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bucking the system--a better education idea

updated fri 2 jan 04

 

Dave Finkelnburg on thu 1 jan 04


Tony, Kelly, David, others passionate about education,
I've tried...I swear I've tried...I just can't do it...can't keep my
mouth shut about this...... :-)
Ran across a new (to me) but really fascinating idea in education
recently...high school in Mankato, Minnesota where a friend "teaches"...they
do ONLY projects...all 3 years...no regular classes...kids pick their
projects...about 10 a year...have "coaches," not teachers...have learning
objectives to guide them, like how to read, spell, do math...but HOW they
learn those things is motivated by the interests of the students...totally,
as Kelly writes, "interest-based" education...talk about institutionalizing
what David calls, "the concept of intentional living"...and the "teachers,"
by the way, are on the school board...along with parents...and "teachers"
run the school (no administrators)...sort of turns classic education on its
head...kids and teachers eager to get to school...making school a wonderful,
positive learning experience...as it should be...wish I knew more about all
this...
Like Tony, I am an unabashed fan of public education...not saying home
schooling won't work...plenty of examples of how it does work...but here in
a real hotbed of home schooling I see plenty of examples of failure,
too...there has to be a better way...the project school idea offers
promise...I feel...
Ahhhhh...got that out...feel better now...think I'll go back to noodling
about the carved, altered pot series I've been working on...anyone have any
suggestions for a base for a good breaking glaze for vertical surfaces at
cone 10 in reduction? I want to emphasize my representational carving
that's about 1/16-inch (1.5-mm) deep. Thanks!
Happy New Year!
Dave Finkelnburg, off to dig carrots from under the leaves under a
heavy blanket of snow on a lovely, stormy day in Idaho

Krista Peterson on thu 1 jan 04


First thing- How do you cut the text out so that you have the little arrows showing that you're replying
to that comment?

Ran across a new (to me) but really fascinating idea in education
recently...high school in Mankato, Minnesota where a friend "teaches"...they
do ONLY projects...all 3 years...no regular classes...kids pick their
projects...about 10 a year...have "coaches," not teachers...have learning
objectives to guide them, like how to read, spell, do math...but HOW they
learn those things is motivated by the interests of the students...totally,
as Kelly writes, "interest-based" education...talk about institutionalizing
what David calls, "the concept of intentional living"...and the "teachers,"
by the way, are on the school board...along with parents...and "teachers"
run the school (no administrators)...sort of turns classic education on its
head...kids and teachers eager to get to school...making school a wonderful,
positive learning experience...as it should be...wish I knew more about all
this...

reply.....
This reminds me of the Montessori method. I taught at a Montessori school for about 1 month after I graduated
and was absolutely fascinated and regretful that I didn't learn like that. I had a public school education and
I was one that fell through the huge cracks inherent in it. It's better than nothing but I think there could be huge improvements. I have a few friends that teach in the public school system and I think it's admirable to jump in there and try to better that system. I, personally, learn better by doing. I always did well in school but I was terribly bored with it and probably would have been more interested if there were projects like what Dave is talking about. But the public school system seems terribly conservative and changes come slowly and are hindered by all the violence in schools anymore. I can also understand not wanting to put ones kids into THAT fray.
It's a distraction at the very least. I think the Public system could learn a few things from the home schooling and alternative ed bunch, but they don't seem open to it, the administraters that is.

Ahhhhh...got that out...feel better now...think I'll go back to noodling
about the carved, altered pot series I've been working on...anyone have any
suggestions for a base for a good breaking glaze for vertical surfaces at
cone 10 in reduction? I want to emphasize my representational carving
that's about 1/16-inch (1.5-mm) deep. Thanks!


reply...
I like to use shino glazes to highlight texture and also I'm finding that David Shaner's glazes are great for texture too and not too complicated that you have to have a million wierd ingredients. If you would like some recipes I'd be happy to share them, they're in my studio space though so I don't have access to them right now. But let me know, and if you get any others I am always looking for good breaking glazes also.

Take care
Krista

Kathy Forer on thu 1 jan 04


According to your message headers, it seems you're using "Earthlink Zoo
Mail 1.0," which I'm guessing is Earthlink's web mail. As far as I can
tell, that allows you only to have "----- Original Message -----" type
replies. Many other Email clients -- programs that send and receive
email -- allow you to do the arrow or sidebar thing, so you'd probably
need to change your client, or copy and paste, back and forth, from a
program that gives you arrows. Mozilla, Mail, Eudora, Outlook & OE,
Entourage, AOL, Mutt, Bat, Balsa, etc....
http://support.earthlink.net/support/TUTORIALS/email/

Kathy Forer


On Jan 1, 2004, at 12:51 PM, Krista Peterson wrote:

> First thing- How do you cut the text out so that you have the little
> arrows showing that you're replying
> to that comment?