So how am I going to encourage those in my class who don't fit the school mold and are obviously artistic and kinsthetic. I guess that's the million dollar question.
cheers
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Our Education System and the Challenges for Me
I think it has been a good week so far but I've had to do a lot of thinking lately. I did a paper on Sunday about how I've experienced schools being just or effective or how they have fallen short. For the most part I think schools are doing pretty good with the move towards inclusion and differentiated learning and the multiple intelligences. But I think we're still missing the mark, especially when it comes to the arts. Take for example the school Griffin goes to. I think it's a pretty good school and the staff I know are really good. But when I look at his timetable only 11% of his time is dedicated to the arts. Thats 5 classes in a 6 day cycle and of those 5 classes only 3 are music and his teacher does not even have training in music. There is no extracurricular arts such as choir or a school drama because he's in grade 6. Sir Ken Robinson says we have developed a hierarchy of subjects where math and the languages are given most importance followed by the humanities. If there is any time left arts and phys ed can have it. We have all these kids in our schools who are aching to express themselves but our system has said, "No, you have to sit at a desk by yourself and quietly do whatever it it we think is best for you." And so we have these incredibly talented kids who think they're dumb because they can't add fractions. That their interests aren't important to the school system so they shouldn't pursue them. I am including a link to Sir Ken Robinson's talk he gave to a group of educators. It's very powerful.
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Do you know if the Montessori method has gained traction in MB at all? We're debating it for Lukas. That method would allow him to spend more time on the arts if he so chooses.
ReplyDeleteThere is a Montessori school in Winnipeg but it seems to be for only young children. It might be good when he's little, but when he got older I'd look for a private school that specializes in the arts. Unless he's a total math geek like you of course.
ReplyDeleteAdam. Do it! I'm serious. If you can afford it, do it. Do you have any Waldorf schools in your area? That would be another fantastic option. I'm waiting for funding (and motivation and families who'd be willing to pay for it) to start my own Waldorf or Montessori school in Steinbach. Nothin' on the horizon though . . . . .
ReplyDeleteHey Monica! I just saw your reply. The one preschool that we looked at was a combination of Waldorf and Montessori. We visited another Montessori school yesterday. They went from 3 years old up to Grade 8.
ReplyDeleteThe Montessori preschools are a little pricey, so we may wait a year or two before sending him there.
Maybe we'll just have to move to Steinbach! :)