Learn With ThemJoel Weber's learning, teaching, growth, teens, & Holden High School blog
|
(November 2011)
When I was younger, Educational Philosophy was easy for me because I was dogmatic. Now that I’ve been working with people one at a time for more than 40 years, it’s harder to generalize. That said, here are some thoughts. This country does not support its youth very well. If you don’t want children left behind, pour much more time, energy, people, money, and other resources into kids from a very young age. Tailor initiatives to each community and then to each kid. Get wonderful people of all ages — credentialed or not -- to work and play with youth. Decentralize and downsize their schools. Create alternatives to schools, including mentorships, jobs, and community service. Give the young only the limits they need. Go light on zero tolerance, because it’s almost never what you or the kids want or need. See them as the individuals that they are. Respect them. Hear them. Listen to them. Love them before you know them. Show up, be there, keep being there, love them when they do well, love them when they’re struggling. Expect to learn a lot from them, and you will.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Copyright Joel B. Weber 2013 forward. Disclaimers: This blog is not affiliated with Holden High; views are my own. I have no official connection to Holden other than Director Emeritus and friend. Dates and many student names have been changed; facts have not. Archives
December 2014
Categories |