"Praxis-based Education"
Elements of backward-planned education for the real world
For some of you, this will be a slightly prettified repost—as I learn about Substack I see downsides of a static page that won’t allow visible comments and isn’t linked to the “Adulting” newsletter.
The art of backward planning is a staple in education. A teacher asks, “What do I want students to learn?” Knowing the destination for a day’s lesson makes it that much easier to create an interlinked trail back to the beginning. This way, students start that class period at the teacher’s ending spot, and build their understanding toward the desired goal, step by step. Each step is ideally intentional, contributing to the desired nugget of knowledge.
In college I created an independent studies course on the history of education, supervised by two professors. I was discouraged to realize college and university curricula in the U.S. are modeled on Middle Ages European universities. High school curricula prepare students for universities, and primary and middle school curricula prepare students for high school. This is an example of backward planning, but one whose destination has been largely unquestioned for centuries.
It’s time for broad-scale educational backward planning that addresses urgent skills/understandings needed so humans can thrive amidst today’s challenges.
In the “Informed Adult” newsletter I will touch on the array of subjects for study that seem worthwhile as areas of general competency, updated for today’s interpersonal, socio-economic, technological, and environmental challenges.
I’m calling this approached praxis-based as a nod to a more suitable process for learning the complements an updated content list. Praxis can be described as an ongoing cycle of theory and action and reflection. This is in stark contrast to the common “one and done” assumption that underpins much of present education: “Studied ecology in 7th grade science? Great - no need to refresh or go deeper ever again.” Instead, ideally, we would all get used to being lifelong learners, updating and deepening our wisdom on all manner of subjects ongoingly.
Ideal Competencies
These are knowledge areas that can best prepare individuals and collaborative groups to respond to current and future challenges with the least recourse to cruelty and violence, minimize harm and deaths from environmental challenges, and maximize human well-being and positive collaboration.
Future posts will expand on definitions and more granular things to know.
Nervous system regulation (allowing calm reactions that allow complex thinking, rather than emotionally-reactive reactions that stifle complex understanding).
Dynamics of social and physical systems.
Learning dynamics, plus mitigation of cognitive biases.
Dynamics of conflict and peacemaking.
Climate science literacy.
Emergency and risk management literacy.
Economic dynamics.
Dynamics of effective community/social change and governance.
Ecological literacy.
Basic geographic literacy.
Mathematical literacy re scale and statistics of decision-making.
Personal effectiveness, health, and wellness.
Moral courage.
Test me… Leave a comment with something you think is important, and I’ll propose under which umbrella category I’d place it. A free year-long paid subscription if you spot a category I’ve missed.
Where does this list come from?
My hunches about praxis-based (ongoing cycle of theory and action and reflection) curricular elements arise from a diverse background that itself arises from an inborn relentless curiosity and a childhood characterized by frequent moves, which habituated me to new adventures and explorations.
Intellectual, interpersonal, and practical pursuits that inform this list include:
Long-time work in the domestic abuse field as a crisis counselor and trainer, which informed me about dynamics of both trauma and healing.
A bachelor’s degree in mathematics, with several years as a part-time math instructor and program leader. Additional teaching experience in English, career-technical fields, and social studies.
Several years teaching middle school science—a complexity level suitable for general scientific literacy; and leadership of a climate change education foundation.
Two ministry-related master’s degrees, courses in which were congruent with approaches from the humanities and social sciences.
Practical training and work experience in hands-on fields: Restaurant careers; small, medium, and large business administration; long-haul truck driving; and large-facility/high-value security.
Clinical interfaith chaplaincy, life coaching, and nervous system-informed resilience training and work.
Multi-faceted political engagement, including a recent serious campaign for the Oregon Senate.
Comment from john newton hickox
Dec 27, 2022
Here’s what I think is important. I think the vast majority of people who claim commitment to a given religion are merely giving it lip service. E.G., they claim to be followers of Jesus but don’t believe him when he said “You can do the things I’ve done. As a matter of fact you can do even greater things than I”
People think Jesus was THE Son of God, not that we are all of us, sons and daughters of God.
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Reply: Raz Mason
Dec 27, 2022
John and I have been having a conversation both on another of my posts this morning, and one of his at https://acjt.org/blog. Thank you, John, for weighing in.
John and I are both interfaith chaplains - rooted in our own faith, yet cognizant of many types of faith (or unfaith, or being "spiritual but not religious").
For my list of key competencies above, the ones most relevant to your comment, I believe, are:
4. Dynamics of conflict and peacemaking.
8. Dynamics of effective community/social change...
10. Basic geographic literacy (since faith traditions are often associated with and flavored by specific geo-social locations).
And most importantly: 13. Moral courage - where people identify their animating values, and reflect on how to live in better alignment with them.
Thank you for engaging. I hope to build here a community of respectful dialogue.