Re: [Discuss-sudbury-model] Questions about Their Future

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Kinnucan" <Michael_Kinnucan_at_buacademy.org>
> Not to play devil's advocate, but these responses don't quite answer my
> critiques. My point is that choosing not to make your child learn algebra
> is as much of an imposition in their life as is choosing to make them. I
> contend that, had my parents sent me to an SVS-model school, that decision
> would have been tantamount to a choice not to allow me to take calculus.

I don't see this as true in the slightest, even accepting all of your
givens, here and elsewhere. What it would have been tantamount to would be
to allow you to choose to take or not to take calculus. Or, more precisely,
for you to learn or not to learn calculus.

> This seems to me to be a problem. I know as well as anyone the evils of
> forcing students to learn things, but at the same time I recognize that
> there are cases in which forced curriculum, though harmful in the short
> term, is to the student's advantage in the longterm. Is this not in fact
> the case?

Although it may be true that one can derive enjoyment in the future from
something one was forced to "learn" in the past, there are severe costs
which make the deal decidedly NOT worthwhile. The process is way less
efficient when one is being forced to "learn". There are probably many other
things one could attend to in the place of what was forced down one's throat
that would givem in all likelihood, equal or greater enjoyment. Finally, the
cost of the short term harm is the damage of one's inate ability and
eagerness to learn. Way too costly in my book.

> The example of algebra-> calculus is, of course, peripheral. To give
> another example: Right now, I want to learn as many languages as possible.
> When I was six, I wanted to play with my friends. However, when I was six
> my parents put me in a public elementary school's French immersion
> program, meaning I spoke only French in school, all day. The result is
> that I am now fluent in French and have no accent. If I chose to start
> taking Spanish now and spoke only Spanish in school, I could not learn it
> fluently and without accent. In fact, even if I moved to Spain and lived
> there for the rest of my life, I would never speak Spanish without accent.
> So my parents' and school district's requirement that I show up for school
> everyday, something that did not please me then, resulted in knowledge
> that pleases me immensely now. Worthwhile?

Only you can say for yourself. I would say, however, that no one has the
right to impose such a gamble upon another. In this case your parents'
dictatorial gamble may have paid off, at least in your own calculations. It
was not, however, their place to gamble with your life.

Others?

~Alan Klein
Received on Sun Feb 23 2003 - 23:41:56 EST