Perfect private school.

[Lizard Queen]

My DS was in kindergarten last year, and 1st grade this year, and I think it would have been ideal time to teach them basic physics by playing with the basic forms of machines and doing basic experiments by hitting different masses of balls at each other, or dropping them at the same time, etc.  If you look at some of the things you learn in physics, it really looks like you're playing around with toys.  As they got older, they could start incorporating measurements and learning more concepts. As they advanced in math in higher grades,  they'd start using some basic formulas with those measurements.

Also, lots more music/art in the lower grades at least.  That would be a good time to introduce self-control techniques and foreign languages as well.  Really focus on reading and creativity in upper elementary, coupled with empathy and public speaking, maybe writing and acting in plays.  Also, earth science and social studies would be the focus.

In middle school, there would be a focus on discipline, self-care of all sorts (including financial), and self regulation.  Health, biology and geography would be the focus.  Oh, and computer science, of course!

High school is where I'd have them study the more advanced topics of science, as well as exploring different vocations.  History, business and economics would be the focus, as well as more practical aspects of personal health/finance.


I guess it wouldn't be that different overall, just more science and other stuff much earlier.

[NastyWoman]

Feb 22, 2017 16:07:58 GMT -5 oped said:

Keep them coming! I want to reply to some but I'll come back. My long day, teaching math at co op and there is a free lecture/screening of to kill a mockingbird tonight ( I to love living near things!)

But I'm not a china model person. I don't think you'll find them at the top either? Exactly? I'm more holistic, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Singapore...

I am not sure why you included Singapore in that list? They definitely have a very different approach to schooling from the scandanavian countries! A lot of rote learning. The one thing I believe they do right: every child is, from day one, educated bilingually. Now the way they decide what the second language is (English is the first) has been quite a contentious issue for a couple of years now.

[Deleted]

Singapore math is excellent, and not rote learning at all... I was thinking of that.

[Deleted]

Yes milee this is the 'let loose' stage where when you sit down with your wild and crazy lists something just pops out at you (hopefully) and you are like, wow. That would be awesome. Because sometimes it's not what you think it's going to be...

[Deleted]

My first thought was that it would be good to have different schools and classes for different learning styles and abilities (military, college prep, vocational, academic tracking), but then I realized that real life doesn't work like that.  At some point you end up interacting with brilliant people who never read books or can't spell, people who don't do well on IQ tests but can tear things apart and fix them, non-native English speakers, and people who are just middle-of-the-road competent at most things.  Sometimes you need to peacefully coexist on teams.  So maybe it's not good to put the hell-bent for the Ivy League kids in one school and the fix-anything kids in another school. 

Not sure what the answer is.   

[Bob Ross]

The prefect private school is a private pre-school where parents pay $20k a year tuition so their kids can learn to stack sandalwood blocks and color with the lesser-used froofy colors of crayons, like peuce and burnt sienna.

[MJ2.0]

Feb 24, 2017 9:37:20 GMT -5 Bob Ross said:

The prefect private school is a private pre-school where parents pay $20k a year tuition so their kids can learn to stack sandalwood blocks and color with the lesser-used froofy colors of crayons, like peuce and burnt sienna.

you forgot cerulean.