No Parroting Allowed!
Learning Emergence by Asking Questions


"On Symptoms as Fractals"

When asked, "how do you best learn?" most people usually respond with either a technique, like, "in a classroom," or by naming their favorite sense, like, "I learn best visually." Unfortunately, this implies most people define "learning" as the ability to parrot the correct answer.

What is wrong with this? We believe that "parroting the correct answer" creates parrots, not students; dullards, not Einsteins. So how can we create more Einsteins? We believe, by asking questions which are intended to provoke the student's own questions. More important, we see this as the best way with which to reawaken in students the love of learning.

This week's topic is, "On Symptoms as Fractals." Would you like to awaken your love of learning about this topic? You can, simply by reading the teacher's questions and then, by asking yourself, "what questions did these words just provoke in me?"

"On Symptoms as Fractals"

The Teacher's Questions (asked by Ed)

What happens when a person is caught between a block and something that has emerged? The picture in my mind is that it is like being caught between the sun and a black hole. I love and hate writing, martial arts, working out, making music and art. I am constantly torn in my relationship with them. I have a sense that I spend a lot of my time Layer "Two-ing" it, and the level of mastery I seek involves me leaving Layer Two and seeking Inner Layer pictures? I'm not exactly sure how to do this though, and I end up feeling stuck in Layer Two. I suspect that if I were better able to recognize fractals, I would begin learning and teaching like our esteemed Leader. Damn, being blind and lame sucks.

Sample Student Response Questions (asked by Steven)