the ideal curriculum

[THE JAKER]

Originally posted by C Elegans:
<STRONG>- How to kick TV addiction</STRONG>

What about Internet addiction?

My 2 cents: I have taken almost every kind of class, I've been in school ever since I can remember, i will be probably until I die. There's something to learn in every field, some things you can't learn in any class.

Personally i think they should teach more business and accounting in the schools, a lot of people are not good with money and simple math. (that's my little public service announcement), but if i had to say what classes everyone should take i would say:

- astronomy
- earth science (geology/meteorology)
the depth of knowledge in these fields is so fascinating, and it seems the average person knows so little about the weather, the stars, what makes our world and our galaxy the way they are, the forces that have shaped the earth we live on.

Oh yeah and Understanding Women - it's a lifetime study, but who can teach it????

[Gibsonajt]

Mine would have:

Classical civilisation
History
every language
Photography

[Sailor Saturn]

My ideal curriculum:

• Quantum Field Theory
• Cosmology
• Archaic Languages
• Modern Languages
• Computer Science
• Etymology(sp?)
• Astronomy
• Marine Biology
• Musical Instruments
• Poetry
• Writing
• Reading
• Gravitational Physics
• Temporal Physics
• Classical Physics
• Quantum Physics
• Painting
• Sculpting
• Carving
• Psychology
• Dance

I can't think of anything else, but I'm sure there are others I would add.

[Yshania]

Posted by C E -

- Learn to live without sleep
- Tolerance for ignorance: take a deep breath
- Impulse control
- How to stop compulsive flirting
- Learning to live without danger
- Understanding people
- Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese, Latin and Gaelic

I like these ones - not so sure about your choice of languages being my choice though

In the UK I think kids start school too young compared to some countries. I do not believe enough emphasis is put on the value of play and the importance of developing social skills and self confidence/expression.

The curriculum in the UK puts too much stress on teachers and does not allow enough freedom of choice for kids, when regarding subjects and what they are interested in, or for teachers on teaching methods. There is too tight a control over the curriculum now, and the time constraints on achieving levels do not allow space for a child who is not so strong in a subject to catch up, similarly it limits those that possibly excel as resources for catering for both are low.

For me I would prefer to see a stronger emphasis on play and social skills until the age of 7 or so (childrens' play IS childrens' work) when a more academic approach can be brought in Then, I would like to see the UK get of it's retarded behind and offer languages to a younger age than it does, along with sciences, maths, english and art. Perhaps later, then, humanities subjects can be brought in such as history and geography.

Posted by SS -

Quantum Field Theory
Cosmology
Archaic Languages
Modern Languages
Computer Science
Etymology(sp?)
Astronomy
Marine Biology
Musical Instruments
Poetry
Writing
Reading
Gravitational Physics
Temporal Physics
Classical Physics
Quantum Physics
Painting
Sculpting
Carving
Psychology
Dance

Well studying that lot should keep your spam rate down

[Sailor Saturn]

Originally posted by Yshania:
<STRONG>In the UK I think kids start school too young compared to some countries. </STRONG>

At what age to do kids start school in the UK?

Originally posted by Yshania:
<STRONG> Well studying that lot should keep your spam rate down </STRONG>

Those are the things I'm studying/will be studying in school, as well as archeology, and...those other things I don't currently recall. It has yet to reduce my spam rate.

[Yshania]

@SS - in the UK kids start full time school generally the term they turn 5 or the nearest term take in before their fifth birthday.

Some schools only have one take in a year - September - which means an August baby will be starting full time school at only just four years old, as this is the closest take in to their fifth birthday.

The school my kids go to have two take ins a year, one in September for all kids born between September 1st and Easter, then one in January for all kids born after Easter but before August 31st. In their school an August baby will be four years four months when starting full time school.

My kids are fortunaltely among the eldest in their respective years, one being a September baby and the other a December baby.

Does any of that make sense

[THE JAKER]

Ysh, you've helped me to figure out my entire problem - I'm an August baby!!!! No wonder....

[Yshania]

@The Jaker - lol! - no excuses

Considering my September baby is a year older than his August class mates it does put him at an advantage, socially and academically. By the age of 10 or 11 though, these differences are less noticable - by this age however they are looking to enter senior school

There will always be such an age gap between kids, there has to be a cut off somewhere to give an academic year.

What I would prefer to see is another year in the UK before kids enter full time school - ie the term they are six - that way the youngest child will be already five

[ 10-03-2001: Message edited by: Yshania ]

[C Elegans]

Originally posted by Yshania:
<STRONG>The curriculum in the UK puts too much stress on teachers and does not allow enough freedom of choice for kids, when regarding subjects and what they are interested in, or for teachers on teaching methods. There is too tight a control over the curriculum now, and the time constraints on achieving levels do not allow space for a child who is not so strong in a subject to catch up, similarly it limits those that possibly excel as resources for catering for both are low.

For me I would prefer to see a stronger emphasis on play and social skills until the age of 7 or so (childrens' play IS childrens' work) when a more academic approach can be brought in Then, I would like to see the UK get of it's retarded behind and offer languages to a younger age than it does, along with sciences, maths, english and art. Perhaps later, then, humanities subjects can be brought in such as history and geography.
</STRONG>

Starting full time school at age 5 as in the UK and France, is early compared to many other countries. In Sweden, there's a special intermediate year between Kindergarten and school (age 6) and school starts at age 7. Sometimes it has been debated whether school start should be earlier, but those debates always die quickly. The Scandinavian countries put much emphasis on childrens' play and childrens' right to act freely and by intrinsic motivation, and earlier school start is viewed as interfering with those values.

Children develop different skills at different ages. Some kids might mature earlier than others. Also, many kids have an "uneven" maturity rate, in one child maths skills might mature faster than social skills, in another child it might be the other way around.

A school system that offers stimulation for children who are mature or have special talents, and at the same time offers support for children who mature more slowly, or have learning disabilities, is obviously something no country has come up with. Also, it's a difficult balance to offer stimulation without pushing, and not to create "elite" versus "2nd rate" students.

As for me personally, I'm quite satisfied the solutions my primary school offered, but this was an individual and very unconventional solution, and I know many schools that wouldn't have tried individual solutions.

[Sailor Saturn]

Originally posted by Yshania:
<STRONG>@SS - in the UK kids start full time school generally the term they turn 5 or the nearest term take in before their fifth birthday.

Some schools only have one take in a year - September - which means an August baby will be starting full time school at only just four years old, as this is the closest take in to their fifth birthday.

The school my kids go to have two take ins a year, one in September for all kids born between September 1st and Easter, then one in January for all kids born after Easter but before August 31st. In their school an August baby will be four years four months when starting full time school.

My kids are fortunaltely among the eldest in their respective years, one being a September baby and the other a December baby.

Does any of that make sense </STRONG>

In Texas, generally, Kindergarten starts at the age of 5 with the students turning 6 during the school year, which is, I think the same as yours only a year older as far as the set up goes.

Originally posted by C Elegans:
<STRONG>In Sweden, there's a special intermediate year between Kindergarten and school (age 6) and school starts at age 7.</STRONG>

I was the youngest student in my Kindergarten class at Starkey Elementary in Kerrville, Texas. I happen to move across town that summer which put me going to Tom Daniels next. Tom Daniels had a deal called "Transitional 1st" that fell between Kindergarten and 1st. It was optional and there for parents to put their kids in if they felt they had put their kids into school to early. These students were usually summer born because the real idea was the start at the age of 6 and done like what Ysh was talking about where you actually started at the age of 5 and turned 6.(does this make sense?) My parents left the decision as to whether or not to go to T-1st or regular 1st up to me. Being intellectually mature for my age, I felt that it would be better to go through T-1st because I felt I had started school earlier than I should.

[Yshania]

Posted by C E -

Also, it's a difficult balance to offer stimulation without pushing, and not to create "elite" versus "2nd rate" students.

I agree with this statement stimulation need not be further academic study, however, it could be an artistic pursuit which would keep the brighter kids occupied, rather than (what happened in my day - I am not sure what is done these days) having the brighter kids committed to helping out others and doing the teachers job At a young age this also creates an elitist attitude

@SS - I understood what you meant Kids start 'nursery' here (school attached - if they have one) at 3 going on 4. These sessions are five half day sessions but are not compulsory education which is not until 5 - by 5 all kids should be in full time education.

At 4 going on 5 kids move full time into 'reception' classes which is a step up from early years values to a more (but still fairly loose) academic education, which include specifically numeracy and literacy and other generalised studies. At 5 going on 6 they enter Year 1 where they properly study categorised subjects and begin more formal projects

[Sailor Saturn]

Originally posted by Yshania:
<STRONG>@SS - I understood what you meant Kids start 'nursery' here (school attached - if they have one) at 3 going on 4. These sessions are five half day sessions but are not compulsory education which is not until 5 - by 5 all kids should be in full time education.</STRONG>

In the early ages before school, there is daycare/preschool/nursery school which are more a chance for interaction with other kids and a place for the kids to be while parents are at work than actually schooling. The only thing I remember about my time in preschool was that the 'teacher' lady never managed to pronounce my name correctly.

Originally posted by Yshania:
<STRONG>At 4 going on 5 kids move full time into 'reception' classes which is a step up from early years values to a more (but still fairly loose) academic education, which include specifically numeracy and literacy and other generalised studies. At 5 going on 6 they enter Year 1 where they properly study categorised subjects and begin more formal projects </STRONG>

I don't remember much of what happened in my first 3 years of school(Kindergarten, Trans 1st, and 1st), so I don't know how that compares to Texas schools. Only thing I remember from K is my parents helping out in class. Only thing I remember from Trans 1st and first semester of 1st grade is my first girlfriend( ). Only thing I remember from 2nd semester of 1st grade(in a different city) is asking the teacher for more math problems because I would always finish what she gave us before everyone else and be bored, thus getting into trouble.

[Vivien]

Ysh & SS:

I was always behind in Math. No need for extra homework for me. Too busy turning our heart shaped erasers into stamps with Markers

[Yshania]

@Viv - LMAO!!

They say the brightest are artistic

Do you doodle when on the phone?


[ 10-03-2001: Message edited by: Yshania ]

[Shadow Sandrock]

Here in Rhode Island, Kindergarten usually begins when the child is turning 5 or is 5. Most children do turn 6 during Kindergarten, but here in RI, the curriculum STINKS, so in the end many unfortunate 7 year olds are still in Kindergarten

I am editing to add more.

The curriculum they used is really stupid. I started at 3 in a Day Care, so I was very advanced. But in kindergarten, they teach the poor child one letter a week...

Also, I might add, they spent a whole quarter in 2nd grade on just addition, and we learned Cursive near the end of 2nd which is kinda good. The printing they taught us in 1st was wrong, they made the letters funny and you couldn't tell them apart. We learned division in 4th grade. I remember in 2nd grade me and this one girl Jessica were so advanced we had to go in another room while the rest of the class worked... we would play this game that taught the names of all the bones, and by the end of 2nd we knew everything they would teach us in 4th grade science, so really... they expect you to go WAY too low, and the classes are so large the teachers can't always help you, thus many stay back... I lost many friends through stay backs, and knew an 8 year old girl in the 1st grade

[ 10-03-2001: Message edited by: Shadow Sandrock ]

[Vivien]

Originally posted by Yshania:
<STRONG>@Viv - LMAO!!

They say the brightest are artistic

Do you doodle when on the phone?


[ 10-03-2001: Message edited by: Yshania ]</STRONG>

Why yes, ON the phone of course Mine has a smiley face on the handle Doesn't everyone?

[Yshania]

@Viv - see? short attention span, easily distracted, perfected artistic approach - a true sign of intelligence

Oh BTW - I usually doodle on Post-Its

[Vivien]

Originally posted by Yshania:
<STRONG>@Viv - see? short attention span, easily distracted, perfected artistic approach - a true sign of intelligence

Oh BTW - I usually doodle on Post-Its </STRONG>

Those are good as well! Unless you're at work and you've doodled absent mindedly something 'naughty' on the post it note, then it's not so good

[Sailor Saturn]

Originally posted by Yshania:
<STRONG>@Viv - see? short attention span, easily distracted, perfected artistic approach - a true sign of intelligence

Oh BTW - I usually doodle on Post-Its </STRONG>

I don't doodle while on the phone because I never talk on the phone. My notebook for History class last year is full of drawings of swords, triforce symbols, and other such items, though. I also have a nice little drawing of a glaive in my Public Speaking notebook.

I used to get in trouble for not paying attention. In my 3rd grade science class(at an advanced school), we had to take notes and turn them in for a grade. The notes were merely copied off the overhead, but I would always get 50 or lower on my notes because I hardly wrote anything down. What really baffled the teacher, though, is that I always got 100s on the tests. Lucky me, I have both photographic and auditory(?) memory.

I actually remember more if I "don't pay attention"(what it looks like I'm doing) than if I sit at attention "paying attention to every word." If I do the latter, my mind wanders too much.

[Sailor Saturn]

Originally posted by Vivien:
<STRONG>
Those are good as well! Unless you're at work and you've doodled absent mindedly something 'naughty' on the post it note, then it's not so good </STRONG>

Oh?