Education in Dystopia

 

What if school was just kids running around all the time and doing whatever they want? Are you sure it would be so bad?  Even if it's not the best we could do - would it be worse than what we have?  Regardless, we aren't getting a system of free schools, and not even "free schools" are that free. Then... let's advocate for schools that are "more" free, even if the freedom is not absolute.  There's a whole lot of space in that direction.

Schools reflect and serve the economy? The "real world" you're being prepared for in school actually means becoming accommodated to the hierarchical workplace and grueling wage labor that you must perform one day to pay the bills? Huge insight if true. In this episode, I review and comment on "Schooling in Capitalist America" (1976) by Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis. // Please subscribe and consider telling a friend if you like this podcast // NEW! Also check out Free Day Broadcast:  https://anchor.fm/freedaybroadcast // Music used: * bad case of bedroom blues - [ p w r ] / brn.l * Nouveau Life™ - 新鮮なスキーム * Hoopla - Limes 

Just to clarify the domain and focus of this podcast

I follow up episode 22 by responding to Alfie Kohn's "The Trouble with Pure Freedom".  Kohn argues that adults should have active involvement in childrens' education. But I say there is a difference between "involvement" and adults running the show, and the latter is probably not as good or necessary as we think. Alfie Kohn is a brilliant education thinker and I mostly agree with him most the time. I suggest reviewing his work at https://www.alfiekohn.org/ // If you like this podcast please consider to subscribe and share. // Music used:  + Nouveau Life™ - 新鮮なスキーム

Is the Sudbury approach even closer to what schools should be? This is the final episode in chapter two, of Education in Dystopia. // If you like the podcast please consider to subscribe and share it. // Excerpts read from: + "Are Sudbury schools for kids who failed?" + Wikipedia entry on Sudbury schools // Music used (in order): + Nouveau Life™ - 新鮮なスキーム + ULTRA ウルトラ - HELLO 今日は + Architecture in Tokyo - SUMMER NEVER ENDS + Hawaii. - jinsang

No one does... but there are better and worse understandings. It's good to have a better one. // If you like the podcast please consider subscribing and sharing etc. Thanks // music used: * Luxury Elite - Concierge

In this episode Mr. Arizona discusses Montessori education with Mr. Worldwide, who has taught and been a student in Montessori schools. // If you like our podcast please consider subscribing and sharing etc Thanks // music used: * CASTING - Floatin' * Nouveau Life™ - 新鮮なスキーム

Have you heard that "kids need structure?" What is meant by this trite statement? Mr. Arizona has some thoughts.

As teachers and learners we're often told that being subversive is wrong, and something we shouldn't do. But on this episode we discuss how that is probably backwards — like so many things. // Music used:  * Hoopla - Limes * Hawaii - Juan RIOS

Should teachers run the schools? Mr. Arizona thinks it is a good idea — and for things to get better, it might be necessary.

Mr. Arizona and Mr. Worldwide analyze the conditions of an Amazon warehouse and how it's related to the purpose and structure of schools. // Audio clip is from "More Perfect Union"  // Music used in video: - It's All About Earfquake (Spongebob Remix) - Solitude in E minor - Lo fi hip hop remix - Nouveau Life™ - 新鮮なスキーム

Is it possible to have "education for all" without mandating attendance? Mr. Arizona gives some thoughts on the idea.

Mr. Arizona and Mr. Worldwide discuss the current battle taking place between The District, who want to send teachers back to work and students back to school in a pandemic, and the teachers, who want to at least wait for the vaccine. // music used in this episode : Gary come home - by naz3nt Other planets - by Blue Motyl

It's time for the next president to take office and some have said the transition is akin to "destroying the death star" or toppling a dictator or overthrowing the empire itself.  Mr. Arizona and Mr. Worldwide discuss how it's more like a change in management, and what to expect in lieu of that. // Music used in this episode:  Gary come home - by naz3nt

Mr. Arizona is joined by Mr. Worldwide to discuss the recent "goofy fascist riot"  on the US capitol, which turns into a discussion about what politics is vs. what we're taught it is . Then we discuss such absurdities as  "sending kids back to school in a pandemic for their mental health." Music used in this episode: Striped sweater - by GTOEvBonez Ukelele and Chill - by Cody G.

I read an essay by Emma Goldman, "The child and its enemies."  This was written in 1906 as a critique of education, parenting, and society. I figure it would be a good way to follow up the previous episode on authority in education and beyond. Emma Goldman's perspective in this essay, even if it is not true in every circumstance, and even if you don't agree with everything she says, is a perspective that can be found among millions of children everywhere, in schools and beyond. I find that she is simply articulating it in a way that children would not be able to. I would have to ask, then, why so many children would have this perspective, or something like it? Perhaps because there is much truth in what it says. -- Music in this episode: "Hoopla" by Limes

What is authority? Is it good or necessary? If so, when?  Can it be justified? Why should we care? In this episode of Education in Dystopia, Mr. Arizona is joined by codename "Dan" to discuss authority, and how it relates to teaching in the current and perhaps future classroom. Authority is a complex topic, and this is one of those discussions that raises more questions than it answers. So, this will be the first of many discussions on authority. -- You can subscribe to Education in Dystopia on Anchor.fm, Spotify, or many other platforms (but these are recommended). Music used is "Moonrise Kingdom" by Prima.

Mr. Arizona chats with Mr. Worldwide (the lesser) about recent political events, and America's response to covid19 -- all in light of America's continued political and economic decline.  That's right, we do not believe the trajectory will change much with Joe Biden instead of Donald Trump. Included in the episode are discussions on current events, covid data as compared to other nations, American isolation and ideology, and notes on Mr. W's exit from student teaching. -- We just moved to a free podcast service that looks good so far: Anchor.fm. I guess we'll find out. If you like the podcast, don't forget to subscribe, and please do the things that help us get the word out. Thank you! -- Music in this episode is pulled from spongebob lofi hip hop mix :) Chris Hedges interview came from youtube channel of independent media Status Coup. (not necessarily an endorsement, just acknowledgement)

The 2020 elections have concluded and the votes are in: We are still ruled by a few. We live in an oligarchy, not a democracy. Just because we voted doesn't mean we make the major political decisions. The empire has changed management. While getting Trump out of office is great and cathartic, the issues that preceded him and most of the ones he created will still be with us. Not just that. We will still be ruled at work by our unelected "boss," and have our homes held for ransom each month by contemporary lords of the land. This is not a "solutions" episode. Rather than hoping in desperation that elections will fix our problems let us begin with a sober view of the system we live in.

Usually when indoctrination is discussed it is a conversation about how students are being trained into this or that. But we can't leave teachers and teaching out of the discussion! I am joined again by Mr. W to discuss the indoctrination of teachers, which is especially interesting because he is currently student teaching and being taught "how" to teach and in some ways "what" to teach.  Throughout the episode I sometimes play The Indoctrinator or, I guess you could say, "administrator's advocate."

Brief reflections and notes on a small change of direction for the podcast.

What is "the academy" and what is its purpose? Why is it so separated from the public? Has it always been this way? And as usual, we ask if it can change. On this episode I am joined by "Digger," who has a masters in political theory and is currently pursuing a PhD.

"Progressive education" and "critical education" were both 20th-century movements in response to the gross deficiencies of conventional education. Special guest "Mr. H" joins me on this episode to discuss antidotes to the toxic status quo and why "critical education" is a serious challenge to the prevailing system, while "progressive education" falls short.

With the death of a prominent liberal supreme court justice came a few days of fresh political discourse. How fresh was it really, though, when most of it failed to criticize the specific record of RBG, as well as the court as an institution?  And how does this relate to what we learn (or don't learn) in schools? Then we take a glimpse at the district's "academic report card" bulletin in the midst of a pandemic. Mr. Worldwide (the lesser) joins Mr. Arizona again, on another thrilling episode of Education Absurd.

Why must we go back to school in a pandemic? What does the new "online learning" look like? And how might these current problems be rooted in the system as it existed before?  On this podcast I am joined by "Mr. W" who is well-versed in sci-fi and other fictional dystopias, and just so happened to begin teaching high school this year.

There are those who criticize, and those who don't. Among the critics of our education system are many groups. They point to the absurdities in many different ways, and yet some are better at this than others. And some of the critics who point to the absurdities are themselves a part of the absurd. Others simply do not see it, or not nearly enough. If you want to change the absurd, you have to know it. I'm going to show you just how absurd it really is. This is the introductory episode to "Education Absurd."