Theme of Week One: National and State Reforms: Creating Invincibility for the Nation
Lesson 1
Course Overview: Stability and Change in Education
Enlivening the Total Potential of Natural Law in All Students
WHOLENESS OF THE LESSON
It is important for the teaching and learning enterprise to be based on well-thought out
student academic learning and personal-growth oriented goals, with carefully developed
standards, and evaluation procedures and measures that support student learning and
development. Every school needs professional, well-trained teachers, high-quality curriculum
texts and materials, adequate school resources, and the support of families, the community,
and local and state government.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) The central goal of education in every country should
be the development of the full potential of the knower, the student, so every individual can
live a fulfilling, productive, healthy life—free from mistakes and suffering. Complete
knowledge of consciousness, both intellectually and experientially, is the basis of real
educational reform.
MAIN POINTS
1. The clear delineation of mutually-agreed upon educational goals, along with carefully
developed curriculum standards (including content standards) can provide a roadmap,
leading to successful educational reform.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) Education must start with the development of
consciousness of both the student and teacher so that the goals of education and standards
for learning can be fulfilled in an effortless and successful manner.
2. Educational goals provide the basis for standards, which then translate into specific curriculum taught by teachers to students. Evaluation procedures and measures are used to determine whether students have achieved the expected learning outcomes and to help improve student learning.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) The goal of Consciousness-Based education is attainment of the complete knowledge of consciousness, both intellectually and experientially, by every student. Everything else should follow from this main goal, including standards, which emphasize connecting the parts of knowledge to the wholeness
of knowledge, the Self, and evaluation procedures such as EEG brain functioning, which
show the objective development of higher states of consciousness.
3. According to Diane Ravitch, Research Professor of Education at New York University and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, schooling also requires the active participation of families, public officials, local organizations, and the larger community to help ensure student success.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) As the collective consciousness of society rises through the group practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program, society will become more prosperous and healthy, emphasizing higher values of life, which will contribute to a greater emphasis on educating all students regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, or special needs.
Connecting the Parts of Knowledge with the Wholeness of Knowledge
1. Current education is too often characterized by teachers blindly following curriculum developed by the state or a district central office, without regard to the background and needs of their students.
2. Education should be characterized by well-thought out goals and curriculum standards (content and process) that provide wholeness and continuity across schools, with classroom teachers having the freedom to develop the necessary curriculum and implement the appropriate instructional strategies, relevant to all their students.
________________________________________________________________3. Transcendental Consciousness is the source of infinite stability and adaptability.
4. Impulses within the transcendental field: The sounds of the Veda and Vedic Literature are
the impulses of Natural Law, giving rise to all progress in life.
5. Wholeness moving within itself: From the standpoint of unity consciousness, all stability
and change in education is experienced as the self-interacting dynamics of one’s own
unbounded Self.
Notes:
Goals
to
Curriculum & instruction
to
Evaluate learning
Stability and Change in American Education:
Enlivening the Total Potential of Natural Law in Human Awareness
Theme of Week One: National and State Reforms: Creating Invincibility for the Nation
Lesson 2
History of American Education:
Through the Window of Science We See The Dawn of the Age of Enlightenment
WHOLENESS OF THE LESSON
The history of modern American education is the history of progress toward producing a
well-educated responsible citizenry, trained in the knowledge of science, math, English,
and social studies. Students, who were less academic, were often placed in vocational
tracks, which provided training for the labor force.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) A fully educated student is in tune with all the laws
of Nature and therefore has the ability to fulfill his/own desires without causing suffering
to others.
MAIN POINTS
1. Education in colonial America (1600’s – 1700’s) was mostly a transplant of forms of
education from Europe oriented toward preparing the clergy and government civil
servants. However it was largely influenced by the Reformation, which regarded
education as necessary for salvation and good citizenship.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) Maharishi Vedic Science views education as the way
to educate people to live spontaneously in accord with natural law and thereby live life
without suffering.
2. In the early nationalist era (late 1700’s), though there was no formal mechanism for state
financed education, several private institutions and a few public ones were formed.
Monitorial schools, Sunday schools and Academies created the foundation for today’s
public schools.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) Schools, like other institutions in society, reflect the
collective consciousness of society.
3. The early 19th century saw the rise of the Common School Movement, which sought to
create state-financed, compulsory, universal, public (free) education.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) Because every human is an embodiment of Total
Knowledge, every person deserves to be supported in his or her progress toward full
enlightenment.
4. With the rise of the industrial age in the second half of the 19th century came child labor,
urban slums, and growing tension among the classes of American society. The conscience
of the American people was awakened by the Progressive Movement. The Progressive
Education Association, led by Francis Parker and John Dewey, rediscovered the needs and
interests of the child and integrated subject matter around problem-solving activities.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) The needs and interests of each student is best
served when his/her own inner intelligence is fully awakened, resulting in a fully coherent
integrated, and healthy mind and body.
5. The Progressive Movement in Education reached its conclusion in 1957 when Russia
launched Sputnik and the U.S. turned its attention again to science and math education.
Even with a continued emphasis on science and the basic skills, the U.S. ranks far below
other developed countries in science, math, and reading.
Maharishi Science of Consciousness) A new approach is needed in education today, one
that directly enlivens the total potential of Natural Law in the awareness of each student,
allowing the inner intelligence of each student to shine forth.
Scientific Research: Nidich, S. Mjasiri, S., Nidich, R., Rainforth, M., Grant, J., Valosek, L.,
Change W., & Zigler, R. (2011). Academic achievement and Transcendental Meditation: A
study with at-risk urban middle school students. Education, 131, 556-564.
Connecting the Parts of Knowledge With the Wholeness of Knowledge
History of American Education
1. The progress of American Education can be seen in the availability of free, public
education to a greater and greater variety of people.
2. Successful public education programs today focus on innovations that provide more
attention to the needs of low-income, poor-academically performing students in the form of
smaller schools and smaller class sizes, increased in-school instructional time, greater
parental involvement, and availability to community healthcare resources.
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3. Transcendental Consciousness is the source of all knowledge and the basis of an
enlightened citizenry.
4. Impulses within the transcendental field: The sounds of the Veda and Vedic Literature,
the impulses of Natural Law, structure the entire field of knowledge.
5. Wholeness moving within itself: From the standpoint of unity consciousness, the history
of American education represents various swings within the self-referral state of one’s own
unbounded consciousness.
(Review lesson 2 main points)
Laws of nature outside are the same as laws that govern us inside. Source of laws is consciousness, all self-referral; expressions of our level of consciousness.
When in need of a work force, children are taken out of schools when they old and strong enough. Didn’t have laws in the past of ages, wages, work hours, etc. Children (and immigrant) exploration
CBE time through child’s education is precious time to unfold the full value of natural law within the child’s consciousness. Basic elements of education are being put in place during this developmental time.
Maharishi: students should be absorbed in knowledge, on development and learning. Not working
Education a social thing, for society, not focused on the individual (happened in the 60s briefly and was considered radical).
Enliven NL in large groups and you can really effect society and raise collective consciousness.
December 1, 2011
“You can’t lead your troops if your troops don’t trust you.”
MVS: Receptivity is the foundation of learning.
Goals:
Are they being fulfilled or not?
Broad holistic value
Have a clear layout of needs.
MVS: wholeness and generality to specificity, and unless the wholeness is developed first, we will have problems along the way. From the first word in the Rik Ved, AGNI
A-wholeness collapses to point value: G-stops, NI-smoothes out
A good educational system will be self-referral back to goal; everyone needs to be on board.
What is the wholeness of educational reform? Consciousness is ultimate, but in terms of what most consider, the goals are the broad framework.
Putting a date on goal makes it move forward, but needs power behind it.
In the U.S. the educational system is left to the state but the No Child Left Behind act is national government implemented. This is all fear-based implementation. Ramifications if the goal is not met. If the schools are failing, they should be getting more help instead of punishment and closing schools. Corporate model.
Continuity: has to do with the overall society, with parents, communities, basic needs, stability, and routine.
Race to the top: A new program where several million dollars is given to the state to promote STEM- science, technology, engineering, and math.
STEM Goals:
1.Improve teacher instruction in math and science:
Outsource and get businesses onboard. Update lab equipment from donations. Involve community.
2.Real world projects relevant to students’ life or what they want to become, they learn better. (Explain to students why they need to learn it, and believe it. Put yourself in the students’ shoes.)
3.Assess children and see the levels of students, how much knowledge of theory or how much practice they have. Separate into different groups in lab situations to satisfy stress/challenge levels.
4.Make curriculum and then decide what equipment is needed, not the other way around.
5.Increase math and science requirements.
Can be doing other subjects and still improving reading or math skills, etc. This probably improves all basic skills seeing how they interact with different subjects and life.
Who is making the decisions?
Teaching is like operation on ones mind. Elementary teachers influence us during our critical formative years.
High-test scores are determined by quality of life. We should focus on the quality of life and test scores will improve.
Stability and Change in American Education:
Enlivening the Total Potential of Natural Law in Human Awareness
Theme of Week One: National and State Reforms: Creating Invincibility for the Nation
Lesson 3
Goals of Education:
Established in Being, Perform Action
WHOLENESS OF THE LESSON
Educators and policy-makers historically have established major goals of education related to academic achievement, vocational training, responsible citizenship, and cognitive/social- emotional learning and development.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) Developing higher states of consciousness in the student is fundamental to the achievement of all educational goals: academic, vocational, cultural and social-emotional learning.
MAIN POINTS
1. The main goals of schooling have traditionally emphasized academic achievement goals, especially in the disciplines of math, science, reading, and social studies), vocational training goals (for those students who were less academically capable), social/cultural goals related to responsible citizenship and social behavior, and cognitive/social-emotional goals related to learning and development.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) Consciousness-Based education holds the promise of developing the full potential of the student—enlightenment— so that the student is able to fulfill his/her own desires and not cause suffering to others.
2. National commissions have been formed to establish goals to be accomplished by our nation’s schools by a specific target date. For example, in 1989, President Bush and the nation’s governors established a set of goals to be accomplished by the year 2000, including:
all students should enter school healthy and ready to learn, the national graduation rate should reach at least 90%, all students should be competent in the academic disciplines and be prepared for responsible citizenship, and the U.S. should be first in the world in math and science achievement.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) The level of educational success nationally is dependent on the collective consciousness of society and the vision of its educational, political, and business leaders. Through large Super Radiance communities, the collective consciousness can be improved and the highest ideals of education achieved.
Goals
1. The main goal of education is for the advancement of society: the production of a highly skilled workforce to support business and commerce and the development of a responsible citizenry to support a democratic way of life.
2. The main goal of education is for personal growth, e.g., the acquisition of skills to promote life-long learning and the pursuit of knowledge.
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3. Transcendental Consciousness is the foundation of knowledge for the individual as well as society.
4. Impulses within the transcendental field: The sounds of the Veda and Vedic Literature, the impulses of Natural Law, are responsible for structuring the whole manifest creation, supporting both the growth of the individual as well as society.
5. Wholeness moving within itself: In unity consciousness the gulf has been bridged between knower and known and all of society and the whole manifest universe is experienced as expressions of one’s own Self.
Theme of Week One: National and State Reforms: Creating Invincibility for the Nation
Lesson 4
Educational Standards:
Self-referral Knowledge as the Basis for Successful Action, Achievement, and
Fulfillment
WHOLENESS OF THE LESSON
The development of standards by national organizations and state and local school districts
provide a guide for more effective schooling. Standards need to be tied to better preparation
of teachers, development of higher quality, learning material, progressive assessments of learning, and greater support for struggling students.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) For complete knowledge of consciousness, both intellectual knowledge and direct experience of the field of pure consciousness are needed.
Intellectual knowledge provides the goal and validation of experience; techniques (Yukti) provide the means for direct experience of the transcendental field of consciousness.
MAIN POINTS
1. Standards have been useful in clarifying goals and establishing teaching priorities.
Examples of standards: social studies and history standards developed by the National
Council for Social Studies (NCSS)
http://www.educationworld.com/standards/national/soc_sci/index.shtml and National Science
Education Standards http://www.educationworld.com/standards/national/science/9_12.shtml
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) Intellectual knowledge provides the roadmap towards the development of enlightenment and validation of personal experience; techniques (Yukti) provide the means for direct experience of the transcendental field of consciousness.
2. Unlike many high-achieving countries that specify a small number of major concepts or topics to be covered by teachers for a specific subject at a given grade level, U.S. teachers are typically expected to cover a very large number of learning objectives for each subject and grade-level they teach. (The entire set of mathematics standards for Finland, who placed second in math internationally, is listed in only about 10 pages.)
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) Nature is most economical and efficient. Through practice of the Transcendental Mediation technique we develop skill in action—do less and accomplish more.
3. Evaluation studies have found achievement gains tied to problem-oriented curriculum, the development of higher-order thinking skills, and performance-based assessment.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) Research on the practice of the Transcendental
Meditation technique has shown development of higher-order thinking, increased creativity, and improved decision-making ability.
Connecting the Parts of Knowledge
With the Wholeness of Knowledge
Educational Standards
1. Educational standards describe the content and skills that students need to develop in a given academic subject for a given grade level.
2. Standards need to be tied to better preparation of teachers, development of higher quality, learning material, progressive assessments of learning, and greater support for struggling students.
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3. Transcendental Consciousness is the source of all knowledge.
4. Impulses within the transcendental field: The sounds of the Veda and Vedic Literature, the impulses of Natural Law, structure the whole manifest creation including the knowledge within every academic field.
5. Wholeness moving within itself: In unity consciousness all knowledge is experienced as expressions of one’s own self-referral consciousness—the gulf between has been bridged.
Lesson 5
Accountability in Education:
Developing the Full Value of Creative Intelligence of Every Student
WHOLENESS OF THE LESSON
Accountability is the determination of whether the main goals of schooling are being
achieved; it should entail the competence of teachers and school leaders, the quality of
instruction, and the adequacy of resources for all schools. In recent years, accountability in
the United States has largely come to be associated with student achievement on state
standardized measures of basic skills.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) Schools will finally be accountable to parents and the broader community when students are successfully developing the full value of creative intelligence—fulfilling their academic, neurophysiological, and social-emotional potential.
MAIN POINTS
1. Accountability should be focused on ensuring the competence of teachers and school leaders, the quality of instruction, and the adequacy of resources for all schools, as well as the capacity of the system to trigger improvements.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) The main purpose of schooling is the development of the full value of creative intelligence of every students and school accountability should be associated with achieving this goal of holistic human development.
2. In the current prevailing paradigm in the U.S., accountability has been defined primarily as the administration of standardized tests and attachment of sanctions for low-test scores.
(Maharishi Science of Consciousness) Ideal education should inspire and promote the holistic development of every student towards higher states of consciousness—the birthright of every human.
School Accountability
1. In recent years, accountability in the United States and other countries has largely come to be associated with student achievement on state standardized measures of basic skills.
2. Accountability should be focused on ensuring the competence of teachers and school leaders, the quality of instruction, and the adequacy of resources for all schools, as well as the capacity of the system to trigger improvements.
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3. Transcendental Consciousness is the basis of full human development.
4. Impulses within the transcendental field: The sounds of the Veda and Vedic Literature, the impulses of Natural Law, are the qualities of creative intelligence responsible for student growth and the progress of society.
5. Wholeness moving within itself: Full school accountability is achieved when students are rising to the state of unity consciousness, the pinnacle of human development in which all knowledge is experienced as expressions of one’s own Self.
