Graham wrote:
> Oh, yes Ray, if I understand you correctly, it should be
> self-determining, and move "out of our hands" and into theirs. It
> isn't that I want to determine the learning outcome. People have to
> develop/liberate their own sense of what is important. But it is
> important that the learning be valuable, and not harmful or vicious.
> I just don't think that the word "learning", on its own, inevitably
> conveys that. People sometimes assume (in education) that education
> has occurred because learning has occurred. But "learning", is
> almost inevitable, so long as we are conscious at all, and if that
> is all we are after, let's leave them alone -- they are bound to
> learn something whatever we do. Presumably we are always initiating
> a potential habit, or cementing in place some sort of mental,
> emotional, physical, or intellectual habit whenever we do anything.
> It is important to recognize that we are striving for value in
> learning, and not just any old learning. Groups can also, as one,
> "give up", "subvert" etc. "Shared vision" and "personal mastery"
> are important because of the importance of the quest for valuable
> learning.
Graham,
I don't seem to be communicating well this week, due to a very unhappy
situation in my business with the elemination of all arts programs from
the government. So I apologize.
What I was trying to say had to do not with the students but with the
team approach of the staff. The growth of the staff as an organic unit
itself. From that approach you get a superior coordination in the
approach to the students. The issue for me with the students is one of
the relief of complexity. In order to do that there must be a
coordinated program between all of the subjects and the purpose of the
subjects in the life of the students.
1. is the integrated coordination of all subject matter in the program
2. is a clearly defined order in which the difficulty is taught through
a. Preparation (non-verbal experiencing of what is being taught)
b. Introduction to a symbol or verbalization that labels the
particular element being taught in such a way that it may be
identified with the student's successful experience of the
element and used immediately by the student in a new
situation.
c. application of that trigger label to a new situation that
creates a successful application for the student.
This order of difficulty in my work is planned through 8 years post
graduate in the development of a skill capable of performing in an
International Venue. (the old "world class" cliche')
3. is the application of the above work habits to the rigors of on stage
performance. In my work it is crucial that success be created. Failure
creates an attitude that destroys confidence in an extremely stressful
situation (the Operatic stage with full orchestra and sold out house).
The adage that failure teaches, is in the arts, of course a part of
learning but something that you want to keep as much as possible to a
minimum. Success comes from a clear definition of goals and intents and
then a clear path to the achievement of that success.
The most efficient manner, in my work, of achieving this is to be sure
that my staff functions in an organic, growing manner. They are
individuals but they are a single unit. My only experience of this
external to the arts was in a combat unit in basic training in the Army.
Both situations are pretty much life and death.
I hope this explains better than my previous post.
Regards to everyone in New Zealand.
Ray Evans Harrell, artistic director
The Magic Circle Chamber Opera of New York, Inc.
mcore@idt.net
--Ray Evans Harrell <mcore@IDT.NET>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>