This past week I spent some time reflecting on the concept of school. In theory, it's a great idea. Children learn powerful information, become great citizens, meet new people, and are inspired. Hmmm. Then I started thinking about the number of kids who are disengaged, who struggle with a variety of school "rules", question why they have to take certain subjects, and why they have to sit in chairs all day long.
I started to think that while we try to differentiate instruction, we don't differentiate schools. I'm not talking about magnet schools, private schools, charter schools, or any other kind of special school. I'm talking radical change. I'm talking immersion into the real world. I'm talking about a school without so many boundaries. I'm talking about a school where students can talk, and it's OK.
What could school look like? Traditional schooling works for many students as long as it is engaging, as long as the teachers care, and as long as it meets their basic needs. Yet, traditional schools can't meet the needs of many of today's students. They're also failing to recognize students' talents. Excellence is only achieved if you can perform well on a standardized test in English and Math...maybe science and social studies too. What does this say about art, music, technology, building trades, theater, and everything else that isn't and shouldn't be tested?
Maybe that's the real question we need to be asking.
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