“The human animal is a learning animal. We like to learn; we need to learn; we are good at it; we don’t need to be shown how or made to do it, made to do it. What kills the processes are the people interfering with it or trying to regulate it or control it.”
Who is John Holt?
John Holt (1923-1985) was a teacher and controversial education writer who advocated school reform and ultimately became one of the forces behind the homeschooling movement of the 70’s and 80’s. He wrote ten books about education and founded the magazine Growing Without Schooling. John Holt’s books Instead of Education: Ways to Help People do Things Better, How Children Learn and How Children Fail are still popular among parents and people seeking a self-directed education.
Although John Holt’s work primarily discusses children, the overall message can be applied to learners of all ages. If you want to cultivate your ability to learn deeply and effectively, you’ll definitely want to see what he has to say.
John Holt’s Educational Philosophy
While John Holt’s books, interviews, and magazine articles are extensive, several themes stand out:
- Formal schooling often destroys the natural love of learning
- Extrinsic rewards are ultimately harmful to learners
- People learn the best from real-life experiences
- Education should be driven by the learner
In his early days of teaching, John Holt tried to reform the educational system. He wanted kids to learn deeply rather than memorize easily-forgotten facts. He wanted kids to be engaged with their education rather than following the teacher as mindless drones. Discouraged with the lack of response from fellow teachers, Holt decided that pushing for reform wasn’t going result in the large-scale changes schools so desperately needed:
“Children do poorly in school because they’re bored with the meaningless work . . . scared of being punished or humiliated . . . and confused by the fact that most teaching progresses from abstract concepts to concrete examples instead of-as would be more sensible the other way around. In essence I’d realized, from observing and teaching, that school is a place where children learn to be stupid!”
John Holt also pointed out that the rewards given for academic merit and good behavior often turned students off to learning altogether. He believed that people should learn because they want to, not be trained to receive a “carrot” for their work. Stickers and stars create an illogical motivation system which ultimately harms learners. Holt said:
“It’s a well established principle that if you take somebody who’s doing something for her or his own pleasure and offer some kind of outside reward for doing it-and let the person become accustomed to performing the task for that reward-then take the reward away, the individual will stop that activity. You can even train nursery school youngsters who love to draw pictures to stop drawing them, simply by giving them gold stars or some other little bonus for a couple of months . . . and then removing that artificial “motivation”.
As a homeschooling advocate, John Holt encouraged parents to avoid re-creating traditional schools around their kitchen tables. Instead, he urged them to let the “students” lead the learning and help them find legitimate, real-life experiences.
“I think that learning is not the result of teaching, but of the curiosity and activity of the learner. A teacher’s intervention in this process should be mostly to provide the learner with access to the various kinds of places, people, experiences, tools, and books that will correspond with that student’s interests… answer questions when they’re asked . . . and demonstrate physical skills.”
Although he advocated for learner-directed education, John Holt’s message wasn’t about idealizing childhood or encouraging people to take the easy way out. He explained:
“Maybe I’m kind of old-fashioned, but I don’t think the currently popular ‘therapeutic’ methods-which involve telling someone, ‘You’re OK, you’re really wonderful’ -do much good. Tackling a job that seems worth doing, and doing it in a competent manner, is-to my way of thinking-the best way for a person to gain self-esteem.”
Holt believed that people were the most capable when they were completely free to learn.
How John Holt Has Made a Difference
Today’s homeschooling families can thank John Holt for his tireless efforts in giving the movement legitimacy. Many homeschool and unschool parents continue to rely on Holt’s publications when developing their own educational philosophies.
Although traditional educators tend to view Holt’s writings as too radical, some of his ideas have made their way into mainstream thought. His beliefs on extrinsic motivation systems, for example, were recently echoed in the popular book Punished by Rewards.
Many adults now turn to Holt’s books while seeking to understand their own educational experiences and become better learners.
Further Reading
John Holt and Growing Without Schooling – The authoritative source on Holt and the magazine he founded.
The Needs and Rights of Children: Steps to Take – In this essay Holt examines some of the courtesies and protections children should be given.
John Holt Interview from The Mother Earth News – One of the most extensive interviews about Holt’s life, experiences, and beliefs about education.
A Conversation with John Holt by Marlene Bumgarner – An interview recording Holt’s basic beliefs about homeschooling.
An Interview with John Holt by Robert Gilman - This interview answers some of the common questions parents have when they hear about Holt’s ideas.
John Holt’s Books:
• How Children Fail
• How Children Learn
• The Underachieving School
• What Do I Do Monday?
• Freedom and Beyond
• Escape From Childhood
• Instead of Education
• Never Too Late
• Teach Your Own
• Learning All the Time
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Such a remarkable man and precise with is thoughts.