A School Where One Size Doesn't Fit All - washingtonpost.com

A School Where One Size Doesn't Fit All - washingtonpost.com: "Much of Shusterman's plan is inspired by John Dewey, a 20th-century educational philosopher whose devotees have called for teachers to be 'guides on the side, not sages on the stage.' Dewey led a movement called progressive education in which, he said, children learn best when pursuing individual projects that allow them to explore their world."

Thought this was interesting. I like these sorts of project-based learning in theory, and students should definitely be involved in their own education as soon as possible. Their ownership of their learning makes them more invested.

The problem I have is, what's going to happen to reading? Can you encourage students to read? I'm in a "Great Books" (redefined) class right now, and one of my fellow students mentioned that her students were excited to read a Jodi Picoult novel. She hated making them put it away and turn to reading Lord of the Flies. I remember in middle school there was a series of witch books and Ann Rice's vampire series my friends loved to pass around. And yes, I would sit in the back of English class and read those books instead of... whatever was in the textbook. Great Expectations. Ugh. But some things I had to read in school, like Ayn Rand's Anthem, sparked an interest in reading more of her books.

There has to be a balance. We should find a way to encourage students to read what they want to into the curriculum, and yet make sure we're stretching them to new works, new ideas. Not many high schoolers will pick up a book of poetry, yet reading it can give them an appreciation for language in new ways. I still have lines from poems I read in high school run through my head, and although it was largely unsuccessful, enjoyed writing poems in high school and my early days of college. It's a great way for children to play with language. We must stretch them as well as letting them learn to enjoy reading.