Learning through Experience

The French Renaissance philosopher, Michel de Montaigne, was a man after my own heart. He had important ideas about the education of children and once wrote, "It may be that we become more learned through the knowledge of others. We become wise only through ourselves."

I found the child education section of the Wikipedia article about him fascinating, as it chimes so well with Unitarian thought. Here's what it says: 

"He believe that a tutor should be in dialogue with the student, letting the student speak first... such a dialogue was intended to create an environment in which students would teach themselves. They would be able to realize their mistakes and make corrections to them as necessary.

    Individualized learning was integral to his theory of child education. He argued that the student combines information already known with what is learned and forms a unique perspective on the newly learned information. Montaigne also thought that tutors should encourage the natural curiosity of students and allow them to question things. He postulated that successful students were those who were encouraged to question new information and study it for themselves, rather than simply accepting what they had heard from authorities on any given topic.... 

    Experience also was a key element to learning for Montaigne. Tutors needed to teach students through experience rather than through the mere memorization of information often practised in book learning. He argued that students would become passive adults, blindly obeying and lacking the ability to think on their own.... He believed that learning through experience was superior to learning through the use of books. For this reason, he encouraged tutors to education their students through practice, travel, and human interaction."

What is not to like about that? Montaigne was far ahead of his time. Even when I was a child, in the 1960s, much emphasis was placed on rote memorization of dates and facts, although we were also (thankfully) encouraged to find out things for ourselves. 

I'm also a great believer in lifelong learning. I hope to *never* stop learning new things, and believe with Montaigne that experience is absolutely the best teacher of wisdom. Although, I also think that the reading of books and the acquisition of new knowledge and ideas is vital too. I have written on here before about the huge impact which books and the new ideas they have brought me, have had on my life. 

In our Unitarian communities, we encourage our attenders and members to bring their whole selves to the process of "Living Unitarianly" to quote Unitarian minister, Michael Dadson. Which includes not only what we have previously learned (from whatever source) but also our life experiences. And asking questions, rather than blindly accepting what others tell us. And applying it all to our current lives. Unitarianism urges us to be open to new ideas, new ways of being in the world, so that we may change and grow into our wisest and best selves, respecting and supporting the life journeys of our fellow travellers along the way.