A Neohumanist Theory of Learning

By Kathleen Kesson

Teaching methodologies in existing Neohumanist schools vary widely given differences in cultural context, the experience and knowledge base of teachers, the knowledge school administrators have of “best practices,” the availability of resources, and the wishes of specific communities. In one school, children may be expected to sit quietly in rows, listen to the teacher, raise their hand to be called upon, memorize what is told to them, and then demonstrate their learning by repeating correct answers to questions either orally or on a written exam. In another school, children may be traipsing through the forest, shouting out when they see interesting flora or fauna, asking questions of the teacher or guide, having structured and unstructured conversations with their peers, and demonstrating their learning in a variety of ways: drawing and labeling the parts of a new insect they found, creating a model of the forest eco-system with a small group, or maybe writing and performing a short play about the creatures in the forest.

In the days before the invention of writing, writing instruments, the printing press and digital devices, most knowledge was passed down orally, and students were expected to memorize vast amounts of information. In many pre-literate cultures, for example, tribal elders are said to have had encyclopedic memories, and were able to recall the names and uses of hundreds of plants, insects, landmarks, as well as the histories of their people, religious doctrines, and origin stories. Such extraordinary memory skills have for the most part atrophied in human beings, though the ability to recall information remains an important, if basic skill. In the modern world, one must be able to not only recall information, but also exercise higher order, more complex cognitive abilities: to understand, to synthesize, to analyze, to evaluate and apply knowledge, all skills vital to solving the enormous problems that confront us in the modern world. And these cognitive capacities can be instilled in early education.

In my forthcoming book, Becoming One with the World: A Guide to Neohumanist Education, I propose an integrative approach to learning theory, a synthesis of ancient and modern ways of knowing, to formulate a Neohumanist theory of learning. The following list of core principles drawn from Yoga teachings and contemporary neuroscientific research on learning and the brain is first developed in a chapter entitled “The Science of Learning,” and the implementation of these ideas is further elaborated in subsequent chapters on learning environments, teaching methods, curriculum, and assessment:

• The search for meaning should be at the heart of all educational activity. Seeking information must arise from genuine questions that young people have about the world and their place in it.
• Learning activities should be balanced between the extroversial (external knowledge) and the introversial (inner knowledge), integrating these elements in creative ways.
• A “heart-centered” approach that promotes love for all creation should permeate all subject matter.
• Learning should be holistic, engaging the many dimensions of conscious and subconscious activity—body, senses, perception, reflection, cognition, and metacognition.
• Learning should activate the subtle aspects of the personality (aesthetics, intuition, imagination, caring, empathy) as well as the intellect.
• Understanding that much learning happens below the surface of consciousness, great attention should be paid to the sensory environment, including colors, textures, scents, sounds, materials, décor. Think of the surrounding environment as a “teacher” and ask what is learned and absorbed from every detail.
• Loving kindness and safety should characterize the learning environment. Relationship is at the heart of good teaching.
• The discrete learning of facts should be contextualized in meaningful activity.
• Experience should be at the center of learning, amplified by discussion, debate, and reflection.
• There should be opportunities for students to articulate what is already known about a topic, so that new information has something to “hook” onto, and misunderstandings can be cleared up.
• Learning should be social, developing communicative skills and relationships.
• Critical thinking—the ability to reason and think logically—should be cultivated.
• Novelty and challenge should both be present, tempered by support and encouragement. Teachers need to understand Vygotsky’s “zone of proximal development” (the difference between where a learner is and their potential for growth) and proceed accordingly.
• There is no room in a Neohumanist classroom for activities that shut down the brain (threats, negative criticism, high stakes testing, strict time limits, penalties and punitive grading).
• Engagement and joy in learning are motivators, and information thus gained results in higher levels of cognition, better long-term memory storage, connection-making, and “Aha!” moments.
• The “thirst for knowledge” should be activated; information and facts should be presented creatively, utilizing storytelling, visual artifacts, music and film whenever possible.
• Many different forms of intelligence should be valued, and students should have multiple choices about how they express their knowledge.
• A spirit of gratitude should be fostered and opportunities to engage in selfless service should be inspired.

Research on learning and the brain is advancing at an accelerated pace (this century has already had a “Decade of the Mind” [2007-2017]), and Western science may soon arrive at a deeper understanding of consciousness that could change the face of education. However, conventional education has always lagged far behind new discoveries in the cognitive sciences. Neohumanist educators who have integrated what we currently know of body/brain/mind research with what we know from the ancient teachings of Yoga are positioned to formulate innovative pedagogies that not only develop the keen intellect necessary to solve increasingly complex problems in the world, but that nurture the whole child, and their social, emotional, ethical, aesthetic, imaginative and intuitive selves as well.

Kathleen Kesson is the Program Director and Faculty in the Teacher Preparation certificate program offered through the Neohumanist College of Asheville. Her forthcoming book, “Becoming One with the World: A Guide to Neohumanist Education” will be available soon from Information Age Publishing.