tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post6615409077878512479..comments2024-03-26T07:07:14.304-07:00Comments on Teacher Tom: Learning To Fight Fire With FireTeacher Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14606781724784785338noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-53147105610668686782017-10-23T08:41:17.640-07:002017-10-23T08:41:17.640-07:00I'm so happy to have your book and to have bee...I'm so happy to have your book and to have been connected to your blog. It has taught me so much. I do want to put a good word in for (at least my) public school. I was worried about it not being a nurturing environment - too much desk time, too much rote learning. I've been so pleasantly surprised. Lots of outside time with an increasingly complex playground and garden, learning math in a more play based way, and free time to explore their own ideas throughout the day. My daughter comes home so excited about what she's learned. You are not screaming to the wind. Good schools are working hard to re-incorporate natural learning environments and get rid of the desk environment. Keep up the good work! Suzannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17694269681729504061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-17704557528716489082017-10-23T05:19:51.700-07:002017-10-23T05:19:51.700-07:00Yes. I frequently say that our local public school...Yes. I frequently say that our local public school experience felt like we were sending our son to "kiddy jail." (He's no longer there – we founded our own progressive nature elementary school as a direct result of that experience). He and 600 other children were kept inside of a large brick and concrete-block building with florescent lights for 7.5 hours a day, allowed outside for 17 highly supervised minutes (minutes which were frequently taken away for cold weather or if the class was being "punished"), told how to behave at every moment, punished in isolation for misbehavior (our quiet son was never subject to this, but louder children – especially boys – were made to sit in a corner with an hourglass, away from the group, for "misbehaving"), made to walk in lines and stay quiet and obedient all day, and forced to perform rote, menial tasks. Of course, some of the teachers were wonderful and were trying their best to work within this system. Some were terrible and felt more like prison guards. The overall experience truly felt like prison for children. I believe we should start using this emotional metaphor to make change. <br />Emily Patersonhttp://www.riverfarmcooperative.comnoreply@blogger.com