Homeworks are useless

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Homework in traditional education is often considered meaningless and serves mainly for personal advancement as it usually does not impact anyone beyond the individual student. Instead of this ineffective approach, a more impactful alternative is proposed where young people engage in real community work like internships, cleaning up litter, building trails, or learning practical skills. This approach not only ensures that the work done is meaningful and beneficial to others but also moves away from the competitive nature of education focused on college admissions. The idea is to create educational settings where learning is intertwined with meaningful community work, fostering a sense of purpose and instilling a proactive attitude in young individuals towards addressing real-world challenges sooner rather than later.

On this episode, Nate is joined by philosopher and educator Zak Stein to discuss the current state of education and development for children during a time of converging crises and societal transformation. As the pace of life continues to accelerate - including world-shaking technological developments - our schools struggle to keep pace with changes in cultural expectations. What qualities are we encouraging in a system centered on competition and with no emphasis on creating agency or community participation? How is unfettered technology and artificial intelligence influencing youth - and what should parents, adults, and teachers be doing in response? What could the future of education look like if guided by true teacherly authority with the aim to create well-rounded, stable young humans with a sense of belonging and purpose in their communities?

About Zak Stein:

Dr. Zak Stein is a philosopher of education, as well as a Co-founder of the Center for World Philosophy and Religion. He is also the Co-founder of Civilization Research Institute, the Consilience Project, and Lectica, Inc. He is the author of dozens of published papers and two books, including Education in a Time Between Worlds.

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Show Notes

00:00 - Zak Stein works + Info, Civilization Research Institute, Education in a Time Between Worlds, Center for World Philosophy and Religion, First Principles and First Values

03:24 - No Child Left Behind

03:56 - Joseph Tainter + TGS episode

03:53 - Iatrogenic

05:30 - Daniel Schmachtenberger (TGS Episodes), Ken Wilbur, Marc Gafney

16:01 - Effects of screens and social media on teen mental health

16:54 - Marshall McLuhan

17:20 - The importance of adult boundary and limit setting for children

18:17 - How social media affects the brain

19:06 - The rise of ADHD in the 90s and effects on education - a timeline