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Introduction

In part I, I presented the stories which I see as providing the basis for my educational ideas. Here in part II, I am attempting to consolidate these ideas into a short section. I don't want to justify these ways of thinking as the answer or as truth; I am sure my ideas will change. But perhaps they will be helpful to you as they are; they certainly are to me. These ideas link psychology, spirituality, and education, bringing purpose to my life and effectiveness to my actions. The ideas are basically the way I understand why people do and don't learn at different times, and how I can live in a way that harmonizes most with what they and I need.

I begin by discussing the way the behaviors I call thinking are determined by the internal and external experiences of a person. Then, in a section called ``Respecting the Learner'' I discuss the role of one person in another person's experience and growth, with particular attention to the possible conflict of what a learner might need and what a teacher might want. In the next section, I address what seems to be a perennial problem - continued dedication to particular answers to context-dependent eternal questions - and in particular, the relevance of this problem to education. The final two sections describe the model I use to conceptualize thinking and learning (based on awareness and action), and the way a teacher does add to the growth of a learner (bringing all of previous ideas to bear on this relationship).



Chris Kawecki
Mon Jan 13 22:05:09 EST 1997