Finding 'Aliveness' in Schools - A Conversation with Prof. Guy Claxton
Jun 2, 2024
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Prof. Guy Claxton discusses the mind-body split in education, advocating for 're-membering' our learning bodies. They explore the balance between traditional and progressive teaching methods. The conversation delves into embracing uncertainty and active inference in education, emphasizing the interconnectedness between mind and body for optimal learning. Finally, they discuss the motivation behind young people's reckless behaviors as a search for 'aliveness', advocating for wholesome ways to achieve vitality.
Reconnecting mind and body in education is crucial for holistic learning and development.
Balanced education should blend knowledge acquisition with character traits and learning dispositions for a comprehensive approach.
Deep dives
The Urgency of Education Reform
Addressing the deep-rooted issues in education, the podcast delves into the importance of reimagining traditional educational approaches. By exploring the mind-body connection and the impact on learning and development, the speaker emphasizes the need to bridge the gap between cognitive science and education. Challenging conventional views on teaching, the discussion highlights the significance of integrating a more holistic and embodied approach to education.
Balanced Learning and Teaching
The podcast delves into the concept of balanced education, incorporating elements like curiosity, independence, collaboration, intellectual humility, and critical thinking into teaching practices. It advocates for a comprehensive approach that combines knowledge acquisition with the development of character traits and learning dispositions. By encouraging a nuanced understanding of education outcomes, the episode promotes a more inclusive and responsive educational framework for both students and teachers.
Navigating Spiritual and Psychological Realms
Touching on spirituality without religious connotations, the podcast explores the intersection between psychological experiences and spiritual insights in education. Drawing parallels between mystical experiences and adolescent behaviors, the conversation sheds light on the search for aliveness, belonging, care, depth, and ease among young individuals. It emphasizes the need for educational systems to honor and channel these innate desires in positive and constructive ways.
Seeking Meaning and Connection
With a focus on finding meaning and connectedness in education, the podcast emphasizes the importance of coherence and flow in learning experiences. Through examples like poetry and personal anecdotes, the discussion highlights the transformative power of deep human urges and emotional connections in educational settings. It encourages educators to nurture a sense of belonging, happiness, and blessings in both personal and academic growth.
There are many myths that hold teaching back. But more than any 'trad' or 'prog' debates about pedagogy, perhaps the most powerful one is the mind-body split. This week we welcome Professor Guy Claxton to talk about his forthcoming book on the importance of 're-membering' our learning bodies and reconnecting our ideas about education!
Guy Claxton is Emeritus Professor at Winchester University and Visiting Professor of Education at King's College London. He has previously taught and researched at Oxford University, Bristol University, and the University of London Institute of Education, and is an internationally renowned cognitive scientist. Guy's books include The Future of Teaching and the Myths that Hold it Back (2021), Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind (1998); Wise Up (1999): The Challenge of Lifelong Learning; The Wayward Mind (2005); and Intelligence in the Flesh (2015). Recent books on education include Expansive Education (2013); What's the Point of School? (2008); Building Learning Power (2002); and, with Bill Lucas and others, New Kinds of Smart; The Learning Powered School (2011); and Educating Ruby (2015).
Guy's Building Learning Power approach to teaching is widely used in all kinds of schools across the world.
You can find more about Guy on his website at: https://www.guyclaxton.net/
The Active Inference paper by Laura Desirée di Paolo et al (2024), referenced by Guy in the conversation, can be found here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377634490_Active_Inference_Goes_to_School_The_Importance_of_Active_Learning_in_the_Age_of_Large_Language_Models
Social Links
X: @GuyClaxton - https://twitter.com/GuyClaxton
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