After our discussion of education in the Harry Potter books today in class I found an interesting article on education in fantasy by Elisabeth Rose Gruner. She looks specifically at wizard education in children's literature, and I thought some of what she said might be insightful as we continue to think about Hogwarts and pedagogy.
One thing that Gruner wrote that really struck me was that witches and wizards in fantasy stories are not in school to learn facts and information, but to learn who they are (218). We also discussed in class today a bit of how Harry knows who he is and how that was developed throughout the novel, but I don't think we entirely linked that to his education. Gruner argues that most of the learning in Hogwarts takes place outside of the classroom, and thus through independent learning students learn how to learn and how they as individuals learn best. Perhaps the question to examine should be whether learning works best outside of the classroom or in a more applied environment, but my initial concern is to what degree we (Muggles) are concerned about teaching or leading children to learn about who they are. How should we teach that? Can that even be taught in a classroom? The humanities always strives to examine the human condition and what it means to be human, and as a believer in the humanities I think that classroom learning can teach about the larger scope of humanity and about the self. Furthermore, as someone who was long-ago brainwashed by my English teachers, I believe that literature is among the best ways to teach the individual about the self. Through narratives, through imaginative and fantastical stories, we learn about the human capacity for good, evil, strength, and honor. Through examining characters that are both similar and different from ourselves, we question our own motives and actions.
Now my question is this: Should a primary goal of education be to teach about the self? Did you learn that in school? How did you learn? And, if literature IS a means to this understanding, how did you learn about yourself through Harry Potter?
Works Cited:
Gruner, Elisabeth Rose. "Teach the Children: Education and Knowledge in Recent Children's Fantasy." Children's Literature 37 (2009): 216-235. Web. 26 Jan. 2010.
Purpose for Imaginative Literature
14 years ago
Wow, I will have to look at that article! I think that while we muggles do our studies in school, outside of the classroom is where we learn about ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI think that a goal in education should be to teach about the self, but not the primary goal. I think that we do learn more about ourself outside the classroom, and as we are all different I think it would be hard to make the primary goal of the classroom to teach about self.
ReplyDeleteAlso, many people go through life not knowing who they really are, and I think that no matter how much someone might try to educate them about self, they won't get it unless they learn on their own. I mean the definition of "self" is your consciousness of your own identity. We can't necessarily teach people how to be conscious of their own identity... or can we? I stand by my original thought, that no, we cannot fully teach someone "self," but we can help them understand.
Can I just say that I have been finding your class contributions (including this one) really thoughtful and interesting? Good job! :)
ReplyDeleteAs to your question, I think maybe education should be not only about teaching about the self, but also about the world outside of our own little bubbles, and perhaps how that self fits into the larger world context. Then again, whether or not it is plausible to accomplish all that in a traditional classroom setting is a whole other ballgame. I agree that literature is a good way to teach about the self, and perhaps about the world, since many people cannot afford to go out and interact with cultures and people in other countries. Good literature can promote a certain amount self and global awareness, and good teachers can create assignments that allow for this as well. I once had a class (notably in college though) where we had to go interview a person living in the U.S. that born and raised in another country. I really found the whole experience enlightening, realizing that there are weird things about our culture I always took for granted, and hardships stemming from not being entirely comfortable with the English language, in particular all the slang.
As far as Harry Potter goes, I’m not sure what I learned really…perhaps I was just made more aware of things I knew, in theory, all along? Heroes often have to struggle with questions of great moral ambiguity? We shouldn’t expect perfection out of those we admire because they are people (or wizards!) just like us? I could probably think of more definite things, but my comment is getting really long…I’m going to stop now!
Molly, I have to agree with Sarah about the value of your contributions. I feel lucky to have you in this class!
ReplyDeletePedogogically, I have always been attracted to the Montessori method for its emphasis on the student as an individuial. The teacher's role is to introduce subject matter and pursue further what interests a child and to respect developmental differences in students. Students are encouraged and expected to cooperate with one another, learn from one another, and be responsible for themselves and their classmates, all from as early as age two! The Montessori teacher spends a significant amount of time making notes on each student, their individual behavior, interests, and strategies for learning. I know many people who had this kind of early childhood education, but not many who continued in the method past grade 2 or so. I would be interested if anyone happens to know of a Montessori school in Fort Worth or Dallas that serves higher grade levels. I'd be interested to see how those teachers approach literature as well as what they think about teaching self-awareness or self-knowledge.
I am a strong believer in learning through experience. However I think there are two different types of learning. Learning though experience defines your personal journey in life. You have to figure things out on your own. I also believe strongly in a good education and seeking knowledge. Which is not something you just figure out all of a sudden.
ReplyDeleteIn Harry's case I think that school introduces him the the approach and skills he needs but he typically learns his ultimate lesson though personal experience.