This is my first post to this forum, so if I do something wrong, I apologize in advance.
The IB program has produced some very competent students, I have no doubt of that. However, I wonder if it is the result of its curriculum, or it is the result of the situation being that anyone who can survive the curriculum is competent. Then the question becomes is "surviving a curriculum" a good education. Does that kind of education mold a moral, well-balanced individual/citizen? On that question, I have my doubts. It does produce people who when give a task can do, or when given a particular sort of problem, they can work through it. But does it foster creativity, independence, free will, self-determination? Which values or characteristics do we value the most? There is a significant amount of research that shows that a less structured approach to teaching children (teaching process rather than content) produces more generally competent learners. These kind of learners can work through problems they have never seen before better by better cross-applying what they have learned. I won't go further in that vein. I am simply mentioning this to avoid a bunch of people jumping on an IB bandwagon as a solution to the problems that ail education in this country. I am all for having an IB program as an option for students; I would opposed to anyone suggesting that it be the "main course" for all students. I personally see all the recent over-testing of our children and the whole philosophy behind the "No Child Left Behind" fiasco as part and parcel of the philosophy behind IB. I don't think that times of fiscal crisis are particularly good times for discussing educational philosophy. Unfortunately, it seems like we are being driven to it in self-defense. Mark Jensen Corcoran and a teacher in the South High Open Program (said to reveal my obvious bias on this issue) REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
