The Way of the Curriculum

One-size-fits-all doesn't work for everyone

Deep within the bowels of the Beast, children line up in their hundreds for the ‘Great Brainwashing’. Mesmerised, they blankly stare, unaware the incessant repetitive cycle of learn, test and categorise has already begun. Soon they will be marked forever. Stamped with a sticky label that, even when removed, residue remains.

Looking back I realise I was just acting like the label I had been assigned. Unfortunately for my father (a Police Inspector), that label was ‘recently expelled loser that probably won’t fulfill expectations of going to University.’ 

And he was right, I didn’t. Well I almost completed one term, then dropped out, or as the University exit letter stated ‘an Interruption of study’. And that’s where I’ve been ever since.

On a perpetual interruption of study. A place of limbo. Of not achieving potential. 

Up until a few years ago, the biggest regret of my life was taking a banned substance into school. Or perhaps, getting caught. Now it's the fact that I took that narrative and allowed it to attach itself to my life for so long.

I spent most of my adult life believing I was an imposter, not worthy of University education, not as clever as my colleagues. Certainly not as creative.

My belief that University was the only way to legitimise myself in society was totally and utterly wrong.

And I wish I could write a letter to past me. I didn’t need more formal education. I needed to re-educate myself in ways that felt right for me.

One of the first things I stumbled upon back then was The Artist’s Way. Although the spiritual language initially put me off (I was an atheist at the time), the reflective exercises really helped me look at why I felt the way I did. They kick-started me into pockets of deep reflection and self exploration.

And thus began an experimental journey of learning, playing and making. A kind of ‘University of the self’.

Reflect on your label. Start changing your narrative.

Recognise your label and reflect on it. Is it really true? Labels can be hard to remove when they’ve been stuck down for so long, but you can start peeling them back one gentle tug at a time.