The US is currently in a period of stress over education, with test scores (national and international) driving a lot of the stress. In our push to force a solution to the problem, we seem to have lost sight of the purpose of an education system, which is to create a thoughtful populace. From what I can see, our current focus is to create kids who can get passing scores on high stakes tests. In a way, that handicaps us from day one.
Val
I agree. I wish we had a national discussion on how to have "school" look more like "summer break"
That is what some homeschoolers and unschoolers have done, right?
As in, "
Learning happens all the time... " It happens more when kids feel safe and are engaged and happens less when kids are stressed and rushed.
I'd be up for year-round school that had:
* Lazing around and dreaming the day away
* The beach! Sandcastles! Meeting random kids! Hey, was that a fish? Beach barbecues!
* Fun long term projects every day (hang gliders, treehouses, forts, exploring)
* time with parents, community, people of all ages
* etc.
