borumi's review
첫째땐 그저 일하고 애 먹이고 재우고 등 기본적인 걸 충족하느라 바빴고..
둘째땐 어느정도 여유가 생기고 주변의 애엄마들의 트렌드나 핫이슈도 둘러볼 정신이 생겨서
소위 영유아교육의 교구나 교재 등에 대해 알게 되었습니다.
문제는 대부분의 엄마들이 수백만원을 들이면서도 그 교구나 교재의 실제 의미 및 영향에 대해 잘 모르고 있다는 것이죠.
원래 self help book을 별로 안 좋아하는 저는 '난 이랬는데 좋았다. 너도 이래라'하는 종류의 육아관련도서를 싫어해서 뭔가 더 과학적인 근거를 제시하는 연구논문이나 유아발달이론, 교육이론 등에 관한 저서들을 읽어보았습니다.
일단 대부분의 사교육업체가 주장하는 바와 엄마들의 '카더라'통신의 종횡무진한 소위 "썰'들은 '썰'일 뿐 근거가 미약하거나 없는 걸 발견했습니다.
그리고 페스탈로찌, 몬테소리, 프뢰벨, 발도르프의 저서들을 실제로 읽어보시고 공부하신 분들은 아시겠지만
우리나라의 몬XXX, 프xx 등을 사칭하는 교구나 기관들의 그 터무니없는 가격 뿐만 아니라 그 내용에 실망하게 되었습니다.
그 원리나 개념 자체가 잘못 적용되고 그 창시자들의 의도조차 없거나 변질되었다는 것입니다.
돈이 남아돌면 어디에 쓰든 상관안하지만..
요즘 Nussbaum의 Not for Profit을 읽으면서 제발 경제적 성공을 위한 공부, 즉 취직을 위한 학문이 아니라 어릴때부터 그리고 더 나아가서 성인까지 진정 공부하는 이유와 놀이의 본질에 대해 제발 부모와 교육자들이 제대로 된 인식을 갖추고 껍데기 (그것도 잘못된 껍데기) 뿐인 '놀이학교'나 '놀이학습' '오감발달' 등의 본질을 추구했으면 좋겠습니다.
세계일보 기사입니다. 영유아 사교육이 철학은 없어지고 빈 껍데기만 남은 실태를 보여주고 있습니다.
http://www.segye.com/content/html/2013/08/05/20130805004255.html?OutUrl=naver
이 짧은 기사로는 우리나라 유아교육 및 고등교육의 문제점을 충분히 다룰 수 없지만..
제가 이전부터 거슬렸던 것을 지적해줘서 고맙군요..
대부분의 엄마들이 어떻게 하면 아이가 공부를 잘하고 똑똑해질까..를 묻지만..
실제로 how대신 why를 묻는 엄마들은 많지가 않았습니다..
유아교육에 수백만원 들이기 전에 why를 먼저 물어보고 그 기본이 되는 원리와 철학을 알아보면 새로운 세상이 보일 텐데..
하지만 이건 비단 엄마들의 문제가 아니라 사회 전체의 현상인 듯합니다.
대학교들이 점차 취직 위주의 학문에 힘쓰듯 엄마들도 입시 위주의 공부, 성공과 입지 선점과 학습 위주의 놀이에 치중할 수 밖에...;;;;
게다가 솔직히 사람들은 딱딱한 이론서는 안 보고 단순하게 야단치거나 위로하는 self-help book이나 essay를 읽기 마련이죠.. (어느 서점에서 에세이나 소설 또는 self help book보다 technical 이론서적이 더 베스트셀러가 되겠나?-_-;;;)
당연히 옆집 선배 엄마의 말이나 교재 영업사원 말에 더 귀기울일 것입니다..;;
어찌보면 엄마나 사교육업체에 손가락을 돌리기 이전에 그 엄마들을 그렇게 반응하고 생각하게 만든 교육과 사회, 그리고 실제로는 유아들에게 관심을 갖기보다 엄마들을 현혹시키려는 수박겉핥기 식의 이론과 용어들로 무장한 사교육업체를 조장한 것 또한 우리의 교육과 경쟁사회입니다.
이는 비단 우리나라 뿐이 아니라 global한 위협으로 도사리고 있습니다. (이건 제 의견이 아니라 Nussbaum과 그외 많은 학자들이 주장하는 바입니다)
Martha Nussbaum의 Not for Profit (한국에선 '공부를 넘어 교육으로'라고 번역되었더군요)에 나오는 다른 교육 선구자들 (소크라테스, 루쏘, 타고르, 듀이, 몬테소리, 페스탈로찌, 프뢰벨, 립맨, 알콧 등)의 글도 많은 도움이 됩니다.
아이가 공부를 잘하고 성공하기 위해선 엄마의 정보력이 필수라고 합니다.
근데 '왜 아이가 공부를 잘하고 성공해야 하나?'라고 물어본 적이 있을까요?
그리고 엄마의 정보력이 how보다 why를 탐구하는데 얼마나 도움이 될까요?
그리고 엄마나 아이가 스스로 그 why를 묻기 시작하는 순간 단순한 rote-learning이 아닌 진정한 배움과 탐구가 시작할 것이고 그 배움은 사교육기관이나 교구/교재가 제공할 수 있는 것이 아닐 것입니다.
ferna's review against another edition
4.0
A the author herself says it at the end of the updated edition, this book's function will be more of a catalyst for other arguments.
As a Humanities alumni, after reading the book, I realized what I thought of common sense, is not the same for everybody in education, and now a lot of things make much more sense. Why some professionals from certain areas are such assholes, fro example.
As a Humanities alumni, after reading the book, I realized what I thought of common sense, is not the same for everybody in education, and now a lot of things make much more sense. Why some professionals from certain areas are such assholes, fro example.
flijn's review
4.0
Democracies have great rational and imaginative powers. They also are prone to some serious flaws in reasoning, to parochialism, haste, sloppiness, selfishness, narrowness of spirit. Education based mainly on profitability in the global market magnifies these deficiencies, producing a greedy obtuseness and a technically trained docility that threaten the very life of democracy itself, and that certainly impede the creation of a decent world culture.
(p. 142)
Nussbaum doesn't hold back in this manifesto for the humanities. Her message is clear: humanities are at the center of an education that prepares humans for being critical, empathic members of pluralistic democracies, but they are under constant threat of a narrow view of education that reduces its value to its short-term, financial profit.
Liberal arts aren't the frivolous extras for wealthy elites who don't have to worry about the next paycheck; they are essential for every individual and society as a whole, lest we snuff out the soul, creativity, play, and critical thinking that makes humans more than smart machines. Liberal arts isn't (just) high brow academic discussions on literature or Hegelian philosophy; it is democratic in nature, allowing children from an early age to express themselves and listen and understand the Other through a Socratic method and through direct experience. By communicating, questioning, writing, dancing, listening... in other words, by actively engaging with new ideas, images, narratives and people, they internalize a sensitivity for how diverse the human experience is.
Nussbaum's writing deals with great and abstract ideas. It is clear, opinionated, and filled with inspiring examples. Writing in 2020, when prejudice, intolerance, polarization and mistrust of science and journalism illustrate a staggering lack of empathy and critical thinking, it's hard not to agree. Then again, I would say that, wouldn't I, with my liberal arts degree and my work in civics education.
That is to say, I wonder how persuasive this book is to people who don't already agree that the humanities have an important role to play in the protection of democracy.
In her aftwerword to the paperback edition, the author notes she is somewhat more hopeful because she met so many people from all over the world who passionately defend the humanities and come up with new initiatives. The book has helped these people make their case to less-than-enthousiastic administrators, bureaucrats or governments. I believe that this is one of the greatest values of this book; not necessarily to convince everyone, but to inspire those that care for the liberal arts to feel inspired and empowered to continue striving for the best enriching education for all children.
aooeee's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
Het boek brengt interessante punten naar voren en zet je als lezer aan het denken.
Sommige punten hadden wel nog meer context nodig om echt een impact te kunnen hebben.
Ook jammer van de taal- en spelfouten die er hier en daar nog in staan.
Sommige punten hadden wel nog meer context nodig om echt een impact te kunnen hebben.
Ook jammer van de taal- en spelfouten die er hier en daar nog in staan.
regitzexenia's review
4.0
I cannot help but feel like there is no better time to read this book than these days. If you don't know, here in Denmark where I live, our minister of education have made this plan for "dimensioning" the university studies - cutting places (or maybe even closing down some of the smaller ones that won't survive a cut of places) in studies with "significant lack of employment after graduation" (mostly Humanity studies like languages, arts, philosophy etc). Kind if want to send this book to her and make her read it.
Yeah, sorry, this review is not really about the book. The main thing is, I think it argues its point really well and that's why I think it should be read. I'm curious to see what we're going to use it for, as I read it for one of my uni courses.
Yeah, sorry, this review is not really about the book. The main thing is, I think it argues its point really well and that's why I think it should be read. I'm curious to see what we're going to use it for, as I read it for one of my uni courses.
earlapvaldez's review
5.0
Reviewing this book right after the 2016 Philippine Elections, I believe that the creative integration of Humanities, not merely an extra subject but as a thing of utmost priority, is all the more needed. And here, Martha Nussbaum provides us a good framework in the middle of her discussion on the issues that surrounded Humanities education in America. Good for reflection most especially for educators with a heavy background in philosophy.
lukescalone's review
4.0
Interesting, brief text on the importance of the humanities from the perspective of democratic citizenship. Nussbaum argues that everyone in liberal democracies should be taught the humanities because they foster a number of skills critical to citizenship: empathy with different experiences from one's own, connecting abstract ideas to lived realities, pushing back against exclusion, bringing multiple perspectives to the conversation, etc.
I'm not sure that this book will convince anyone who doesn't already believe in these things, but it's concise and gets to the point rapidly. Although written more than ten years ago, a lot of what's written here still rings true. I found particularly interesting Nussbaum's examination of Rabindranath Tagore's teaching philosophy, where he uses culture to teach life skills.
I'm not sure that this book will convince anyone who doesn't already believe in these things, but it's concise and gets to the point rapidly. Although written more than ten years ago, a lot of what's written here still rings true. I found particularly interesting Nussbaum's examination of Rabindranath Tagore's teaching philosophy, where he uses culture to teach life skills.