
Originally Posted by
bluninja
The real problem here as I see it is schools. It's removing choice and responsibility from parents about the education of the children and handing it over to the state. Then everyone moans about one size fits all teaching and the lack of resources.
Distribution of resources based on need? Again this is a judgement call based on what the teacher, school, or society perceives as need; not about what the child (or their parents) perceive as a need. The parent and not the state has the responsibility for raising their children. Parents need the power and resources to get the best assistance in educating their children. I see current society as marginalising parents role in education, taking power away from them. As an example, try taking a kid camping for a week during school and see the flak. However a school can take the kids on the same camping trip during term whilst rorting money from the parents for their child's state funded education.
I see education as a two-pronged approach. Schools are there to raise the education level of the population as a whole, building on what the parents have already done. It is also desireable if the schools or parents, or both, are able to identify the potential of the individual and give them what they need to achieve it.

Originally Posted by
bluninja
School age education is not about just learning information, it's about learning skills. How to learn, how to study, how to identify the required resources for a given task, how to communicate ideas.
Agreed. Or as I usually put it, teaching people how to think.

Originally Posted by
bluninja
Why do we need an educated society? why not en ethical society, a caring society, a productive society? I realise they are not mutually exclusive, it's just where the primary focus should be. Are we "better" than aboriginal societies just cos we know more stuff?
Knowing stuff doesn't mean you're educated. What I mean by an educated society is one where most people know how to think.
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