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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Solon who wrote (51451)	6/18/2002 7:38:08 PM
From: The Philosopher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

I sense you have a problem here, because your past posting history doesn't indicate that you misrepresent other posters positions in order to create straw arguments to throw down. I know others do that all the time. But please don't follow their example. I have never said that a child should be allowed to chart their own course. I don't agree with the Summerhill model, even though it worked for a few specially selected kids. You say that the teacher is an expert and professional motivator. I don't agree. The teacher is an expert and professional teacher. You can lead a child to knowledge, but there's no way a teacher can force a child to learn who doesn't want to learn. Fortunately most young children have a real thirst for knowledge, so it's mostly a matter of undoing the anti-motivators that have been put in their way, by siblings, parents, or others. But for high school, college, and graduate students, which is where my experience was, it was their job to come ready to learn. If they chose not to, that was their choice. I wasn't there to force-feed them against their wills. Of course the teacher helps the child choose to learn and grow. But that's a different thing. Nowhere, though, did I say that a child should do its own thing, any more than it would be fair to say that you want kids regimented and motivated with a hickory stick if that's what it takes. At least I assume you're not saying that?