Eolithism

Eolithism: engaging existing resources and interests as the starting point for learning experiences

 in contrast to…

Design: developing pre-determined goals and acquiring specific materials to attain these goals

Most current education is based on a pre-designed curriculum.  Materials are pre-selected for their identified contributions toward the learning of pre-determined and pre-defined concepts.


“…we should first involve children in observation and inquiry with the tools they already possessed…” David Hawkins

“I asked myself how best to tap the children’s existing energies and innovative powers…” Frances Hawkins



It seems that there are three types of eolithism:

• Intellectual eolithism: the utilization of interests that currently exist. Two children visit a park. One is captivated by a bug steadfastly marching through the grass, the other is devoted to seeing how fast she can go down the slide. Both children are exhibiting a passion that can be developed into a study of science, math, literacy, and art (to name a few). Encourage the children to explore that which piques their personal interest – that passion will help to drive further exploration.

• Physical eolithism: the utilization of resources that are currently available. The children who have visited the park have their beginning study materials – no slick and expensive kits are required. What other resources are in place to aid their investigations? Can you find three materials of varying size and shape to test different speeds on the slide? Do you find a box to construct a terrarium for extended bug study?

• Emotional eolithism: the safety that comes with appreciating current resources. The children who are following their interests from the park feel validated in their innate curiosity. They are not told to study different, or better, subjects. They are not yearning to have different interests. They are confident in their ability to ask meaningful questions.

David Hawkins contrasted this organic learning experience, gained from working with existing interests and resources and without a set agenda, against the rigid and measured learning goals of a pre-planned curriculum.

“Somehow one was supposed to be wise enough to define an all encompassing set of ends before one had acquired the slightest bit of good sense about the nature and potentialities of the materials…” David Hawkins

“Not to recognize individuality is not to educate.”  David Hawkins

Standardized curricula are delivered to students without regard for their existing interests.   The goal is to achieve uniform outcomes; all students learning the same things in the same ways, 
at the same times.

Frances and David understood that goal-setting has a place in education. At some point, in an eolithically founded investigation, child and adult will consider next-steps for broadening the work. However, they passionately believed that students who never experienced curiosity-based learning would eventually lose interest in science.

“Our kind cannot live without learning, and cannot live well without constant interplay of acceptance and control, exploration and consolidation, eolithism and design. But we live in a society which, for whatever reasons, values these phases very unequally and often fails, therefore, to see the connection between them.”                                                                                                     David Hawkins

To read more about eolithism, please read the essay, “Mind and Mechanism in Education” in The Informed Vision.