But in any case, it also only seems to be applied to kids whose needs are difficult to actually meet in the standard classroom setting. The kids who fit into the regular menu of offerings get what they need, and the rest get "empowerment" to DIY, I guess.
LOL but only because it is a better option than tears... I agree. Those who are doing just fine - read are the kids where the level and pace are already right for them - don't need to be responsible for their education because they are getting it - and getting it just right for them. It is only those who are either behind, ahead, acting out etc that get this advice.
I love the idea of child led edcuation, my son does it regularly at home. Want to know more about the Titantic, dinosaurs, etomology, the Civil War, or viruses, lets go find out! Not enough yet, lets find out more. How does that connect to x, lets think about that. What would be different if we never did y? I don't know lets reason it out. However, in a classroom setting it doen't work so well. They are studying something that the teacher has given them, the teacher has a plan of what they are going to learn, how they are going to learn it and at what pace they are going to learn it. So having a child that wants to learn more, or faster or doesn't want to learn it because he knows it and is facinated with something else right now isn't a good fit - and telling that young child that they need to find a way to make the lesson more interesting for themself is difficult. And at what point is that going to teach the child that they can tune out and entertain themselves, albeit quietly (a much better alternitive to acting out), rather than learning to study and actually learn in class? I learned in school that behaving was more important than learning, and boy was it a shock when I reached a point where I actually had to work to learn, I had never experianced it! Even then though I had the easy classes that I had to endure - and endure I did. I know I still think of or create patterns, write music, or do math in meetings to keep my self occupied when the enevitable loop of repeating begins, does that mean that I am paying attention or participating? No, I am just being quiet and looking engaged. I really hope for better for my son, and so far he hasn't shown himself to be the complient quiet child that I was.
