I think “preaches” might be a bit strong, and I don’t think I’m riled up. I disagree with a few things you wrote in your post. First, I don’t think an emphasis on inquiry is necessarily “liberalization” of education, nor does it require anyone to lay down their lives in the pursuit of it. I don’t believe that education needs to be controlled by The Government – most of my best education has happened far away from any formal institution, far away from any political or economic power plays.

If the practices of teaching and learning, of questioning, of investigating, of discovering, are to be of any value, they need to “belong” to the individual, not to The State. For that to truly happen, we need to realize that education is so much more than Education. It is continual. It is organic. It is not defined by anyone other than our selves. As such, any political control over our own teaching and learning has to be voluntary. That’s not to say it’s nonexistent, or even that it isn’t compellingly strong. Just that the control is voluntary.

The “real, live, connected and active inquiry” is what I want for my kids (and myself). If I can provide them with that kind of education then I will feel I have been successful.

So to answer “What is worth knowing?” I would have to say – Knowing how to learn. Not how to memorize a list of facts or how to parrot back someone’s thoughts, but how to discover new things and form personal opinions that can be expressed and defended.

Do we let people off the hook, and let them slide back into passive acceptance of hegemony? Or is it our role, our mandate, our moral imperative to do more? Not everyone will accept that there even _is_ more (maybe it’s even essential that many reject the possibility), but I think it’s critical to try.

If I accept that the mind resides completely within a person’s own skull (which I do), and that our understanding of reality is entirely shaped by our perception of it via our senses (which I do), and if I accept that at some point, my isolated and individual mind will shut down and cease to exist (which I do), then on a very real level my single most important act is to communicate with others. To share, to help in sense-making. Otherwise, it’s all for naught. Nothing more than busywork until death. So, if communication and sharing and helping to build understanding are the most important acts (above the simple biological imperatives) then education becomes the single most important activity that any of us can participate in. And not the cold, mindless industrial “learning factory” brand of education, but real, live, connected, and active inquiry.

@Carolyn – kids are much more pragmatic than many people give them credit for – her number one priority is caring for her stuffed cats

@David – all good questions. where to start on finding answers?