Honors Orientation: Different Approaches to Education

            While many colleges are taught the same way there are some who teach differently. Some of these colleges are Evergreen State University, Berea College, Green College, St. Johns, and the Experimental College of Haverford. Each of these schools takes a different approach to learning, some of them being very different.

            Each of these colleges does not teach classes normally. At Evergreen State University the classes are interdisciplinary, have no grades, and students do not have a specific major. Berea College requires their students to work on campus. Green College is an environmental liberal arts college, which means all their work is related to the environment and their senior capstone project is something that can better the community. St. Johns College does not have any textbooks, they just teach from books throughout history and they also do not have majors. The Experimental College of Haverford has student-run classes. You do not see these approaches at a typical college. They vary a lot from John Brown University. John Brown University has grades, majors, and professors who teach their classes.

            The aims of these colleges seem to vary as well. Evergreen State University and St. Johns College seem to want to give students an education that covers many topics and increases their intellectual knowledge. They are not preparing them to go into a specific job. Green College aims to give their students an awareness of the environment and Berea College is trying to give everyone an opportunity for education. The Experimental college of Haverford is seeing if student run classes work. It says on the website that you do not receive actual college credit from the classes. These aims are different from John Brown University. John Brown University is aiming to weave a Christian worldview into their students so that the students can better understand God’s creation and can make a positive impact on the world.

            These programs are quite different from most. I do not think I would do as well. Having a particular major with classes that relate to what I want to do motivates me. If the curriculum were the same for everyone it would be very similar to high school. I do not think that these approaches should be adopted by John Brown University. I like what we are being taught here and think it is a good balance.