Comments on: A One-Room Schoolhouse for the 21st Century http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/ Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:02:52 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Fran http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/comment-page-1/#comment-341088 Fran Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:13:00 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/#comment-341088 My experience of attending a one-room schoolhouse was indeed very good. We learned to be quiet and work quietly while another class was being taught. Our teacher made sure we grasped the math in and out. Not so, when we were bussed into the city's schools for junior high and senior high schools. I found myself sometimes bored for the lack of challenging material. There was so much repeating of english we had already learned. The math teachers did not care if you grasped the math they were teaching or not. I have to say that I had a lot of good teachers but there were those who didn't take into account that we were bussed from rural areas and it wasn't our fault that we were late for school. We certainly couldn't walk the seven or more miles to school in freezing temperatures. Apparently, the city teachrs had no idea of rural life. My experience of attending a one-room schoolhouse was indeed very good. We learned to be quiet and work quietly while another class was being taught. Our teacher made sure we grasped the math in and out. Not so, when we were bussed into the city’s schools for junior high and senior high schools. I found myself sometimes bored for the lack of challenging material. There was so much repeating of english we had already learned. The math teachers did not care if you grasped the math they were teaching or not. I have to say that I had a lot of good teachers but there were those who didn’t take into account that we were bussed from rural areas and it wasn’t our fault that we were late for school. We certainly couldn’t walk the seven or more miles to school in freezing temperatures. Apparently, the city teachrs had no idea of rural life.

]]> By: one http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/comment-page-1/#comment-192455 one Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:38:32 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/#comment-192455 hey hey

]]> By: Pajamas Media » Live from DNC: Bill Keeps It Short (Day 3) http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/comment-page-1/#comment-96635 Pajamas Media » Live from DNC: Bill Keeps It Short (Day 3) Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:58:41 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/#comment-96635 [...] a fine idea, but how?  Giving them more money doesn’t do it.  As I pointed out with my CORS project piece, places like New York City already have enough money per student; it’s no that they [...] [...] a fine idea, but how?  Giving them more money doesn’t do it.  As I pointed out with my CORS project piece, places like New York City already have enough money per student; it’s no that they [...]

]]> By: wgfberger http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/comment-page-1/#comment-91310 wgfberger Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:20:01 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/#comment-91310 My two children attended a one-room school house in Napa, California. the school was established in 1851 and is still teaching children today. the school is a K-5th grade school with the max number of chikdren 29. We are aleays being threated closure by the Napa school district, and have some how managed to keep it open. However we just faced that threat again, it is very sad, it is a one of a kind educationa and experience i believe is wonderful. Old school values and new school education. Wooden Valley Elementry school is located in the fotthills in napa County surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. It is picture perfect and education perfect. We love it. My two children attended a one-room school house in Napa, California. the school was established in 1851 and is still teaching children today. the school is a K-5th grade school with the max number of chikdren 29. We are aleays being threated closure by the Napa school district, and have some how managed to keep it open. However we just faced that threat again, it is very sad, it is a one of a kind educationa and experience i believe is wonderful. Old school values and new school education. Wooden Valley Elementry school is located in the fotthills in napa County surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. It is picture perfect and education perfect. We love it.

]]> By: kezia http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/comment-page-1/#comment-83042 kezia Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:03:21 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/#comment-83042 Hi, do you have any openings for an elementary teacher, and a physician we are a couple looking to work with non profit organizations as we are born again and baptize we love to serve God. Looking forward to hear from you. God bless ur mission .Kezia Hi, do you have any openings for an elementary teacher, and a physician we are a couple looking to work with non profit organizations as we are born again and baptize we love to serve God. Looking forward to hear from you. God bless ur mission .Kezia

]]> By: wgfberger http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/comment-page-1/#comment-64526 wgfberger Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:35:46 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/#comment-64526 my two children attened a one room school house in Napa California. Wooden Valley school has been teaching chlidren since 1854. The school is a K thru 5th grade with 25 students. the one of a kind education they recieve is amazing. when the older kids teach the little kids they really get a breakdown on what they have learned and this makes them even learn and understand more. The little kids love the big kids and love to learn from the older kids. This is a very unique way to learn during this time. but not in the 1800's. Learning from each other creates children working above their grade level, with out even really pushing them. it just happens. Communication skills are bulit from the beginning, kinders are just as equal as a 5th grader and this creates a community. A real life experience for their life ahead. When they hit the real world after school and college and are in the work force, these communication skills are key. One-room school house creat old school values with new school education and it works! my two children attened a one room school house in Napa California. Wooden Valley school has been teaching chlidren since 1854. The school is a K thru 5th grade with 25 students. the one of a kind education they recieve is amazing. when the older kids teach the little kids they really get a breakdown on what they have learned and this makes them even learn and understand more. The little kids love the big kids and love to learn from the older kids. This is a very unique way to learn during this time. but not in the 1800’s. Learning from each other creates children working above their grade level, with out even really pushing them. it just happens. Communication skills are bulit from the beginning, kinders are just as equal as a 5th grader and this creates a community. A real life experience for their life ahead. When they hit the real world after school and college and are in the work force, these communication skills are key. One-room school house creat old school values with new school education and it works!

]]> By: rory http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/comment-page-1/#comment-54367 rory Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:20:18 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/#comment-54367 <i>I sent my boys to a K-8 school specifically modeled on the little red schoolhouse (http://www.peninsulaschool.org/). My mother, who did attend a little red schoolhouse in the rural south, loved the place, and my boys benefited way beyond their public-school peers. To give you an idea, typically, 4 to 6 kids out of each class of 18-20 went on to become National Merit Scholarship finalists despite coming from a school with no academic-based selection and minimal classroom academics.</i> You make it sound like a school for poor inner city kids. With a tuition of $13,125, I am pretty sure the school is made up of upper and upper middle class kids who would of excelled in school even if they went to school in the inner city. Sounds more like a school for the children of rich indulgent hippies. I sent my boys to a K-8 school specifically modeled on the little red schoolhouse (http://www.peninsulaschool.org/). My mother, who did attend a little red schoolhouse in the rural south, loved the place, and my boys benefited way beyond their public-school peers.

To give you an idea, typically, 4 to 6 kids out of each class of 18-20 went on to become National Merit Scholarship finalists despite coming from a school with no academic-based selection and minimal classroom academics.

You make it sound like a school for poor inner city kids. With a tuition of $13,125, I am pretty sure the school is made up of upper and upper middle class kids who would of excelled in school even if they went to school in the inner city.

Sounds more like a school for the children of rich indulgent hippies.

]]> By: AgingMom http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/comment-page-1/#comment-53802 AgingMom Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:19:07 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/#comment-53802 IIRC, Waldorf schools assign a teacher to a group of kindergarten kids, and as the kids are promoted from grade to grade, the teacher goes with them up to the 8th grade. A lot of Christian schools start off as one or two-room schools, and grow from there. The school my kids attended had four classrooms. They loved it there and both have gotten into very good universities, etc. Having the same teacher for several years in a row really does help to make sure that they don't coast through the multiplication tables without learning them (as I did when I was growing up and attending a huge suburban elementary school system.) Also, it is easier for the parents to get to know the teachers (the teacher that your older child has for three years will be the same teacher that your younger child will have for three years.) Also, because the school doesn't accept children with serious behavioral problems or academic deficiencies, the teachers don't burn out from frustration. (My kids were in public schools for a couple of years. Not a happy experience, even though it was a "top school district.") IIRC, Waldorf schools assign a teacher to a group of kindergarten kids, and as the kids are promoted from grade to grade, the teacher goes with them up to the 8th grade.

A lot of Christian schools start off as one or two-room schools, and grow from there. The school my kids attended had four classrooms. They loved it there and both have gotten into very good universities, etc. Having the same teacher for several years in a row really does help to make sure that they don’t coast through the multiplication tables without learning them (as I did when I was growing up and attending a huge suburban elementary school system.) Also, it is easier for the parents to get to know the teachers (the teacher that your older child has for three years will be the same teacher that your younger child will have for three years.)

Also, because the school doesn’t accept children with serious behavioral problems or academic deficiencies, the teachers don’t burn out from frustration. (My kids were in public schools for a couple of years. Not a happy experience, even though it was a “top school district.”)

]]> By: Charlie (Texas) http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/comment-page-1/#comment-53350 Charlie (Texas) Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:33:20 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/#comment-53350 Little red schoolhouses were an AMERICAN idea in education, unlike the current concept that Mann imported from Germany (designed by the Prussian Fichte expressly to break the will of students)and that Dewey perfected into a factory-like scheme for sorting kids into their most socially useful roles. I sent my boys to a K-8 school specifically modeled on the little red schoolhouse (http://www.peninsulaschool.org/). My mother, who did attend a little red schoolhouse in the rural south, loved the place, and my boys benefited way beyond their public-school peers. To give you an idea, typically, 4 to 6 kids out of each class of 18-20 went on to become National Merit Scholarship finalists despite coming from a school with no academic-based selection and minimal classroom academics. Emerson said it best about education: We often seek to make a straight-cut canal out of what should be a meandering brook. Little red schoolhouses were an AMERICAN idea in education, unlike the current concept that Mann imported from Germany (designed by the Prussian Fichte expressly to break the will of students)and that Dewey perfected into a factory-like scheme for sorting kids into their most socially useful roles.

I sent my boys to a K-8 school specifically modeled on the little red schoolhouse (http://www.peninsulaschool.org/). My mother, who did attend a little red schoolhouse in the rural south, loved the place, and my boys benefited way beyond their public-school peers.

To give you an idea, typically, 4 to 6 kids out of each class of 18-20 went on to become National Merit Scholarship finalists despite coming from a school with no academic-based selection and minimal classroom academics.

Emerson said it best about education: We often seek to make a straight-cut canal out of what should be a meandering brook.

]]> By: Paul B http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/comment-page-1/#comment-53037 Paul B Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:38:37 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-one-room-schoolhouse-for-the-21st-century/#comment-53037 I'm a middle school math teacher and I'm absolutely convinced that the way we arbitrarily group kids is at the core of the decay in public schools. One of the societal changes that has snuck up on us is the huge mobility and diversity of today vs. that of the one room school in 'Kansas'. My school has 38% student turnover each year and my district has no retention or placement policy other than age and/or the grade of the school you came from. We have 4-5 year grade span of abilities in a classroom, forced to sit through a highly scripted (meaning no individulization at all) delivery system. Even though most of the teachers I work with readily recognize this as a problem, they are not positioned to change it. So much of this situation is driven by archaic structural deficiencies, no significant change will come from within this dino. I've written much more on the structural issues at <a HREF="http://arp148.com/blog" rel="nofollow">When Galaxies Collide</A> I’m a middle school math teacher and I’m absolutely convinced that the way we arbitrarily group kids is at the core of the decay in public schools. One of the societal changes that has snuck up on us is the huge mobility and diversity of today vs. that of the one room school in ‘Kansas’.

My school has 38% student turnover each year and my district has no retention or placement policy other than age and/or the grade of the school you came from. We have 4-5 year grade span of abilities in a classroom, forced to sit through a highly scripted (meaning no individulization at all) delivery system.

Even though most of the teachers I work with readily recognize this as a problem, they are not positioned to change it. So much of this situation is driven by archaic structural deficiencies, no significant change will come from within this dino.

I’ve written much more on the structural issues at When Galaxies Collide

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