Thought my teacher friends might be interested in some very revolutionary thinking going on at one of our local highschools. My elder daughter is already enrolled :D (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMxqEkg3wQ0)
That is fascinating. How long did it take them to build their methodology? He said they were a public school: how did they get the opportunity to even try? What about the "bottom third" of kids? What choices did they make?
How do they establish/prove literacy and numeracy before letting the kids take control of their educational choices? Where do they get the money to pay students for various skills? (I have so many questions!)
Just realised I went off to do some research and never came back to answer this. Re the methodology, I think it was a work in progress throughout his career, though apparently it crystallised for him when his own daughters were trying to choose at highschool. He has two profoundly gifted girls, and even in the private system couldn't find the sort of spread of topics they wanted to study. For a child that is capable of finishing something twice as quickly, as well as doing it to a higher level, it's immensely frustrating to be told no just because the other kids can't handle it. (As I'm sure you've realised :D
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It sounds so wonderful... I wish there were a way to make this happen within the enormous bureaucracy of my school system, but I don't see the state permitting it in any way. After all, it would mean that testing companies weren't kowotowed to anymore, and it would mean letting teachers and students experiment with things that gave them too much joy. Can't have that!
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How do they establish/prove literacy and numeracy before letting the kids take control of their educational choices? Where do they get the money to pay students for various skills? (I have so many questions!)
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