As many other writers, I am also hesitant to wade into these waters, but
as a parent of three public school students and a former student of the
Minneapolis Public School system I want to make just a few points about
the education of our city's children.
First some background:
I never graduated from the Minneapolis Public schools or any other
system. Nor did I get a GED. However, I was able to successfully
complete two degrees at the University of Minnesota, completing over 300
credits with a GPA of 3.87.
My 17 year old daughter has decided to homeschool after almost three
years at South High, one of our best highschools. She has lost interest
in the work that is being assigned and does not feel that she needs to
be monitored in the highly controlled environment that our public high
schools present. I view this as an excellent opportunity for my daughter
to engage in the reading that she truly wants to do. As she prepares for
college she will be able to study those things that are most important
to her with her own schedule and her own emphasis. Given her extremely
high test scores, there is no reason to believe that she is dropping
out, she is rising out of high school.
My 14 year old daughter, who received an invitation from the district
activities office to a reception for students who received perfect
scores on both their Basic Skills Reading and Math tests, has likewise
decided to homeschool rather than attending South next year.
I am so proud of my children's decision to take control of their
education under the circumstances. Public education teaches some
important lessons, but among these are: (with apologies to John Taylor
Gatto see http://www.oz.net/~baraka/dumbing.html)
* Confusion. Most teachers present facts and information that is out of
context and not part of holistic flow of life and the seasons. Even our
school year has no connection its farm based past.
* Class position. Students are numbered, assigned, and ordered into
classes where they are taught they must remain until it is time to
advance. Even when my children were clearly bored and ahead of the class
I was told by the teacher to "Wait, we'll be doing some more challenging
units next year."
* Indifference. Despite the work of teachers to develop an interesting
lesson plan, when the bell rings the teacher encourages the student to
drop everything and move on to the next station. Nothing is ever
completed except on the installment plan.
* Emotional dependency. Students receive smile, stars, frowns, prizes,
honors and disgraces from their teachers. Rights in may be granted or
withheld by any authority without appeal, because rights do not exist
inside a school. Even going to the bathroom is controlled by the
classroom teacher and the administration.
* Intellectual dependency. Good students wait to be told what to study
by the teacher. It is a most important lesson, that we must wait for
other people, better trained than ourselves, to make meanings of our
lives. Children have no chance to create their own curriculum, it would
turn the school paradigm on its hear.
* Provisional self-esteem. Try to get kids in line whose parents have
told them they will be loved in spite of anything and you will find how
impossible it is to make self-confident spirits conform. Kids are
constantly judged, evaluated and measured against those in other
classes, in other schools. They are taught to rely on these expert
opinions for their self-respect.
* One can't hide. Students are always watched, they are under constant
surveillance by teachers, aides, administration and others. Schools
offer no private places, but they also do not allow any unsanctioned
fraternization with student peers.
Of course, our schools also teach reading, writing, math skills,
geography, physical education, art, social sciences, history, economics,
music, and other fascinating topics.
I want to see a total rethinking of how we educate our youth. I
challenge a system of public education built on transporting students to
large buildings where 600-1,000 are grouped in cubicles about 30' by 30'
five days a week for 184 days a year. Is this the best we can offer? Is
it even adequate for the majority of our children? While I have a soft
spot in my heart for the notion that, in Minnesota, all children are
above average, I know rationally that it is not so. We can not teach
groups of children divided by age and location or interest without
leaving many kids either bored or confused.
At the Minneapolis DFL convention a few weeks ago, delegates endorsed a
23 year old gay man to run for Minneapolis Public School Board. I think
Patrick Peterson will provide excellent leadership for the school
system, but I also think our systems need to move quite a bit faster to
maintain interest in the services that they offer.
Already, my 6 year old son is bored with school. (he's been saying it
since October, so its not just the spring fever thing.) He is beyond the
curriculum available, but forced to continue the work until the end of
the year. I don't know what we'll do if he asks to homeschool, but I
can't see us turning him down after supporting our daughters.
Recently, we have heard that colleges have to teach some large
percentage of their students remedial courses. They complain about the
public schools preparing students for college. I would ask them about
their admissions policy. If a student is not ready for college, why did
the college admit that student.
I'm sad to find myself slipping away from the public schools after so
many years, but I want my children to learn coherent information on an
individual timeline. I want them to be self-reliant and confident. I
want them care. And, I want them to have private time alone and with
their friends.
--
In cooperation,
Erik Riese
Decisive Moment - Decision making services.
Seward, USA:
a great place to live, work, learn, and play!
(some pretty good restaurants too)
(612) 242-8528
(612) 724-3217
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
_______________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy
Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
http://e-democracy.org/mpls
