Socialization
In the homeschooling post, a common theme (and common to most homeschooling discussions) is socialization. Kids need it, it's easier to get in a public school.
Do you think that the ideal form of socialization is to sit quietly in a room of 20-30 people, all of whom were born within six months of you and likely live within a couple miles of you, for 6-8 hours a day, being allowed to play with those people - and only those people - for a couple of 15 minute blocks if you're lucky? Where the primary (not saying only, but primary) form of communication is being asked a question the asker already knows the answer to and being expected to produce the one correct answer by yourself, without consulting your peers or debating about it? (Obviously I don't.)
If you do, why? Most adults' lives don't look like that, aside from the sitting quietly part for some people. What are we socializing kids to, if not their adult lives?
If not, how would you (if funding weren't an issue) change the public school system to improve the socialization that happens there?
Do you think that the ideal form of socialization is to sit quietly in a room of 20-30 people, all of whom were born within six months of you and likely live within a couple miles of you, for 6-8 hours a day, being allowed to play with those people - and only those people - for a couple of 15 minute blocks if you're lucky? Where the primary (not saying only, but primary) form of communication is being asked a question the asker already knows the answer to and being expected to produce the one correct answer by yourself, without consulting your peers or debating about it? (Obviously I don't.)
If you do, why? Most adults' lives don't look like that, aside from the sitting quietly part for some people. What are we socializing kids to, if not their adult lives?
If not, how would you (if funding weren't an issue) change the public school system to improve the socialization that happens there?