Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] contract learning??
David Albert
Cindy Ferguson wrote:
say "I want to learn wordworking." The teacher, whose job it is to find a way for
the child to learn wordworking (or math, or whatever) will try to find an
appropriate mentor. Then a formal contract will be drawn up between the 3 of
them. The student contract might say, "I agree to come on time to a lesson,
every other day for 2 hours, for the next 2 months, to listen carefully, to take
notes, to clean up after myself, etc., etc." The mentor might say -- "I agree to
mentor the student so that s/he will learn the following skills in the next two
months -- then a list of skills, or tools to be used, etc. etc." The "teacher"
would contract to mediate any conflicts, to check in from time to time, and to
help evaluate at the end of the two month period.
In our house, we aren't so formal, but we work based on a similar principle.
Just exposing a child to a subject area or something of interest may not
necessarily help her understand what kind of commitment -- time (both daily and
period of weeks, months, or years) and resources might be necessary to master
it. So, to learn the violin for example, my daughter will agree to a certain
amount of weekly practice, to pay attention during lessons, to suggest music she
wishes to learn, etc. We will agree to pay for the lessons, to get her to
lessons on time, to ask her (not too often!) how her practice is going and
whether the teacher's instructions are clear enough, and then to choose a time
(say 3 months or 6 months) to evaluate how the contract is working.
The best thing about the Sudbury contract (and I think it is okay to have formal
contracts even with the youngest children) is that kids immediately pick up on
the fact that their education is a two- or three-way deal, and that parents and
teachers have obligations just like they do. The second thing I like about the
contract approach is that it helps children understand that many things are not
learned easily or instantly, and that this is okay! Most important of all, they
learn that they can fulfill their own chosen knowledge quests by making the
necessary commitment to it, and that adults can be helpful in helping them figure
out what might be needed, but it is ultimately their own responsibility to take
charge of their education.
I have lots of examples of "contracts" (though I don't talk about them as such)
in my book.
David
--
"And the Skylark Sings with Me" is to homeschooling what Tom Paine's "Common
Sense" was to the American Revolution."--Greg Bates, Common Courage Press. To
read a sample chapter or the foreword, and to get information about ordering a
signed copy, visit www.skylarksings.com or send an e-mail to
shantinik@...
> What is 'contract learning'? I have seen several mention it in the contextThe way it is used at the Sudbury Valley School is quite formal. A student will
> of Sudbury schools. At what age do children start with this idea? What time
> frame is covered? I'd love to hear more about this!
>
say "I want to learn wordworking." The teacher, whose job it is to find a way for
the child to learn wordworking (or math, or whatever) will try to find an
appropriate mentor. Then a formal contract will be drawn up between the 3 of
them. The student contract might say, "I agree to come on time to a lesson,
every other day for 2 hours, for the next 2 months, to listen carefully, to take
notes, to clean up after myself, etc., etc." The mentor might say -- "I agree to
mentor the student so that s/he will learn the following skills in the next two
months -- then a list of skills, or tools to be used, etc. etc." The "teacher"
would contract to mediate any conflicts, to check in from time to time, and to
help evaluate at the end of the two month period.
In our house, we aren't so formal, but we work based on a similar principle.
Just exposing a child to a subject area or something of interest may not
necessarily help her understand what kind of commitment -- time (both daily and
period of weeks, months, or years) and resources might be necessary to master
it. So, to learn the violin for example, my daughter will agree to a certain
amount of weekly practice, to pay attention during lessons, to suggest music she
wishes to learn, etc. We will agree to pay for the lessons, to get her to
lessons on time, to ask her (not too often!) how her practice is going and
whether the teacher's instructions are clear enough, and then to choose a time
(say 3 months or 6 months) to evaluate how the contract is working.
The best thing about the Sudbury contract (and I think it is okay to have formal
contracts even with the youngest children) is that kids immediately pick up on
the fact that their education is a two- or three-way deal, and that parents and
teachers have obligations just like they do. The second thing I like about the
contract approach is that it helps children understand that many things are not
learned easily or instantly, and that this is okay! Most important of all, they
learn that they can fulfill their own chosen knowledge quests by making the
necessary commitment to it, and that adults can be helpful in helping them figure
out what might be needed, but it is ultimately their own responsibility to take
charge of their education.
I have lots of examples of "contracts" (though I don't talk about them as such)
in my book.
David
--
"And the Skylark Sings with Me" is to homeschooling what Tom Paine's "Common
Sense" was to the American Revolution."--Greg Bates, Common Courage Press. To
read a sample chapter or the foreword, and to get information about ordering a
signed copy, visit www.skylarksings.com or send an e-mail to
shantinik@...