Bruce, A New York bank decided to set up a program to hire minority kids. They were ill-educated, so the bank set up a program to teach them the basics of literacy and numeracy.
On average, the 6 week course raised the students by two grades. This is why in California, caring minority mothers have consistently voted for vouchers and anything else that would enable them to get their kids into better schools. Harry ------------------------------------------- Bruce wrote: >Gee gang, > >The world must be different in places other than Minnesota. There have >been many of us here believing and working to "teach children how to >teach themselves". But we constantly get waylaid by corporate and >business interests that in essence say - such knowledge is dangerous. >We must prepare the kiddies for the real world of business and commerce. >We must be practical. > >My 40 years of consciousness about learning has taught me that our >economic leaders do not want educated people. They want good learners. >They end up with neither. > >Bruce Leier > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Harry Pollard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 7:38 PM > > To: Ray Evans Harrell; Karen Watters Cole; Keith Hudson; Bruce Leier > > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: Re: Collapsing schools > > > > Ray, > > > > You'll recall my division of knowledge into two - the knowledge of >truths > > and the knowledge of things. > > > > "Things" have to be taught, but it's better if kids are taught how to >teach > > themselves. They should learn how to learn. The knowledge of truths is > > really an appreciation and understanding of relationships - a >knowledge > > that something is so. > > > > Perhaps a knowledge of truths sends a journeyman violinist toward >soloist > > stature. > > > > The problem public schools have is tied to their need to "prove" that > > students are learning something. So, they learn that Paris is the >Capital > > of France. This can be tested and used to show how educated the >student is. > > If they don't happen to "do" Paris, they may never know it's the >capital of > > France. > > > > Why Paris is the capital, why it is situated where it is, should be >easy > > for them to answer because of their knowledge of truths - which > > understanding should work for London, Berlin, Madrid, Rome, and so on. >And > > if their knowledge of truths doesn't fit with (say) Berlin, they >should be > > able to figure out why - again from their knowledge of truths. > > > > Truths allow the student to approach a situation unmet before and get >a > > handle on it. > > > > Probably, the best way to test truths is by essay - an endangered >species > > in the modern US public school. What teacher wants to spend his >weekend > > perusing, correcting, and marking, 170 essays? > > > > So, it's multiple choice to the rescue - enabling the teacher to prove >how > > much is known by the student. And it is all cleaned of by quitting >time. > > I'm sure all FWs know that a multiple choice test can be chosen, >printed, > > marked, and graded - without being touched by the teacher's hand. > > > > Harry > > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > Cuz wrote: > > > > >Good post Karen. I think what is missing with rote education is >the place > > >that it fits in the development of critical thought and memory. >Good > > >pedagogy uses all of the tools, not just one or the other. The man >who > > >taught over your heads was a poor pedagogist but terrific on content. >His > > >problem is a well known one in the performing arts where great >artists > > >retire to teaching and teach the first year of instruction that they > > >remember over and over again until they retire. It takes a great >student > > >to really open up these hard nuts which is a pity. It would be >better if > > >they had met and enjoyed some of the great pedagogists that I have >known who > > >understood the order of growth, the tools of teaching and the >excitement of > > >success. > > > > > >Cousin REH ****************************** Harry Pollard Henry George School of LA Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: (818) 352-4141 Fax: (818) 353-2242 *******************************
--- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.377 / Virus Database: 211 - Release Date: 7/15/2002
