I just finished reading Only Connect by Dr. Rudy Crew...an interesting read. The man definitely has ideas. He suggests that schools concern themselves not just with academic proficiency, but workplace literacy, civic awareness, and personal integrity.
This, folks, is what I call barking up the right tree. This man has the animal cornered! I don't necessarily agree with his method of paying for it all, but...
He sees shaping people with these traits as a way to foster competence and comptetitiveness on a global stage, and he's right. I welcome the idea of completely re-envisioning schools to turn out people, not pupils. I think he would agree with my idea of maximizing the potential of all kids...not just the college bound.
One of the most dependable, competent, socially capable, and trustworthy students I ever had...was mentally retarded. He had most of the traits that Dr. Crew offered as guidelines and it breaks my heart that most people won't get to know him well enough to recognize this. My question is: What are we going to do about it?
Start with reading Only Connect.
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I've read the book, know the book, believe the book, and am the book!
Thanks for these encouraging words.
Russell Crew - (hint hint)
Any child can jump through a hoop. And as a person without a great deal of formal education I've come to realize that it isn't jumping through the hoop that matters. It's why and how. By getting a child to understand and (dare I say ) think before jumping, we're giving them the tools to live with and by.
One of the major differences between man and other animals is the ability to reason. We seem to be squashing that at every turn and encouraging success for the sake of...well, nothing. The grade and the pat on the back is so over emphasized that we lose sight of the big picture.
Yes, it's important to learn the basics of all school subjects, but essentially those subjects represent bait. Do you pick up the coin by the street grate or do you look into the grate to see if there is more? Most adults I know consider themselves satisfied by just picking up the coin and walking away, never knowing that a treasure may be behind it.
Incidentally, I am NOT Dan Powell's brother.
Too bad he's a fiction writer.
He turned 9 failing schools into 28 failing schools during a period of time that our neighboring county eliminated its failing schools with similar population.
see www.peytonwalcott.com for a recent expose of this sCREWed up system...
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