eflexive education is the idea that students best learn from the education that can be elicited from within, rather than curricula, outcomes or otherwise that are imposed externally. In its practical aspect, reflexivity in education has clear parallels with emergent pedagogy. By entering into a conversation with the students, whether verbal or experiential, the opportunity presents itself to be a sounding-board for inspiration and ideas that will come from the students themselves. In this way—whether the guide be a supervising adult in the room, another student, a local expert, etc.—a “mirror” is provided for the student.
Simultaneously, the student provides a mirror for the guide. The only way to truly become a better educator is to listen to the child.*“He will learn from the child himself the ways and means to his own education, that is he will learn from the child how to perfect himself as a teacher.”
Maria Montessori
The Discovery of the Child The signals the student sends may be verbal or phenomenological, subtle or strong, but those who are able to read them will be able to productively address the needs of each moment. Not only will this be our primary insight into how to pique each child’s individual educational impulse, but it will also critically provide for us recursive feedback into the efficacy of our pedagogical approach. These same signals will even give us clues as to how we may refine our efforts. From there, it is the proper duty of care of the teacher to recognize, receive and respond to the child’s interests or pedogogaical requirements. Thus, curiosity and the natural impulse for learning will be instantaneously rewarded and continually fostered.
Furthermore, this mirror that the adult provides for the child, and vice versa, helps to inform the introspective learning they are both undergoing at all times.*“But the study of the child, not in his physical but in his psychological aspect, may have an infinitely wider influence, extending to all human questions.”
Maria Montessori
The Secret of Childhood
Also, the term “reflexive” speaks to the natural state of our educational impulse. As a response to the interests and unknowns of our world, the intrinsic human reflex is to investigate, discover and learn.
A Place in which we Reflect
t its heart, we have opened this space, so dubbed The Incunabulum, to begin to address the needs of the community of those who are looking for something different in education. Whether the help we can supply be in direct assistance within the home; connecting families together across greater Portland’s society of home educators; providing a space for homeschoolers and unschoolers to meet who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity; offering support through planning and curricula development; being a sounding-board for emerging thoughts and revelations; or just simply enlivening inspiration to even the seasoned veterans of grassroots education. …As well as, of course, any of the myriad ways we have not yet envisioned. Regardless of how it is used—the emerging idea, the philosophy we espouse, the practical matters we can offer, et al.—we sincerely hope that this Incunabulum Learning Space will help to motivate us all as we co-create our journey forth.
