Harry, I think making school voluntary is a recipe for social chaos since those who don't want school and are supported would add to the high rate delinquency as has happened in the past. On the other hand making classes voluntary has worked as students are required to come to school but to go to what ever class they want or to do what they want as long as it is at school and supervised. Gradually those schools like Montessori and Summerhill have created a good educational experience for a wide range of students. The key is to make a set of requirements for graduation that are clear and that the student can elect to achieve however they wish. My daughter was ill for two years and home schooled herself passing with good grades and has shown a remarkable degree of responsibility in college thus far as well. I wouldn't recommend illness but we gave her a great deal of freedom in choosing how she would achieve. She also refused to graduate when the school thought that graduation with her class was more important than her skills. She wisely chose to stay back and complete the courses. We have always taught her that it was achievement that was the point rather than punching the clock. That something wasn't done until it was finished no matter what the work day said. Admittedly my daughter is anecdotal but I have taught in Summerhill Schools and have experience with the Montessori schools as well as having done five years of educational research on these questions in the teaching of music. At certain times music should be required while at others it should be voluntary. That is based upon the maturity of the student and their past achievements in music. It should be required for graduation just as visual quantification is required. It is one of the core educational structures that all future structures are built upon.
REH ----- Original Message ----- From: "Harry Pollard" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, December 08, 2003 4:28 AM Subject: RE: [Futurework] The Politics of Foodbanks (or lack thereof) (was Re: Slightly extended) > Arthur, > > When I read it, I agreed with Chris' remarks. Except of course > his aside on protectionism. > > There are probably areas almost the size of Switzerland in the US > where there is little crime and living is good. > > There are other areas that aren't like that, > > However, unless thought is given to the basics such as education, > we will get nowhere with our slapped on social poultices. > > Talking with a friend last night who teaches Junior College kids. > When they find he wants written work, they flee to other classes. > He's left with those who can't find another class. He says he > should fail 75% of them but veteran teachers tell him to pass > them through. > > Our only hope in the US in many places is to make education > voluntary. Teachers should teach only those who want to learn - > or whose parents want them to learn. Also, teachers should be > allowed tax money to run their own schools. I suggested the > economics of this a week or two ago. (The State could save money > and the teachers would get a hefty raise. > > Harry > > ******************************************** > Henry George School of Social Science > of Los Angeles > Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 > Tel: 818 352-4141 -- Fax: 818 353-2242 > http://haledward.home.comcast.net > ******************************************** > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 5:16 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: [Futurework] The Politics of Foodbanks (or lack > thereof) (was Re: Slightly extended) > > Chris, I think you and Harry might just have something in common > with this idea. > > Your plan assumes some degree of social cohesion (that there are > "relatives" > that there is a "local community".) Assumptions aside, I like > the idea. So count me in with you and, perhaps, Harry. > > arthur > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 5:57 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Futurework] The Politics of Foodbanks (or lack thereof) > (was > Re: Slightly extended) > > > Arthur Cordell wrote: > > We can end poverty. There can be a basic income. > > Who is supposed to pay a general BI ? It would be just fighting > symptoms anyway, worsening the causes. > > There's a better system: Have an education system that minimizes > the number of people who can't make ends meet. For the few > remaining ones, help them to get as good a job as they can > handle, and/or have their relatives pay for their basic needs. > For the _very_ few remaining ones then, have their local > community pay their basic needs (rent&food) until they are > "restored" to earn money again. Result: No foodbanks, and no > starvation either (and low crime rate too). Yet, low taxes. > > Guess which country this is? Harry may rant about > "protectionism" as much as he wants, but there _are_ upsides to > it! > > Chris > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > ~~~~~~~~~~~ > SpamWall: Mail to this addy is deleted unread unless it contains > the keyword "igve". > > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.548 / Virus Database: 341 - Release Date: 12/5/2003 > > > _______________________________________________ > Futurework mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
