Comments for Sam Chaltain

Comment on Other People’s Children by Melissa

Melissa — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:06:28 +0000

What surprised me was the repeated emphasis by the people in the CNN clip on the extra time out of school for the kids and their certainty that it would mean idle kids getting into trouble. If the students are truly so dumb and irresponsible that they can’t think of worthwhile things to spend their time on outside of school, even with their parents’ help,k they’re probably too dumb to be in school anyway. I can’t think of a better thing for the kids than to cut the mandatory hours spent in a broken system.

Comment on Require kids to stay in school? Not so fast… by Paul Bruno

Paul Bruno — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:29:06 +0000

Given that all states currently have compulsory education laws, and many already extend those laws all the way up to 18, it’s not really credible that Obama’s proposal is unconstitutional. What you’re really talking about is carving out some fairly minor exceptions in the mandates, which is exactly what existing laws already do.

Comment on Require kids to stay in school? Not so fast… by You are Reaching

You are Reaching — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:27:15 +0000

yeah sure Obama is directly threatening Religious Freedom LOL What a Dishonest Article…

Comment on Should Schools be More or Less Democratic? by List of International Schools Mumbai

List of International Schools Mumbai — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:31:15 +0000

This finding supports the theory that when it comes to behavioral change, environment is a key factor.

Comment on Other People’s Children by List of International Schools Mumbai

List of International Schools Mumbai — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:30:27 +0000

Environment is especially important when it comes to changing repeated tasks or addictions. But if you’re trying to start new behaviors — like say, exercise more or increase your productivity at work— a change in attitude (more willpower) is still effective.

Comment on Should Schools be More or Less Democratic? by Chad@classroots.org

Chad@classroots.org — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:29:47 +0000

Cupcakes do quiet the masses.
C

Comment on Should Schools be More or Less Democratic? by Sam

Sam — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:28:15 +0000

Thanks Chad, and I agree that the best schools do what you say. My point was that there have been many I’ve observed that aren’t as clear on these issues, and as a result they end up overvaluing either the content or the process to their own detriment. I’ve certainly been in schools where kids had a voice, but it didn’t seem that voice was being cultivated in a way that was actually helping that child learn. And I’ve seen schools where the notion of voice gets drowned out by red white and blue cupcakes, and the pomp and circumstance of celebrating our founding principles — whether or not kids ever get to practice them (let alone adults!). So the piece is really more for parents who may be evaluating schools for the first time, and trying to help them be more mindful of that potential pitfall.

Comment on Should Schools be More or Less Democratic? by Chad@classroots.org

Chad@classroots.org — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:17:44 +0000

Sam, I think the point of democratic or “free” education isn’t the use of democracy to clear every decision or to collaborate on every project, but to give each individual a voice in his or her learning.

A democratic school doesn’t exist to be messy, and it doesn’t thrive on messiness, per se. Instead, as I understand it, it tries to give each learner the opportunity to shape his or her learning and learning space (even in orderly ways), but also the responsibility to take care of that place as a community member. Moreover, democratic schools don’t exist to make students collaborate – in fact their primary feature is the protection and empowerment of individual learners’ voices. Such a school involves students in deciding what work to do when in which ways.

Perhaps the very healthiest schools involve kids, not just educators, in knowing which skills they must develop to be part of a community, as well as one of its stewards.

The lone genius – or any traditionally voiceless student hindered by the system – has less to fear from a democratic school than a traditional one that keeps him or her on a curriculum treadmill.

All the best,
C

Comment on What (& Where) Are the World’s Most Transformational Schools? by Philippe Greier

Philippe Greier — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:39:42 +0000

Hey my friends! We need your support. A small group of game changers started to create a global map of outstanding and reformative education institutions. It is a visual way to locate each other in the world: http://coolmeia.org/educa/cmtls/node/19

Our mission is to connect the pioneers of a next edge education in order to strengthen the alternative education system and create a positive impulse on our traditional education systems.
Furthermore we would like connect with you and enable joint activities and a fruitful exchange with other mind like institutions

Please add information about outstanding educational institutions or initiatives to the collaborative mapping. Thanks in advance! Philippe

Comment on To praise or not to praise by Susan Blumberg-Kason

Susan Blumberg-Kason — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:56:03 +0000

Great post! I’d also like to add that parents are all too quick to praise their school districts just because the districts have a great reputation and can boast high test scores. I left the Chicago Public Schools, in which my son had a great experience, for a suburban district that’s so renowned people move to my town just for the schools. But as the district makes backward choices like bringing in Latin classes instead of Mandarin ones, the parents seem to sit back and think the district knows best. Plus, Latin can help kids with the SAT, they say. In the end, we can praise our kids all we want–or not–but when we sit back and don’t question shortsighted and even ignorant choices that the board of ed makes, our kids will lose out no matter what.