Alright, this blog post will be rather technical, as I have a complicated prompt to respond to.
I’ve been asked to look over some “alternative” methods of education from Evergreen State University (WA), Berea College (WA), Green College (VT), St. Johns (MD and NM), and Experimental College of Haverford (PA) and answer a few questions. I think it would be rather hard to answer for ALL of these, so I’ve chosedn to focus on two of my favorites: St. Johns and ExCo of Haverford.
How does the program or college differ from JBU?
St. Johns: There is one curriculum that all students take, not specific majors. Learning based on reading the classic literature of the western world in many liberal arts topics with no textbooks or lectures, just discussion of the texts themselves.
ExCo: Classes taught by anyone (from the university) willing to teach to anyone (from the university) willing to learn about any (legal) subject they want. No academic credit is given and teachers are not paid – focused on learning for learning’s sake, for those who are interested.
What's the aim of their education and how does it vary from JBU's aim?
St. Johns: To provide a wide spread education based on the liberal arts basec on self-education through reading and discussion. – A lot like JBU but with less textbooks and specified learning.
ExCo: To create a place for creative methods of learning to be tested and to allow people to come together in the joy of studying a topic that interests them and teaching others about it. – JBU is more about building the foundations for a strong career and adult life, providing college credit and more structured learning.
How would you do in this program? In other words, how would this system help you develop your gifts, passions, and calling?
St. Johns: This is actually a LOT like my high school. We did basically the same thing (except for math and science) by going through relatively chronologically and reading the primary texts of the ages and discussing them. I think I would really like St. Johns, but it DOES sound like a lot of work.
ExCo: I think I would absolutely love this, and I would not only attend many classes but try and teach my own once I got a good feel for them. Learning for learning’s sake and getting together to formally study things simply because you find them interesting sounds AMAZING.
Should we try to adopt the educational approaches here at JBU? Why or why not?
St. Johns: I like this school, but I also understand why John Brown does what it does. I think it would be very hard to integrate such ideas with what JBU already has without re-making everything. However, I think that discussion-based classes primarily taught by the reading of these classic texts would be GREAT. I don’t like textbooks and I love discussion.
ExCo: YES. This would be AWESOME if a student or anyone could just say “Hey, I want to teach a class on ______” and JBU say “Awesome! You go do that. We’ll help you find a room, you contact the other students.” I’m not sure how hard it would be to do at the moment, but if classes like this were the norm here at JBU I would be very VERY happy. I would love that.
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I myself often get quite fed-up with the typical traditional college education, as I feel they are often too focused on getting a major and getting a job, and not enough on LEARNING. I really love both St. John and ExCo’s emphasis on learning for the sake of learning, as I think it is very important. It glorifies God, for one, because it is a way in which we exemplify our being made in His image and exploring His world in the interests that He has given us... and it is FUN!
Questions: If you were to teach a class on ANY subject you wanted, would you? Why/Why not? What would it be on? Also (this is a reference more to my quick reading for the other schools I did not focus on) is the use of grading important? If not, why do we put so much emphasis on them? Is practical experience important? if so, why do we not put more emphasis on it? Is having a specific “major” or specified field of study important, or should we try even more to stress the importance of all subjects and a broad spectrum of learning?
Kel
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