In “The Rhythmic Claims of Freedom and Discipline” the author argued that modern, western students are at risk of becoming bored with their studies because they are seeking bland information rather than pursuing knowledge and wisdom. The chapter suggests that today’s educational system should cater more to the grander ideas of life, especially in the early years of learning, which is referred to as the romance phase. It is not suggested that teachers ignore important educational milestones, but does emphasize the importance of being actively involved in the material and making larger connections between what is learned and it’s relevance to all life. The idea that the curiosity of youth should be nurtured and that freedom to develop self-reliance and independent thinking should be the primary goal of the educational system is certainly idealistic and in no way humble. While the author does make some good suggestions as to how this could be implemented, they also fail to recognize that a child’s desire to learn is not wholly the responsibility of the instructors but also the family or guardians of the student. The main points of the chapter also became confused at the end of the chapter because the author turned from a broad generalization of the educating process to advocating for the importance of art.
In my experience, including art in education and substance that can be related to daily life does make learning more interesting and desirable. However, I do not think that the reason students are bored in class and cannot engage themselves in the material is due to lack of access to art or other inspirational motivation. Part of the modern condition afflicting students is not really the lack of inspiration but the overload of it. So many things in modern, highly technological society draw their attention that they do not have an appreciation for the time required to learn and develop deep intellectual knowledge or life wisdom. They move fast and expect to be satisfied quickly, even in the pursuit of education. The author is complaining about the state of education but inadvertently about the state of society in general, which does not value wisdom so much as innovation and entertainment.
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"“The Rhythmic Claims of Freedom and Discipline” – Analysis".
