Independent School Educators' List (ISED-L): Re: Is a school's core curriculum like a music CD?

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I am sorry that I have just been getting to this conversation now. With =
family obligations today, Easter Sunday, a wonderful opportunity to hear =
America Ferrara, Owen Bennett Jones, Mahir Ibrahim, and Greg Mortenson =
speak at a wonderful fund-raiser last evening, plus my delving into the =
world of the iPad, I have have been a bit busy. Thank you to all for =
providing great things to reflect on as I get ready to return from =
Spring Break tomorrow. I am preparing my thoughts and will share soon.

For me, it has been a wonderful two days.

Vinnie

Sent from my iPad

On Apr 4, 2010, at 12:01 PM, "Bassett, Patrick" <bassett@nais.org> =
wrote:

> Well said Bill. =46rom recent HBR Article: "Everyone should be the CEO =
of something." Applies to teachers too.
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> Sent from my iPhone
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> Patrick F. Bassett
> 202.973.9710 (office) bassett@nais.org<mailto:bassett@nais.org>
> 202.746-5444 (mobile)
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> 703.289.3423 (home) <mailto:patbassett@comcast.net> =
patbassett@comcast.net<mailto:patbassett@comcast.net>
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> On Apr 4, 2010, at 11:13 AM, "William New" =
<williamnew@mac.com<mailto:williamnew@mac.com>> wrote:
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> On Apr 4, 2010, at 5:21 AM, Bassett, Patrick wrote:
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> essence of schooling, which for kids, especially, is largely a =
socializing and cultivating process that must happen, at least partly, =
in the context of caring and inspiring adults and pro-social peers, not =
to mention the place where students learn how to team and lead most =
conveniently, before they'll do that remotely in the future.
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> Agree fully. The psychosocial development of kids, as well as their =
physical/fitness, are as equally critical (some would say more so) than =
the intellectual -- all areas where the twig must be bent in order for =
the tree to grow straight (or at least straight enough to be =
contributive and well-adjusted in maturity).
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> It is hard to envision this balanced process occurring in a remote =
isolation with only connection to the Internet, which may well nourish =
the intellect and mental maturation if properly guided and advised, but =
will leave huge gaps in other areas. Thus I see distance learning being =
useful for students already in supportive social situations where the =
primary deficit is intellectual resources (e.g. bright rural kid who =
wants to learn AP-level math or science, or access historical =
discussions about the industrial revolution, or learn some beginning =
Chinese, which is simply not available in the small town community high =
school he attends).
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> The reverse is true, of course, where a kid may have access to all the =
intellectual resources (think, New York City or Los Angeles), but be in =
a large highly competitive impersonal urban school where she doesn't fit =
in well and psychosocial development suffers or is bent in the wrong =
direction.
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> The point here is that school must offer a balanced development, =
perhaps tilted in the direction of special talents that child brings so =
that they can be exceptional in at least one area to develop confidence =
and self-esteem in their mastery of that topic. Every kid should be =
recognized as the "leader" or "best" of his class or school in something =
-- athletics, math, art, penmanship, writing, work program, chapel =
service, technology, languages, compassion, milking cows (my Putney is =
showing through), or leading others -- embracing one or more of =
Gardner's multiple intelligences.
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> In a small school it is easier to be "best" in your (small) class at =
something, and a classmate to be "best" at something else, and a third =
at still something else, where each can stretch and show their stuff, =
developing self-confidence (that they know that area better than the =
others) but also develop humility (I can be just average or even =
underperforming in something without feeling I am an inadequate person).
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> If the focus of all this is student-centric, identifying and =
developing his/her special talents, and encouraging respectful humility =
in areas of lesser ability where other kids excel, then we will raise a =
well-rounded group of kids. Not each kid is round (most will be =
individually and uniquely bumpy and irregular), but the combined =
collectivity will be well rounded, the genesis of a well rounded =
community of adults later in life.
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> But I digress -- distance/remote learning will have an increasingly =
important place going forward, even remote socialization (e.g. =
Facebook), but there will always need to be the human contact with =
social peers (sprinkled with some diversity and spice that kids can =
increasingly expect later in life) and supportive caring informed =
guiding adults (in the broadest sense, "teachers"). As the intellectual =
content increasingly is available from the Web, I believe that schools =
have to focus more on the psychosocial and physical portions. The =
blending can be simultaneous (the experience of boarding school where =
everything is around you 24X7) or sequential (a semester abroad or =
weekend specialized field trips with two other students and a faculty =
member).
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> One can think of online resources as another form of "directed =
reading" selected and encouraged by your Oxford tutor who is well =
prepared to discuss what you learned that week over the Internet, and =
with the insight and experience to guide you to another place on the =
Web. At this point our most experienced teachers are not digital =
natives, so are not particularly skilled at such supportive expert =
guidance. But over the next generation we will develop younger teachers =
who can do this sort of "tutoring" quite effectively -- and schools can =
concentrate less on providing all intellectual content (hard to compete =
with the Net!) and more on the psychosocial, emotional, and corporal =
development of the child.
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> =3D=3D=3D Bill (after his second cup of Starbucks)
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