Philosophy of Education as stated by Orr

Orr (1991) proposes ecological literacy for all students (p.7). Can students take what they learn inside a building and apply it to real world situations? Can they understand how everything they learned is intertwined and meant to work together? Are we teaching our youth how to live well and sustainably on this earth?

Orr questions if knowledge and education makes us better? He talks about the six myths of education. The third myth states that learning makes us better people. He feels this is a myth because the Germans were the best educated people on earth, but their education did not serve as an adequate barrier to barbarity (p.1). Education is no guarantee of decency, prudence, or wisdom. Does education give you success? "The planet does not need more successful people, but what it does need are peacemakers, healers, restorers, story tellers, and lovers. People who will fight to make our world more habitable and humane. This had nothing to do with success. (p.4). Are we focusing to much on facts, figures, and technical things, rather than the arts, imagination, and creativity?

Is ignorance a solvable problem? Orr believes it is not. The more advanced in knowledge we become the more ignorant we become. An example of this could be a medication to reduce cancer cells. It may reduce the cells, but does it hurt other organs? We won't know until we see the results. This is an example of ignorance. We don't know what we don't know. The more advanced we become in technology the more we learn. But are there ramifications to this? Will we find out years down the road where we went wrong?

Orr states that he believes we are living in a disintegrating culture. Capitalism creates wealth for a few, and poverty for a growing underclass. This in return will cause a break down in society which will lead to drugs on the street, violence, and the most desparate kind of poverty. Our culture does not cultivate vision, imagination, or aesthetic or spiritual sensitivity. It does not encourage gentleness, generosity, caring or ocmpassion. (p.4). Can this be taught in school? Is what we are plugging into the heads of our children going to benefit them in the future?

What must education be for? Orr strongly urges that youth be taught Environmental Education so they understand that they are a part of a natural world. That what they do will have an effect on other things. The goal of education should be to develop one's person. Students need to take the information they have been given and use it in a responsible way. So much corruption comes from very educated people who do risky things. Internet scams, creating viruses, and hacking are just a few examples of negative knowledge.

How does a child learn? If information is delivered in a lecturing manner than a child can become passive. Does learning only take place indoors? Can a child take what is taught in the classroom and be able to make generalizations? How will they use this information? Will they leave school being a better person? Do what they learn have anything to do with the world?

Is what is being taught in our classrooms being questioned? Should we be questioning it? Orr takes us on a journey to ask ourselves these very questions. Are our educational systems preparing our children to be good citizens and ecologically aware?