“You ARE the hero of your own journey, and [this course] is the most important course you will ever take. You should be at the center of your own curriculum and let the rest of your schooling experiences supplement this foundational study of yourself…This is a solo mission– a private, individual, one-on-one class where you are both teacher and student. You only have to deal with and answer to yourself! Nobody can tell you what to do but you!”
A Humanities Course: Heroism 101
Lesson 1: How to Be The Hero of Your Own Life Story
If I could create a course especially for young people this podcast would serve as a sample introductory mini-lecture about the importance of knowing thyself within a larger course that I would call The Hero’s Journey or Heroism 101 (credit to Jospeh Campbell, Carl Jung, Jordan Peterson and many many others from antiquity to the present).
Typically, English teachers in public high schools are required to “cover” specific works of literature and teach specific language arts skills to students. We grade the students on their skills performance and progress, and assess their understanding of the literature under study. Coursework usually begins with reading required stories where students are encouraged to make personal connections– to see themselves in the characters and explore human themes that might resonate with them. The value of a humanities class, especially today, cannot be overstated! But, I thought, why not reverse this approach and begin a humanities course with students studying their very own lives– their own “selves,” their inner landscapes– the inner world of who they are, and encourage them to see that they are actually, really, travelling on their own hero’s journey? The essential guiding question for such a course is : Who am I and How do I know? I think this is a valuable and precious piece of education that is needed for young people today, therefore the curriculum I am creating at Landscapes for Learning that will include podcasting, a journaling program, coaching sessions, video and other tutorials, and lots of other learning materials.
So, I would say to kids, why not just examine your own actual life rather than starting with examples and metaphors? I mean, for sure, archetypal stories and archetypal characters can teach you a ton about yourself (think Luke Skywalker, Frodo, Simba, and many more). Definitely, do your schoolwork! But instead of only studying fictional examples in the confines and context of school, I am reversing the approach by starting with YOU and your life– you, as the character of your own story, and encouraging and motivating you to examine the conflicts and themes that are human, relevant, and your real, actual life. Maybe things like your struggle with and hatred of school, or how you feel about yourself– maybe you lack confidence or feel ashamed of your weaknesses, or you lie a lot– or problems with friends & parents, or bullying and social media, anxiety and depression, and many other issues that are part of being a human being. These are the dragons you must slay, this is your road of trials, as the hero of your own life.
This curriculum I am creating is for you and is focused 100% on YOU and YOU becoming an expert on you and your own human nature! I will merely get you started– the rest is really up to you.
You ARE the hero of your own journey, and it is the most important course you will ever take. You should be at the center of your own curriculum and let the rest of your schooling experiences supplement this foundational study of yourself. The more you get to know yourself– the better you will see the world and understand others. All of your subjects in school will have more meaning for you– biology and chemistry and history and literature (I don’t know about math– probably math too!!). You will perform better because you will know your weakness and strengths, and your inner wisdom will help you find the grit, character, commitment, and motivation to do better and to be better all around! So, in this — your hero’s journey “course,” you will read, write and speak about, listen to, and think deeply about you! This is not more tedious slogging through a class or course simply to achieve a good grade. That is schooling. This is real, authentic learning.
This course– you and your life, NOW, is the learning that trumps all other forms of learning, and it’s actually important that you try to do the best you can — be the best student of yourself that you can be, since you will be the one who benefits most (although others will too, by default). And it is none of anyone else’s business what you are doing in this, your own class. This is a solo mission– a private, individual, one-on-one class where you are both teacher and student. You only have to deal with and answer to yourself! Nobody can tell you what to do but you!
You can assess yourself and decide about how much or little homework you do (I call it “soulwork”); and your attendance is totally up to you. You are in charge and you are responsible for you and only you.
So, I challenge you to put yourself at the center of your own attention, learn about what you are like and how you handle yourself– your thoughts, feelings, discomfort, boredom, whatever….and start figuring out who you’d like to be and get going on making it happen.
I hope I can get you to consider committing your time and your energy to self-understanding– spending more time with yourself, learning how to become your own best friend, and making yourself the best YOU you can be because you are full of amazing possibility, and the design of your own life is 100% in your control.
Enjoy this introductory lecture and stay tuned for more to come, more lessons you can use to teach yourself about yourself as you continue in this course– the course about YOU.
If you are interested in becoming the best you possible, subscribe to http://landscapesforlearning.com for email updates on new posts, podcasts, curriculum, and materials for your personal development.
Podcast Intro Music by:
Earthling-Political Lunatics published by DAWN STARS MUSIC
Creative Commons License
Click HERE to Listen to Podcast 005
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