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Turning Learning Right Side Up: Putting Education Back on Track
In the age of the Internet, we educate people much as we did during the Industrial Revolution. We educate them for a world that no longer exists, instilling values antithetical to those of a free, 21st century democracy. Worst of all, too many schools extinguish the very creativity and joy they ought to nourish. In Turning Learning Right Side Up , legendary systems scientist Dr. Russell Ackoff and “in-the-trenches” education innovator Daniel Greenberg offer a radically new path forward. In the year’s most provocative conversation, they take on the very deepest questions about What should be its true purpose? Do classrooms make sense anymore? What should individuals contribute to their own education? Are yesterday’s distinctions between subjects--and between the arts and sciences--still meaningful? What would the ideal lifelong education look like--at K-12, in universities, in the workplace, and beyond? Ackoff and Greenberg each have experience making radical change work--successfully. Here, they combine deep idealism with a relentless focus on the real world--and arrive at solutions that are profoundly sensible and powerfully compelling. Why today’s educational system fails--and why superficial reforms won’t help
The questions politicians won’t ask--and the answers they don’t want to hear How do people learn--and why do they choose to learn?
Creating schools that reflect what we know about learning In a 21st century democracy, what values must we nurture?
...and why aren’t we nurturing them? How can tomorrow’s “ideal schools” be operated and funded?
A plan that cuts through political gridlock and can actually work Beyond building a society of passionate lifelong learners
Learning from childhood to college to workplace through retirement Reinventing Learning for the Next How We Can, and Why We Must An extraordinary conversation about the very deepest questions... Today, what is education for? Where should it take place? How? When? What is the ideal school? The ideal lifelong learning experience? Who should be in charge of education? And who pays for it all? Over the past 150 years, virtually everything has changed...except education. Schools were designed as factories, to train factory workers. The factories are gone, but the schools haven’t changed. It’s time for us to return to first principles...or formulate new first principles...and reimagine education from the ground up. In Turning Learning Right Side Up , two of this generation’s most provocative thinkers--and practical doers--have done just that. They draw on the latest scientific research, th
The questions politicians won’t ask--and the answers they don’t want to hear How do people learn--and why do they choose to learn?
Creating schools that reflect what we know about learning In a 21st century democracy, what values must we nurture?
...and why aren’t we nurturing them? How can tomorrow’s “ideal schools” be operated and funded?
A plan that cuts through political gridlock and can actually work Beyond building a society of passionate lifelong learners
Learning from childhood to college to workplace through retirement Reinventing Learning for the Next How We Can, and Why We Must An extraordinary conversation about the very deepest questions... Today, what is education for? Where should it take place? How? When? What is the ideal school? The ideal lifelong learning experience? Who should be in charge of education? And who pays for it all? Over the past 150 years, virtually everything has changed...except education. Schools were designed as factories, to train factory workers. The factories are gone, but the schools haven’t changed. It’s time for us to return to first principles...or formulate new first principles...and reimagine education from the ground up. In Turning Learning Right Side Up , two of this generation’s most provocative thinkers--and practical doers--have done just that. They draw on the latest scientific research, th
196 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2008
28 people are currently reading
320 people want to read
About the author
Russell L. Ackoff
40 books92 followersRussell Lincoln Ackoff was Anheuser Busch Professor Emeritus of management science at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. Professor Ackoff was an American organizational theorist and consultant, and a pioneer in the fields of operations research and management science.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 14, 2023
Awesome, awesome book. A completely different way of looking at education, compared to traditional classroom education.
As outlined by Ackoff and Greenberg, students should be autonomous and empowered to take their education into their own hands. The authors reject the notion that "students aren't bright enough" to set their own direction and the idea that students are to be molded by teachers and parents. In response to the outcries of "what about the basics?!," the authors claim that if these skills are truly basic, then in this community-connected school the students will recognize their need and learn them independently. This is hinting at the question commonly raised of the education system, "how can we prepare our students for a future we can't predict?" They suggest a negative reply, "we can't, we can just do the best to help students actualize their own potential and goals, making them life-long learners who can adapt to changes, protect their rights, and fully participate as global citizens."
The idea of raising children to participate in a democratic nation while educating them in a dictatorial environment was also a central theme to the ideal school. The school is run with a weekly School Meeting, in which everyone has a single vote, staff and student of all ages, and during which all governance, judiciary, financial, and even staffing decisions are made. (participatory democracy)
There is a large implicit notion of trust in the ideal schools presented in this book (notably, the Sudbury Valley model, cofounded by Greenberg in 1968) which seems to be the largest obstacle to seeing such a system nationalized. In such a school, there is a faith and trust in students, their capabilities and their contributions, that many adults do not have.
As outlined by Ackoff and Greenberg, students should be autonomous and empowered to take their education into their own hands. The authors reject the notion that "students aren't bright enough" to set their own direction and the idea that students are to be molded by teachers and parents. In response to the outcries of "what about the basics?!," the authors claim that if these skills are truly basic, then in this community-connected school the students will recognize their need and learn them independently. This is hinting at the question commonly raised of the education system, "how can we prepare our students for a future we can't predict?" They suggest a negative reply, "we can't, we can just do the best to help students actualize their own potential and goals, making them life-long learners who can adapt to changes, protect their rights, and fully participate as global citizens."
The idea of raising children to participate in a democratic nation while educating them in a dictatorial environment was also a central theme to the ideal school. The school is run with a weekly School Meeting, in which everyone has a single vote, staff and student of all ages, and during which all governance, judiciary, financial, and even staffing decisions are made. (participatory democracy)
There is a large implicit notion of trust in the ideal schools presented in this book (notably, the Sudbury Valley model, cofounded by Greenberg in 1968) which seems to be the largest obstacle to seeing such a system nationalized. In such a school, there is a faith and trust in students, their capabilities and their contributions, that many adults do not have.
June 2, 2020
While I agree with a lot of the ideas presented as great education in this book, the authors are condescending and prove time and again that they don't actually have any knowledge about how schools are run. I HATED this book. I think it gave me blood pressure problems.
Do I think kids need more freedom to develop at their own pace and focus on their independent interests? Yes, I really believe education could function more authentically in this way. Do I think that learning disabilities are made up by profiteering social workers? NO! Most of the ideas are presented in this sort of elitist fashion.
The authors also posit that the current curriculum of schools exists because profiteering teachers don't want to be put out of jobs. Just another instance where the authors show that they know NOTHING about how schools work. Teachers have little or no say in writing standards and curricula.
The model of the ideal school upheld by the authors (who are direct stakeholders in the private institution) is the Sudbury Valley School. Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent school, and I think schools should try to model themselves in this direction. It's amazing! But the authors repeat the refrain that this is a school that accepts everyone as long as there is room...as long as they can pay the tuition. The authors claim it is low, and further tout vouchers (there are many problematic and elitist issues with their discussion of vouchers as well) but currently tuition is priced well above what most people can pay, and 2-3 times as high as what public schools can pay per student in educational services. There is no evidence that such a model would be sustainable across the country, except for upper-middle class families of students without special needs.
Do I think kids need more freedom to develop at their own pace and focus on their independent interests? Yes, I really believe education could function more authentically in this way. Do I think that learning disabilities are made up by profiteering social workers? NO! Most of the ideas are presented in this sort of elitist fashion.
The authors also posit that the current curriculum of schools exists because profiteering teachers don't want to be put out of jobs. Just another instance where the authors show that they know NOTHING about how schools work. Teachers have little or no say in writing standards and curricula.
The model of the ideal school upheld by the authors (who are direct stakeholders in the private institution) is the Sudbury Valley School. Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent school, and I think schools should try to model themselves in this direction. It's amazing! But the authors repeat the refrain that this is a school that accepts everyone as long as there is room...as long as they can pay the tuition. The authors claim it is low, and further tout vouchers (there are many problematic and elitist issues with their discussion of vouchers as well) but currently tuition is priced well above what most people can pay, and 2-3 times as high as what public schools can pay per student in educational services. There is no evidence that such a model would be sustainable across the country, except for upper-middle class families of students without special needs.
December 26, 2010
This book really got me into the Ackoff philosophy of life. I'm going to be reading all of his books and articles that I can find. I wish I had had the opportunity to meet the man. This book also introduces many of the concepts of the Sudbury Valley school which read me to reading Neill's Summerhill. This book will make you question how we survived traditional K-12 with our souls intact, and what we can do for future generations.
March 2, 2019
This is a profound book. At the surface, it's a review of our education system, its failings and a picture of what an ideal education system should look like. While describing so, the authors discuss fundamental ideas about what it means to be educated and what is the role (and responsibility) of an individual in society. In doing so they paint a beautiful vision of a new educational and (indirectly social) system of individuals pursuing their own journeys freely in accordance with their own chosen values.
November 25, 2020
There are definitely positives and negatives about this book. I appreciate that the authors convey the challenges of our current education system in the US. A lot of this book is about empowering students to choose their own path so they are actually interested in their education. The authors lose me in the end where they explain how they would change the education system. They try to create something of an “educational utopia,” but it’s a very one-sided view that may exist in small pockets (Sudbury Schools), but I don’t think would work well in the greater scheme of the world.
October 9, 2019
Learning is teaching
Very enlightening book about what education should be really about and the important message for me
Is that learning happens every day, as parents, we should provide a nurturing environment at home to let the kids explore in all areas of life and discover their passion, help them to pursue with determination, and most importantly be happy in whatever they choose to do in Life!
Very enlightening book about what education should be really about and the important message for me
Is that learning happens every day, as parents, we should provide a nurturing environment at home to let the kids explore in all areas of life and discover their passion, help them to pursue with determination, and most importantly be happy in whatever they choose to do in Life!
August 6, 2008
If you haven't read much UnSchool/Sudbury, JohnHolt or JohnTaylorGatto, this could be a good intro to this school of thought.
http://webseitz.fluxent.com/wiki/Turn...
http://webseitz.fluxent.com/wiki/Turn...
January 6, 2010
Fascinating read on education.
March 6, 2015
Any big thinkers that are interested in new paradigms in education will love this book. Whole systems theory for educators. super, super, super
Want to read
April 7, 2008coming out summer 08. watch for reviews; could be good
September 7, 2009
The anti-Hirsch, this is a provocative manifesto for dismantling the entire education infrastructure and rebuilding it from scratch.
April 20, 2016
A good place to start for an overview of the philosophy underlying the Sudbury model of education.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews