🚀 go-pugleaf

In la.general ShirKahn <shirkahn@earthlink.net> wrote:
: J.M. Ivler <ivler@net-quest.com> wrote:

: >School is NOT about developing socialization skills. It is about LEARNING
: >SKILLS. Manners training begins at HOME, as does ethics. Schools have no
: >ethics, or manners. 

: I don't believe you are correct on this one jmi.  Socialization is an
: integral byproduct of the schooling experience. 
           ^^^^^^^^^
The way you wrote that, I agree. But that doesn't mean that schools are
designed to support "socialization". My duaghter first leaned to socialize
with her cousins and with the children in the neighborhood. Long before
school she was aware of "sharing" and that not everything was hers.

: a more difficult time adjusting to university life.  Manners and
: ethics does begin at home without a doubt but school is the place to
: put those lessons to practical use in a relatively safe environment.

So is the family (extended) and the neighborhood. Think about this. Most
of your friends when you were growing up were kids who lived within
walking distance from your home (if you were raised in the city or
suburbs). The neighborhood. It isn't until high school that most kids
start to develop friendships with kids that are further than a close bike
ride.

: Tying this into the uniform question, wouldn't it be better for
: students to be forced to deal with each other on field where such
: surface values, such as appearance are kept to a minimum? 

What about kids with disfigurements? Sorry, but I don't believe that there
is a thing called common ground that doesn't seek to find that 50% mark.
If common ground sought the 90% mark I might support it, but as it is, at
50%, well, 50% is a failing grade...

: How about this one: <omitted>

I may not like the laws, or the rules, but until I change them I have
agreed to live and be bound by them. Do I try to change them? Sure do. I
ran for Congress because I don't agree with them (1994 CA-46 (D) primary).
I put my money where my mouth is time and time again. I fight props that I
don't like (like the ones that are racist and turn our teachers and nurses
into Immigration spies) and support the ones that I do like (elimination
of racial favoritism). I vote and I go to town council meatings and speak
my mind. It's called a participatory democracy... it helps to participate.
:-)

: Aren't the schools also supposed to teach "how to think" ? Being able
: to take just about any problem and work rationally thru to a logical
: end or at least as close as one can get with the information on hand?

Ealier posts went on in detail on that... I shortened the one your
following up on a tad. The key is to provide the basic skills and then
teach kids how to use them to teach themselves. Yes, that process does
involve exposing them to idea that are new.