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Specialization is one part certainly but we need other changes too. We need a decomposition of schools (many different providers instead of a one stop school fo
by throwawaysea 6y ago
Specialization is one part certainly but we need other changes too. We need a decomposition of schools (many different providers instead of a one stop school for all subjects and activities), greater choice (charter schools, private schools, to challenge public school dominance), and movement away from the one size fits all educational culture imposed by giant monolithic teachers unions like the NEA (who are proponents of such racial “justice” policies).
Unfortunately the ideologues who recognize the threat posed by educational choice to a public education system are already gearing up to fight against choice. Elizabeth Bartholet of Harvard for example, has been trying to build academic activist momentum against home schooling, which she describes as “authoritarian” (https://nypost.com/2020/04/23/harvard-professor-wants-to-ban-authoritarian-homeschooling/ https://nypost.com/2020/04/23/harvard-professor-wants-to-ban...). Of course, those against homeschooling don’t see any authoritarianism in schools being weaponized into propaganda machines when activist progressive politics are injected into the curriculums.
- mymythisisthis 6y agoI have nothing against teacher unions, or public schools. I just think that the one size fits all, isn't optimal. One size fits all seems to be a product of the early 1960s, when a large number of schools had to be built quickly to accommodate the boom of new kids born the previous decade. Large, modern, new, schools with good gyms and science labs were viewed as better than one room school houses. I think 60 years latter we are ready to try something new. A diversity of schools. Some large, some small, some very specialized, some retain the current model. Some where a student focuses on one topic throughout their studies, refining their knowledge every year. For example the same science fair project but get better every year, every iteration. Some schools where a student tries as many different things as they want. I believe that there is nothing more motivating than taking an intrinsic interest a student shows and getting the student to spend all their time on it. I also believe that all specialized paths lead to the same general knowledge in math, history, music., etc.