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How do we educate our children? 
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Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 6:16 pm
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Post How do we educate our children?
I am trying to figure out how best to educate our children to face this life, and it's challenges, head on.

I have watched two relative's go through the whole state schooling system and it hasn't gone well. The first actually managed to get right through school without being able to read. He can read enough to get by, however, moves from one awful low paying job to another. He's a nice kid, but never received what he needed for what, I suspect, must be a learning disability.

Secondly, a child that had more promise than I had seen in my family for a while. She started out in the top stream and I watched the system slowly kill any real desire for success. She has loving parents and a stable home life. She left school last year without any qualifications - was expelled actually. So currently is looking for a job at a clothing shop. She has no drive at the ripe old age of 18!

This saddens me - we're failing our kids big time. Not all - some make it through o.k. but huge numbers don't. These huge factory schools do not produce excellence.

Therefore, I must look elsewhere for my son. So far he has been educated in a Montessori School. I like the Montessori method and he is thriving there. What I like about this style of education is all the children are on individual learning programmes - can work at their own pace which allows them to move ahead quickly in some areas and also be given more time in areas they haven't yet mastered. The class is full of amazing equipment and as each piece is mastered the child move's onto the next. Different ages can work together, the older children teaching the younger one's which cements their own undertanding. I have been instrumental in helping the Unit run, however, this will finish at the end of his primary years.

We have a couple of local private schools which offer the Cambridge International Examinations. They appear to be good schools and when I have toured the schools the students seem very enthusiastic in their work and the environments are well resourced with small classes and specialty teachers. This is preferable to our current state system of NZEA - which in my opinion is a shambles.

There are discussions underway to open another high school similar to a school that also has children on individual learning programmes. I think this style of education is the best on offer in New Zealand at the moment. However, they are struggling due to the 2 serious earthquakes recently.

http://unlimited.school.nz/experience-tenets.htm

I'm unsure whether it would be best to go with an established Cambridge school that is receiving good results or participate in starting a school similar to Unlimited that in my mind would continue my son's education in learning how to think - not what to think.

It's a huge job running a primary Montessori Unit I can only imagine the challenges involved in starting a High School of special charactor. The problem being if you are at the beginning you must start small with little resources and your children are the guinea pigs. If it doesn't go well those important years will be wasted, however, should it work the children will be able to think critically and study their chosen subjects in depth.

Propaganda 101..

:)

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Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:17 am
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Post Re: How do we educate our children?
I loved this speech from Sir Ken Rbinson...



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Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:42 am
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Post Re: How do we educate our children?
Below some requirements/priorities for a new educational system:

- Learn how-to think (for yourselves) - philosophy
- Educate in the interest of the united people and the common good
- Teach creativity (doing the undoable, thinking the unthinkable, imagine the unimagenable, etc.)
- How-to detect fraud, deception and lies
- Lessons learned from the past
- Getting aware of the non-said, the non-written
- Methods for deconstruction and demystification
- How to detect/avoid orthodoxy, totalitarism, dogmatism, and idealism
- Sports and festivities
- Exploration and adventures
- Joy and fun
- Diversity, openess, and tolerance
- Multi-idea, multi-culture, and multi-everything
- Freedom and responsability

Skip


Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:58 pm
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Post Re: How do we educate our children?
Lee wrote:
I loved this speech from Sir Ken Robinson...


Thank you so much for this! Through a simple post, you have enriched my life, and what better gift is there. I am immediately sending this video to my two kids. I know they will appreciate it.

Bravo! And thank you.

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Fri Jul 15, 2011 6:30 pm
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Post Re: How do we educate our children?
skippy wrote:
Below some requirements/priorities for a new educational system:


Good list, Skippy! I would like to add one item -- the study of the deviant psychology of the sociopath/psychopath, and how these personality types have dominated the control structures of human history, much to our common detriment.

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Fri Jul 15, 2011 9:01 pm
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Post Re: How do we educate our children?
skippy wrote:
Below some requirements/priorities for a new educational system:

- Learn how-to think (for yourselves) - philosophy
- Educate in the interest of the united people and the common good
- Teach creativity (doing the undoable, thinking the unthinkable, imagine the unimagenable, etc.)
- How-to detect fraud, deception and lies
- Lessons learned from the past
- Getting aware of the non-said, the non-written
- Methods for deconstruction and demystification
- How to detect/avoid orthodoxy, totalitarism, dogmatism, and idealism
- Sports and festivities
- Exploration and adventures
- Joy and fun
- Diversity, openess, and tolerance
- Multi-idea, multi-culture, and multi-everything
- Freedom and responsability

Skip


Thanks Skip, an excellent list that is helpful to me. I will visit the schools I'm considering again to probe a little deeper! :D

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Sun Jul 17, 2011 7:57 pm
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Post Re: How do we educate our children?
Chicodoodoo wrote:
skippy wrote:
Below some requirements/priorities for a new educational system:


Good list, Skippy! I would like to add one item -- the study of the deviant psychology of the sociopath/psychopath, and how these personality types have dominated the control structures of human history, much to our common detriment.



Yes...thanks Chico. I think that is a subject I need to understand further.

Glad you enjoyed the video - he also did a follow up video which is worth a watch.

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Sun Jul 17, 2011 8:18 pm
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Post Re: How do we educate our children?
I dont have children, but if I did, I would tell them the truth no matter what the cost. I do come from the Perspective that the Devil stays in power without identifying him. So there you go..
Its a burden I would not want to bear. The poor child could suffer a nervous breakdown under the Peer Pressure of the programming in society. Home schooling with a stay at home parent is your best bet. But then again the system requires everyone to work full time, suck up their patience and their mind from attending to things that matter.

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Thu Feb 09, 2012 1:43 am
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Post Re: How do we educate our children?
Both of my kids went through public school systems and state universities. They had both good teachers and horrible teachers. Both kids are independent, highly creative, and capable. But much of that was developed at home. The public school system has its value in that it is real-world with all the ups and downs of the outside world. The home environment is for teaching children how to understand and deal with both the beauty and the ugliness of the outside world. Most parents skimp on the learning opportunities for the kids in the home environment, as the parents are too busy making a living.

That's where the most damage is done.

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Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:03 am
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Post Re: How do we educate our children?
The most important thing we can do for our children to survive this upside down world ..........

LOVE

Love will help you surmount any obstacle.

Love will keep you sane.

Love will keep you healthy.

LOVE YOUR CHILDREN WITH ALL YOUR HEART

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Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:37 am
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