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Like many specialists anarchists overestimate the appetite of the general public to think for itself. Even within their own organizations.
To think like an anarchist you must treasure a kind of independence and find joy in questioning authority.
But a lot of people (even me at times) really love "authority."
"Teachers could organize a body to ... "
nooo not more WORK.
I feel like I'm being looked at by a 17th monarch who is disappointed the the job I did brushing off their cloak.
@annehargreaves @richpuchalsky
Homeschooling can be wonderful or horrible. That kind of comes down to who is doing it and how much time they have.
It's not a great solution for most people I think. Don't you want some help?
This makes it all sound very clinical, but as someone who isn't "naturally social" I think I have an advantage because I'm accustomed to looking at these things as more technical problems. I don't expect it to "just happen naturally."
I had to learn to work with that many students. When I started 40 was my limit.
I make flash cards for names at the start of the year. I have a process where I spend a little time each week thinking about each student and I *track* this so I don't miss anyone.
I've learned when writing long comments when grading is important... and when to skip it.
I keep a spreadsheet with the learning specialists and tutors contact info for each student and send each one regular emails.
@dalias @JeffGrigg @flying_saucers
Phasing out "lame" and "stupid" and other ablest words is a bit of an uphill battle but I think it's worth it.
Meals? Adults with enough time to get to know the students? You want to spend money on that?
No. Kids need to learn "workplace ready" skills. And they can eat iPads.
The only way I can see to minimize the exploitation is to have a public ongoing discourse on what we teach and value that is big enough that people don't end up being mislead in some little community where some jerk is in charge.
I don't call myself an anarchist. Or anything really. I suppose I'm not since, from what I've seen as a teacher, people crave, love and seek out organization and someone to tell them what to do. This can be exploited so easily. Often it is exploited.
A lot of what I do as a teacher is try to get my students to stop turning to me to tell them what to do about every single thing.
And I use their inclination towards obedience to guide them towards that. Kind of a paradox.
I think it's beneficial to have education connected to larger secular bodies eg. the state because it forces all of the little communities with their "values" (values can be excellent, or horrible) to find some common ground.
Should we teach that the earth is flat?
Is evolution real?
Does *everyone* need to learn how to read?
If you let "the local community" decide such things they have often made the wrong call on these questions which have objectively correct answers.
I think powerful people will use that to take advantage of people by keeping their understanding of the world limited and in the absence of state education it will be the church and whoever gives the church the most money indoctrinating everyone.
Our upper school students don't have study halls. They do have "free periods" where they must remain on campus ... but that's about it. We can only do this because most of them have learned to manage that time sensibly. Every year someone wants to pack more things in the schedule and I always push back because that free time helps so many of them.
The middle school students have study hall since they don't know how to use a free period yet. Poor things.
Do you think compulsory education should be abolished?
"Your kid doesn't need to go to college or learn about silly things like art and history. That might make them GAY. Isn't it better if they get training on how to work in an amazon warehouse instead?"
"Well what is YOUR kid doing?"
"Uh... studying art history and reading poetry ... but never mind that. We will give your child work experience so they can get a job!"
How many kids were in there? My old school used to do "doubles" on study hall because "it's easier"
No.
Oh no no no.
45 9th graders? I can't even say hello to all of them in the time allotted. So you end up having "Serious Rules" because otherwise it's just going to be 30min of chaos that no one needs in their life.
30-50 is the number out of the 150 who are "my" students, the ones who'd come to me first for whatever reason.
They are all nerds. I'm a nerd magnet.
If that's how my classes went I'd quit. I could do other jobs that pay more. I teach because I like teaching.
I'm mostly kidding about that. But, if adults think something is a "throw away" kids can tell and it becomes a throw away.
And if they aren't "learning anything" in study hall lets get rid of it.
I will teach them about ants instead.