> Why force all kids into a limited program, when they could have a choice > of what kinds of programs meet their needs best?
Because that choice is only available to a few of them, and honestly, that choice is already available to a few of them. I want more diversity, but not at the expense of any viable options for educating the kids whose parents *don't* have time to argue endless about this on internet forums, and who have heard of Sprout, Arudinos, kinetic sculptures, and parts and crafts. Bring Parts and Crafts to the open elementary school (wait, wait, I believe that's already been done, yay Parts and Crafts!) Don't shut one down so that you can rent it to them so that only families that look like mine can go learn there in all sorts of ways, in their own languagues, and with evolving programs that bring Arduinos (ok, maybe just Lego Mindstorms) to their classrooms.
I'm fortunate enough that I can do all of that with my kid, but part of why I choose to participate in the public schools is to share what I can with the entire community, not take away from them .
Seriously, you were not talking about expanding the schools, you were talking about shutting *down* schools because Somerville needs more empty buildings to turn into fabulous pony-and-flower-filled fantasy world of learning and hacking that wouldn't be open to everyone or even necessarily provide more than an hour of stuff to do a day. That's reducing options, and extremely important ones in my book.
Unless you have a fantasy proposal for how all kids are going to get afforded the chance to do any of this cool stuff, instead of just yours or mine?
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Re: Expanding the shools to allow for MORE diversity is good, in my opinion.
Date: 2011-12-09 05:55 pm (UTC)> of what kinds of programs meet their needs best?
Because that choice is only available to a few of them, and honestly, that choice is already available to a few of them. I want more diversity, but not at the expense of any viable options for educating the kids whose parents *don't* have time to argue endless about this on internet forums, and who have heard of Sprout, Arudinos, kinetic sculptures, and parts and crafts. Bring Parts and Crafts to the open elementary school (wait, wait, I believe that's already been done, yay Parts and Crafts!) Don't shut one down so that you can rent it to them so that only families that look like mine can go learn there in all sorts of ways, in their own languagues, and with evolving programs that bring Arduinos (ok, maybe just Lego Mindstorms) to their classrooms.
I'm fortunate enough that I can do all of that with my kid, but part of why I choose to participate in the public schools is to share what I can with the entire community, not take away from them .
Seriously, you were not talking about expanding the schools, you were talking about shutting *down* schools because Somerville needs more empty buildings to turn into fabulous pony-and-flower-filled fantasy world of learning and hacking that wouldn't be open to everyone or even necessarily provide more than an hour of stuff to do a day. That's reducing options, and extremely important ones in my book.
Unless you have a fantasy proposal for how all kids are going to get afforded the chance to do any of this cool stuff, instead of just yours or mine?