> 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.
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).
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).
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.
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.
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).
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.
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).
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.
=3D=3D=3D Bill (after his second cup of Starbucks)
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