Taslima and I have been thinking along the same lines today.
Not only no thinking. Worse than that. No thinking because no challenging of beliefs. Thus no learning, no changing of mind, no change, no progress, no education.
The Texas Republican party has come out in favor of stagnation and ignorance and dogmatic, fixed beliefs.
If we want to make the world a better place, we have to stop the system that forces our children to read the books of barbarism and lies and believe everything without asking questions. If we do not inspire our children to study science and have a thinking mind, we will see the crowds of ignorant people everywhere. If we do not encourage our children to study secularism and humanism, we will not be able to stop fanaticism, caste-ism,racism, sectarianism.
Sisters.
I looked up the HOTS program. From my brief look, it seems completely normal.
I’ve used Bloom’s Taxonomy in developing educational software, and it was fine. As usual with educational paradigms, the Devil is in the details, so to speak.
Here are similar thoughts echoed in the latest article on Nirmukta on Freethought Parenting envisioning the sort of child to whose coming-of-age the project of freethought parenting, and in a sense the freethought movement itself, is dedicated:
…. a child who understand the wonders of the universe, cherishes the gift of life, looks forward to each day and relishes the beauty of nature. A responsible child, a child who is intolerant of casteism and gender discrimination; a child who realizes the value of life and knows that it is the only chance that she will ever get. A child courageous about her convictions having arrived at them with reason and able to defend them. A child able to think for herself and compassionate to care for others. A child who does not believe that rewards await him in his afterlife but seeks to create ‘heaven’ on this earth.
Ah that’s lovely, Arvind.
It reminds me of Meera Nanda. Another sister. :- )
Actually, I think we can work with this…
What truths criticality will not provide, perhaps doctrine can.