Found on the Web

You are quite right, John - Maria Montessorri"s works have long been on my shelf, and marveled at how much was understood by her so far back, yet because of language problem [her works were first in Italian, not English] many never knew much of her in comparison to Dewey"s demogogaries.... in some of the same respects, one could also cite Summerhill, where the individualism of the person, growing at one's own rate, was pronounced.....

Post 61

Friday, May 19, 2006 - 6:52pm

Another work might be worth looking into is Richard Farson's BIRTHRIGHTS [Penguin 1974]...

Post 62

Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 7:20am

Hi John,

If you're interested in what's been happening in places where modern thinkers are integrating the theories of Montessori, Piaget, and Vygotzky; and translating them into practice with children from birth; you'll be delighted with the work of David Weikart.

Please go to http://www.highscope.org/About/allabout.htm

Your own life with developmentally over-challenged children may be energized by the High/Scope approach.

Michael Marotta, who launched this thread, lives just down the road from their headquarters in Ypsilanti. He might consider switching careers, again; from crimefighting to education.

As to Piagetian quotes; I'm sure that Jean Piaget never thought of stating his philosophy while standing on one foot. Too bad. Like Objectivism, there's no system; it's a process of discovery; supported by benevolent teachers.

Sharon

Post 63

Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 7:36am

Robert,

I checked out some of those Richard Farson websites. Is he the guy who has been promoting the idea that children be given the right to vote, once they reach the age of compulsory schooling?

One telling quote from http://youthrights.org/quotes.shtml

What's done to children... they will do to society. Karl Meninger

It's time to take the best brains away from the space programme and to set them to work with our youngest children. Imagine what Richard Feynman would have accomplished, if David Weikart had been able to put him on staff.

Sharon

Post 64

Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 11:06am