of them are

education and the rest of them are chicken print rather silly don’t you

chicken print rather silly don’t you

chicken print rather silly don’t you think some of you education as a

think some of you education as a

think some of you education as a conveniently organized future customer

conveniently organized future customer

conveniently organized future customer base to be managed for future

base to be managed for future

base to be managed for future achievements

achievements

achievements if these potential customers are

if these potential customers are

if these potential customers are carefully constructed and managed they

carefully constructed and managed they

carefully constructed and managed they can guarantee happy stockholders and

can guarantee happy stockholders and

can guarantee happy stockholders and endless retirements for decades to come

endless retirements for decades to come

endless retirements for decades to come then what should we as teachers do if

then what should we as teachers do if

then what should we as teachers do if this is true well we should stand beside

this is true well we should stand beside

this is true well we should stand beside applaud and let the process go on as the

applaud and let the process go on as the

applaud and let the process go on as the economists fictive above stated in 1955

economists fictive above stated in 1955

economists fictive above stated in 1955 he said this our enormous lead

he said this our enormous lead

he said this our enormous lead productive economy is ready about 1955

productive economy is ready about 1955

productive economy is ready about 1955 demands that we make consumption our way

demands that we make consumption our way

demands that we make consumption our way of life that we convert the buying and

of life that we convert the buying and

of life that we convert the buying and use of goods into rich means that we

use of goods into rich means that we

use of goods into rich means that we seek our spiritual satisfactions our ego

seek our spiritual satisfactions our ego

seek our spiritual satisfactions our ego satisfactions in consumption the measure

satisfactions in consumption the measure

satisfactions in consumption the measure of social status and social acceptance

of social status and social acceptance

of social status and social acceptance of prestige must now be found in our

of prestige must now be found in our

of prestige must now be found in our consumption patterns the very meaning

consumption patterns the very meaning

consumption patterns the very meaning and significance of our life will from

and significance of our life will from

and significance of our life will from now on be expressed in consumption

now on be expressed in consumption

now on be expressed in consumption attorneys others believe see human

attorneys others believe see human

attorneys others believe see human nature as essentially dangerous and NRT

nature as essentially dangerous and NRT

nature as essentially dangerous and NRT be able properly regulated humans are to

be able properly regulated humans are to

be able properly regulated humans are to be here

be here

be here classrooms education are instruments of

classrooms education are instruments of

classrooms education are instruments of where the doxy orthodoxy produces

where the doxy orthodoxy produces

where the doxy orthodoxy produces stability nothing else matters to people

stability nothing else matters to people

stability nothing else matters to people who hold this point of view any change

who hold this point of view any change

who hold this point of view any change to the present cultural political

to the present cultural political

to the present cultural political economic it’s unthinkable the question

economic it’s unthinkable the question

economic it’s unthinkable the question is what are my what what

do I work for stability or creativity do

do I work for stability or creativity do I partner myself with the generation of

I partner myself with the generation of

I partner myself with the generation of wealth or prosperity divide is truth can

wealth or prosperity divide is truth can

wealth or prosperity divide is truth can be troublesome and creativity can be

be troublesome and creativity can be

be troublesome and creativity can be destabilizing the most important the

destabilizing the most important the

destabilizing the most important the most revolutionary technology is in the

most revolutionary technology is in the

most revolutionary technology is in the form of ideas not much James was it the

form of ideas not much James was it the

form of ideas not much James was it the printing press or was it the ideas is it

printing press or was it the ideas is it

printing press or was it the ideas is it the books

the books

the books was it the minds was it the Restless

was it the minds was it the Restless

was it the minds was it the Restless questions that found their way into

questions that found their way into

questions that found their way into these books the creative mind and the

these books the creative mind and the

these books the creative mind and the Orthodox mind now as my father used to

Orthodox mind now as my father used to

Orthodox mind now as my father used to say when I was a kid son a game and

say when I was a kid son a game and

say when I was a kid son a game and nothing you’re bound to hit it so what

nothing you’re bound to hit it so what

nothing you’re bound to hit it so what do I need that in my classroom

do I need that in my classroom

do I need that in my classroom your thoughts mind cannot create it

your thoughts mind cannot create it

your thoughts mind cannot create it doesn’t actually think it recites push

doesn’t actually think it recites push

doesn’t actually think it recites push the button the loop starts push the

the button the loop starts push the

the button the loop starts push the button again stops push the button the

button again stops push the button the

button again stops push the button the loop starts the creative mind works

loop starts the creative mind works

loop starts the creative mind works because it sees things that are

go to sleep at night just as I did

go to sleep at night just as I did after reading Walden you wake up in the

after reading Walden you wake up in the

after reading Walden you wake up in the morning you open your eyes and look

morning you open your eyes and look

morning you open your eyes and look around and you see things that simply

around and you see things that simply

around and you see things that simply weren’t there the day before and things

weren’t there the day before and things

weren’t there the day before and things that were there the day before that

that were there the day before that

that were there the day before that loomed on the conceptual horizon get

loomed on the conceptual horizon get

loomed on the conceptual horizon get smaller things move around values change

smaller things move around values change

smaller things move around values change that is the value that I assigned to

that is the value that I assigned to

that is the value that I assigned to this or the value that I sign that is

this or the value that I sign that is

this or the value that I sign that is not a corporate activity it is not an

not a corporate activity it is not an

not a corporate activity it is not an industrial activity it’s a mysterious

industrial activity it’s a mysterious

industrial activity it’s a mysterious process it’s an organic process let’s

process it’s an organic process let’s

process it’s an organic process let’s consider the Brazilian education reform

consider the Brazilian education reform

consider the Brazilian education reform Paulo Freire famous quotation

education either functions as an

education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate

instrument which is used to facilitate

instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation

integration of the younger generation

integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and

into the logic of the present system and

into the logic of the present system and to bring about conformity it becomes the

to bring about conformity it becomes the

to bring about conformity it becomes the practice of freedom the means by which

practice of freedom the means by which

practice of freedom the means by which men and women deal critically and

men and women deal critically and

men and women deal critically and creatively with reality

creatively with reality

creatively with reality discover how to participate information

discover how to participate information

discover how to participate information of their world so what do you know mr.

of their world so what do you know mr.

of their world so what do you know mr. self after all these years

and I would like my students to achieve

and I would like my students to achieve excellence

I would like them to discover and

I would like them to discover and embrace their obligations so that they

embrace their obligations so that they

embrace their obligations so that they might be truly free

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]