this is a response typed and posted for John Ruggeberg---
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
I'm John Ruggeberg. I've taught sociology classes at Winona Senior High for over 30years. Also, I've been fortunate to develop and work with the community service learning program for youth at the High School
It is actually quite difficult to comment because it seems to incredibly obvious to me. Schools aim for too little and settle for too little when the sole focus is academics and assessment. Education has always been a social experiment for creating some larger good. When we examine the role of the school in the community, we should be looking for the good it will do. How do we teach what is important in the academic arena and tie it to the essentials of community i. e. responsibility, fairness, integrity, respect, etc. ?
Age appropriateness does not mean that students should be seen as "unfinished people" . When they are viewed that way , it means that they will not be seen as valid and worthy which is an interesting disconnect because school districts often state they wish to be "child centered". Schools would do better by placing emphasis on empathy, perseverance, decency, resilience, and humanity.
"We work to hard at getting the fish to fly and the bird to swim". Our students and our teachers all bring something special and it should not be the goal of either group to look the same.
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Randy Schenkat 1358 Skyline Dr. Winona, Mn
55987 507-452-7168
