--- "d.brin" wrote:
<snippage>
> There is another explanation for those poor test
> comparisons. Many
> other countries encourage rote memorization of
> facts. We consider
> that to be a gross and evil use of students' minds.
> In US schools, the
> emphasis is on process and on class discussions and
> on encouraging
> initiative. Guess which approach prepares kids for
> tests better?
> Guess which better prepares agile minds?
<snip>
"...people who believe that the difference between
Coke and Pepsi is matter worth arguing about." -Gatto
(said in the context of an elite group that formulated
a way to transform masses of people into an
easily-controlled and -intimidated populace)
<LOL!...groan>
I actually wrote the Coca-Cola Co. back when they were
'phasing out' old Coke to be replaced with the sweeter
new Coke... ;)
I did read a couple of Gatto's article's, and while I
think he has some good points (and I await comments
from my teacher friends), I also think that many of
the problems in school are related to home problems:
lack of parental discipline ('No means No' and trying
to be a child's "pal" instead of a parent); lack of
time to just be a kid, and invent one's own
games(instead of having such heavily-scheduled and
adult-supervised non-school hours); and lack of
parental involvement with the child at home. All of
my friends who have children spend time daily with
their kids - playing catch in the backyard, reading
books, going to the zoo, etc. (I realize that time can
be in short supply for families where both parents
work, but I really don't think there's a substitute
for quality time.)
I know that, having no children at home, I risk being
terribly arrogant in voicing my opinions, but I do
spend time with and watch friends' kids; I also -
don't laugh too hard! - have found that what works
with kids works with horses and dogs: affection,
praise, play, allowing initiative, keeping firm and
consistent limits, correction that fits the
infraction.
As a product of both public schools (including
university) and parental instruction (frex, Mom taught
me to use a microscope before third grade), I think
that each approach has its advantages, uses and
drawbacks (Dad _still_ groans about our struggles over
calculus :P ). I have found both memorization and
'thinking-on-the-fly' useful in daily work.
So I guess I think I got a pretty good education,
all-in-all, and I continue to learn on a weekly if not
daily basis.
Debbi
GSV Ehjookated
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