--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Both children and adults acquire…" description: "\"“Both children and adults acquire knowledge from active participation in holistic, complex, meaningful environments organized around long-term goals. T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/sylvia-farnham-diggory-281020_active-participation_both-children-and-adults-acquire-knowled_3138864.jpg" --- # Both children and adults acquire knowledge from active… ![“Both children and adults acquire knowledge from active participation in holistic, complex, meaningful environments organized around long-term goals. Today's school programs could hardly have been better designed to prevent a child's natural learning system from operating.” quote by Sylvia Farnham-Diggory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/sylvia-farnham-diggory-281020_active-participation_both-children-and-adults-acquire-knowled_3138864.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/sylvia-farnham-diggory-281020_active-participation_both-children-and-adults-acquire-knowled_3138864.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/sylvia-farnham-diggory-281020_active-participation_both-children-and-adults-acquire-knowled_3138864.jpg) > ““Both children and adults acquire knowledge from active participation in holistic, complex, meaningful environments organized around long-term goals. Today's school programs could hardly have been better designed to prevent a child's natural learning system from operating.”” Sylvia Farnham-Diggory ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage argues that active participation in richly designed, goal‑oriented learning environments is essential for children and adults, and that current schools often fail to support natural learning. **In simple terms:** Active, holistic learning environments foster knowledge. Key Takeaway Design goal‑driven, immersive learning spaces. Themes education participation holistic learning goals knowledge development Mood analytical advocacy Type Active participation:1 Children:1 Education:1 Goals:1 Learning:1 Term Goals:0 Natural Learning:1 Knowledge Active:0 Participation Holistic:0 Meaningful Environments:1 When to use this quote - classroom design - curriculum development - teacher training Key Concepts pedagogy cognitive science Questions to Reflect On - How can schools integrate holistic participation? - What long‑term goals should guide curriculum? A Different Perspective Implementation can be costly and complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Active participation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/active-participation/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) ## Related quotes > [Learning is not so much an additive process, with new learning simply piling up on top of existing knowledge, as it is an active,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-patricia-cross/learning-is-not-so-much-an-additive-process-with-new-learning-simply/) [K. Patricia Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-patricia-cross/) > [“Our children are interested in the BIG picture. That is where the deep natural learning seems to get done. It is totally opposite to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lehla-eldridge/our-children-are-interested-in-the-big-picture-that-is-where-the-deep/) Lehla Eldridge > [“Lesson 16: There is no shame in failing: it is a natural part of learning and developing. If something does not work out, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ilian/lesson-16-there-is-no-shame-in-failing-it-is-a-natural-part-of/) [George Ilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ilian/) > [When a child’s life is full of sights, sounds, tastes, smells, textures, people and places, he will learn. When he feels safe and loved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-dodd/when-a-child-s-life-is-full-of-sights-sounds-tastes-smells-textures/) [Sandra Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-dodd/) > [It is among the commonplaces of education that we often first cut off the living root and then try to replace its natural functions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-duer-miller/it-is-among-the-commonplaces-of-education-that-we-often-first-cut-off-2/) [Alice Duer Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-duer-miller/) > [“It is among the commonplaces of education that we often first cut off the living root and then try to replace its natural functions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-duer-miller/it-is-among-the-commonplaces-of-education-that-we-often-first-cut-off/) [Alice Duer Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-duer-miller/) > [“Your obligation is that of active participation. You should not act as knowledge-absorbing sponges, but as whetstones on which we can all sharpen our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-w-dijkstra/your-obligation-is-that-of-active-participation-you-should-not-act-as/) [Edsger W. Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-w-dijkstra/) > [“Moving toward a more harmonious way of life and greater resilience requires our active participation. This means finding ways to become more aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandor-ellix-katz/moving-toward-a-more-harmonious-way-of-life-and-greater-resilience/) [Sandor Ellix Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandor-ellix-katz/) > [“The faithful of Shiva or Dionysus seek contact with those forces which...lead to a refusal of the politics, ambitions and limitations of ordinary social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-dani-lou/the-faithful-of-shiva-or-dionysus-seek-contact-with-those-forces/) Alain Daniélou > [The more we increase the active participation and partnership with young people, the better we serve them. ... And the more comprehensively we work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-del-carmen-martinez-bordiu-y-franco/the-more-we-increase-the-active-participation-and-partnership-with/) Maria del Carmen Martinez-Bordiu y Franco > [I have formulated several levels of protest in my 'Sarabjit Bachao Andolan.' The first level is to get the active participation of the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raza-murad/i-have-formulated-several-levels-of-protest-in-my-sarabjit-bachao/) [Raza Murad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raza-murad/) > [We wish for a broad-based government with the active participation of women, which will promote freedom and equal rights for women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sima-samar/we-wish-for-a-broad-based-government-with-the-active-participation-of/) Sima Samar > [Life passes by now like the scenery outside a car window. I breathe and eat and sleep as I always did, but there seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/life-passes-by-now-like-the-scenery-outside-a-car-window-i-breathe/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Women in the Arab world have a rich history in their active participation in political change from the Algeria revolution against the French occupation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zainab-salbi/women-in-the-arab-world-have-a-rich-history-in-their-active/) [Zainab Salbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zainab-salbi/) > [We can learn that reward comes in creation and re-creation, no just in the consumption of the world around us. Active participation in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-brown/we-can-learn-that-reward-comes-in-creation-and-re-creation-no-just-in/) [Tim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-brown/) ## More Active participation quotes > [We can learn that reward comes in creation and re-creation, no just in the consumption of the world around us. Active participation in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-brown/we-can-learn-that-reward-comes-in-creation-and-re-creation-no-just-in/) [Tim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-brown/) > [Women in the Arab world have a rich history in their active participation in political change from the Algeria revolution against the French occupation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zainab-salbi/women-in-the-arab-world-have-a-rich-history-in-their-active/) [Zainab Salbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zainab-salbi/) > [Life passes by now like the scenery outside a car window. I breathe and eat and sleep as I always did, but there seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/life-passes-by-now-like-the-scenery-outside-a-car-window-i-breathe/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [We wish for a broad-based government with the active participation of women, which will promote freedom and equal rights for women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sima-samar/we-wish-for-a-broad-based-government-with-the-active-participation-of/) Sima Samar > [I have formulated several levels of protest in my 'Sarabjit Bachao Andolan.' The first level is to get the active participation of the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raza-murad/i-have-formulated-several-levels-of-protest-in-my-sarabjit-bachao/) [Raza Murad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raza-murad/) > [“Moving toward a more harmonious way of life and greater resilience requires our active participation. This means finding ways to become more aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandor-ellix-katz/moving-toward-a-more-harmonious-way-of-life-and-greater-resilience/) [Sandor Ellix Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandor-ellix-katz/) > [“Your obligation is that of active participation. You should not act as knowledge-absorbing sponges, but as whetstones on which we can all sharpen our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-w-dijkstra/your-obligation-is-that-of-active-participation-you-should-not-act-as/) [Edsger W. Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-w-dijkstra/) > [“The faithful of Shiva or Dionysus seek contact with those forces which...lead to a refusal of the politics, ambitions and limitations of ordinary social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-dani-lou/the-faithful-of-shiva-or-dionysus-seek-contact-with-those-forces/) Alain Daniélou > [The more we increase the active participation and partnership with young people, the better we serve them. ... And the more comprehensively we work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-del-carmen-martinez-bordiu-y-franco/the-more-we-increase-the-active-participation-and-partnership-with/) Maria del Carmen Martinez-Bordiu y Franco > [As South Korea shows, active participation in international trade does not require free trade. Indeed, had South Korea pursued free trade and not promoted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/as-south-korea-shows-active-participation-in-international-trade-does/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [We do not understand democracy in its bourgeois meaning--of babbling, lack of discipline, anarchy. We understand democracy as the active participation of the citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolae-ceausescu/we-do-not-understand-democracy-in-its-bourgeois-meaning-of-babbling/) [Nicolae Ceausescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolae-ceausescu/) > [I'm an active participation guy. No matter how much money you make, no matter how famous you are, you're not above going outside and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/i-m-an-active-participation-guy-no-matter-how-much-money-you-make-no/) [Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/) > [“A month has passed since I’ve written, but it has seemed to pass much more slowly. Life passes by now like the scenery outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/a-month-has-passed-since-i-ve-written-but-it-has-seemed-to-pass-much/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Though government has an important role to play in meeting the many challenges that remain before us, we are coming to understand that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/though-government-has-an-important-role-to-play-in-meeting-the-many/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Im generally of the view that we should know the names of those who enacted and justified imperial power - but only if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rosen/im-generally-of-the-view-that-we-should-know-the-names-of-those-who/) [Michael Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rosen/) [Browse all 38 Active participation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/active-participation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Both children and adults acquire knowledge from active participation in holistic, complex, meaningful environments organized around long-term goals. 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