age segregation
[email protected]
**It's new with huge schools where the kids are separated into "their own
grade" for them to be discouraged or even forbidden to play with kids who are
older or younger. In a one-room school, or even two or three room schools, mixed
age is "normal" and accepted as an asset and advantage. When kids aren't in
school, playing in mixed-age groups is seen as good and sensible. So the
"kids his own age" phenomenon and concern are VERY new, culturally speaking
(and I hope will be temporary).**
It's a phenomenon that shows every sign of becoming even more entrenched and
extreme, at least from where I'm observing it, in the heart of the midwest
sprawl.
More and more school districts are moving away from neighborhood schools
toward "grade centers" - buildings with a single grade level, or two grade levels.
It's becoming common for high schools to put all the ninth graders in a
building of their own across town from the main school. My local district is
putting up a new jr high building this year - current plans are to move all the 7th
and 8th graders in there next fall, and use the current building for 6th grade
only - 6th graders right now are in neighborhood schools with the 1st to 5th.
A neighboring district has extremely age segregated schools - Kindergarten in
one place, 1st and 2nd in one cluster of buildings, 3rd and 4th in another,
5th and 6th in yet another, 7th and 8th in a huge complex. These are huge
schools - buildings of over a thousand kids all within two years of age of each
other.
People look at me strangely when I describe these schools as a dangerous
social experiment. I don't think I'm being overly paranoid - I think that raising
children in such unnatural circumstances is bound to have far reaching
negative effects.
Deborah in IL
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
grade" for them to be discouraged or even forbidden to play with kids who are
older or younger. In a one-room school, or even two or three room schools, mixed
age is "normal" and accepted as an asset and advantage. When kids aren't in
school, playing in mixed-age groups is seen as good and sensible. So the
"kids his own age" phenomenon and concern are VERY new, culturally speaking
(and I hope will be temporary).**
It's a phenomenon that shows every sign of becoming even more entrenched and
extreme, at least from where I'm observing it, in the heart of the midwest
sprawl.
More and more school districts are moving away from neighborhood schools
toward "grade centers" - buildings with a single grade level, or two grade levels.
It's becoming common for high schools to put all the ninth graders in a
building of their own across town from the main school. My local district is
putting up a new jr high building this year - current plans are to move all the 7th
and 8th graders in there next fall, and use the current building for 6th grade
only - 6th graders right now are in neighborhood schools with the 1st to 5th.
A neighboring district has extremely age segregated schools - Kindergarten in
one place, 1st and 2nd in one cluster of buildings, 3rd and 4th in another,
5th and 6th in yet another, 7th and 8th in a huge complex. These are huge
schools - buildings of over a thousand kids all within two years of age of each
other.
People look at me strangely when I describe these schools as a dangerous
social experiment. I don't think I'm being overly paranoid - I think that raising
children in such unnatural circumstances is bound to have far reaching
negative effects.
Deborah in IL
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Elizabeth Roberts
They have all kindergarteners in this town going to school in one place, which happens to be on the local military installation. (I'll give the principal some serious credit. On 9/11, as soon as they locked down, he went to the main gate and personally stepped on every single bus in order to greet the children as they arrived because up until then, the base was "open" and none of them were used to seeing armed soldiers there. He did that twice a day, everyday all school year and will keep doing so until or unless the base is stood down to open status again) Then, the base children in grades 2 to 4 stay on the base, the off-base children go to ABC Elementary; then 5 graders from both have a building alone, 6 to 9th are at the Junior High and then 10 to 12th at the Sr. High.
Definitely some social experimentation going on.
Elizabeth
DACunefare@... wrote:
**It's new with huge schools where the kids are separated into "their own
grade" for them to be discouraged or even forbidden to play with kids who are
older or younger. In a one-room school, or even two or three room schools, mixed
age is "normal" and accepted as an asset and advantage. When kids aren't in
school, playing in mixed-age groups is seen as good and sensible. So the
"kids his own age" phenomenon and concern are VERY new, culturally speaking
(and I hope will be temporary).**
It's a phenomenon that shows every sign of becoming even more entrenched and
extreme, at least from where I'm observing it, in the heart of the midwest
sprawl.
More and more school districts are moving away from neighborhood schools
toward "grade centers" - buildings with a single grade level, or two grade levels.
It's becoming common for high schools to put all the ninth graders in a
building of their own across town from the main school. My local district is
putting up a new jr high building this year - current plans are to move all the 7th
and 8th graders in there next fall, and use the current building for 6th grade
only - 6th graders right now are in neighborhood schools with the 1st to 5th.
A neighboring district has extremely age segregated schools - Kindergarten in
one place, 1st and 2nd in one cluster of buildings, 3rd and 4th in another,
5th and 6th in yet another, 7th and 8th in a huge complex. These are huge
schools - buildings of over a thousand kids all within two years of age of each
other.
People look at me strangely when I describe these schools as a dangerous
social experiment. I don't think I'm being overly paranoid - I think that raising
children in such unnatural circumstances is bound to have far reaching
negative effects.
Deborah in IL
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Definitely some social experimentation going on.
Elizabeth
DACunefare@... wrote:
**It's new with huge schools where the kids are separated into "their own
grade" for them to be discouraged or even forbidden to play with kids who are
older or younger. In a one-room school, or even two or three room schools, mixed
age is "normal" and accepted as an asset and advantage. When kids aren't in
school, playing in mixed-age groups is seen as good and sensible. So the
"kids his own age" phenomenon and concern are VERY new, culturally speaking
(and I hope will be temporary).**
It's a phenomenon that shows every sign of becoming even more entrenched and
extreme, at least from where I'm observing it, in the heart of the midwest
sprawl.
More and more school districts are moving away from neighborhood schools
toward "grade centers" - buildings with a single grade level, or two grade levels.
It's becoming common for high schools to put all the ninth graders in a
building of their own across town from the main school. My local district is
putting up a new jr high building this year - current plans are to move all the 7th
and 8th graders in there next fall, and use the current building for 6th grade
only - 6th graders right now are in neighborhood schools with the 1st to 5th.
A neighboring district has extremely age segregated schools - Kindergarten in
one place, 1st and 2nd in one cluster of buildings, 3rd and 4th in another,
5th and 6th in yet another, 7th and 8th in a huge complex. These are huge
schools - buildings of over a thousand kids all within two years of age of each
other.
People look at me strangely when I describe these schools as a dangerous
social experiment. I don't think I'm being overly paranoid - I think that raising
children in such unnatural circumstances is bound to have far reaching
negative effects.
Deborah in IL
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
"List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
Visit the Unschooling website and message boards: http://www.unschooling.com
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnschoolingDiscussion/
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
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---------------------------------
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Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Brian and Kathy Stamp
It really makes no difference what grade levels are at a school anyways because from our experience the kids have lunches only with their grade. They are only allowed out to play supervised by their own classroom teacher. Portables are a normal place for many of them to spend their whole day. So except for the bus ride even if there are 6 grades in a school they have absolutly no time to intermingle. The schools are so overcrowded that they don't have assemblies anymore, they don't even have performances put on by the whole school. Instead each grade level will have some sort of performance through out the year put on in conjuction with a PTA meeting. So say in October all the grade one classes will put on a program for the parents at the PTA meeting. This way they ensure a good turn out to the PTA meeting, since most of the grade one parents will come to see their children. Sneaky or Opportunist?Hmm.lol..
This was the whole reason I took my kids out of school. The overcrowding and lack of any type of fun. Even before I knew anything about unschooling. We had left a very small neighbourhood K-8 school (400 kids whole school, still had hour lunches and 20 minute recesses twice a day) and came to an overcrowded school with 1000 students that are never allowed to socialize in any way.
Kathy
This was the whole reason I took my kids out of school. The overcrowding and lack of any type of fun. Even before I knew anything about unschooling. We had left a very small neighbourhood K-8 school (400 kids whole school, still had hour lunches and 20 minute recesses twice a day) and came to an overcrowded school with 1000 students that are never allowed to socialize in any way.
Kathy
----- Original Message -----
From: DACunefare@...
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2004 3:55 PM
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] age segregation
**It's new with huge schools where the kids are separated into "their own
grade" for them to be discouraged or even forbidden to play with kids who are
older or younger. In a one-room school, or even two or three room schools, mixed
age is "normal" and accepted as an asset and advantage. When kids aren't in
school, playing in mixed-age groups is seen as good and sensible. So the
"kids his own age" phenomenon and concern are VERY new, culturally speaking
(and I hope will be temporary).**
It's a phenomenon that shows every sign of becoming even more entrenched and
extreme, at least from where I'm observing it, in the heart of the midwest
sprawl.
More and more school districts are moving away from neighborhood schools
toward "grade centers" - buildings with a single grade level, or two grade levels.
It's becoming common for high schools to put all the ninth graders in a
building of their own across town from the main school. My local district is
putting up a new jr high building this year - current plans are to move all the 7th
and 8th graders in there next fall, and use the current building for 6th grade
only - 6th graders right now are in neighborhood schools with the 1st to 5th.
A neighboring district has extremely age segregated schools - Kindergarten in
one place, 1st and 2nd in one cluster of buildings, 3rd and 4th in another,
5th and 6th in yet another, 7th and 8th in a huge complex. These are huge
schools - buildings of over a thousand kids all within two years of age of each
other.
People look at me strangely when I describe these schools as a dangerous
social experiment. I don't think I'm being overly paranoid - I think that raising
children in such unnatural circumstances is bound to have far reaching
negative effects.
Deborah in IL
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
"List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
Visit the Unschooling website and message boards: http://www.unschooling.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
a.. To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnschoolingDiscussion/
b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[email protected]
c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 2/24/04 11:56:55 PM, DACunefare@... writes:
<< People look at me strangely when I describe these schools as a dangerous
social experiment. I don't think I'm being overly paranoid - I think that
raising
children in such unnatural circumstances is bound to have far reaching
negative effects. >>
I agree.
We can't roll back time or culture, though, and just have to ride the rapids
where they go.
Sandra
<< People look at me strangely when I describe these schools as a dangerous
social experiment. I don't think I'm being overly paranoid - I think that
raising
children in such unnatural circumstances is bound to have far reaching
negative effects. >>
I agree.
We can't roll back time or culture, though, and just have to ride the rapids
where they go.
Sandra
[email protected]
In a message dated 2/25/2004 1:45:06 AM Eastern Standard Time,
bstamp@... writes:
<<It really makes no difference what grade levels are at a school anyways
because from our experience the kids have lunches only with their grade.>>
My dd Emily's only school experience was 7th grade at the local Jr. High that
included 7th and 8th grade. Her primary reason for attending was that she
really wanted to see what school was like. She was 10 yo and 2 or 3 yrs.
younger than the other 7th graders. When I enrolled her, I filled out about 20
forms that all asked for her birthday. I also turned in a health form with her
age on it and a standarized test report with her age on it.
The day after we received her first quarter report card in the mail, I was
called in to a meeting with the principal and a guidance counselor. They told
me that they had just found out that Emily was 10 (they had made a chart of
their ages in science and the teacher had spread the news around to her other
teachers and some of them had expressed concerns that Em was only 10 to the
guidance counselor.)They made it sound like I had tried to keep it a secret! They
said that Em would have to immediately go to the 5th grade in another school
because the social environment in their school was inappropriate for a 10 yo.
I pointed out that Em's average was a 99, and she was highest on the honor
roll for the 7th grade, and she was taking 8th grade math and high school French
1. I also pointed out that Em had lots of friends, had never had any sort of
problem in school, and even looked older than many of the other students.
(Note no one had realized she was any younger than them until she pointed it out.)
They were still determined to have her immediately placed in the 5th grade,
which would have been devasting to her! After threatening a law suit based on
them providing an appropriate education for all students...including
appropriate academics...they let her stay. They did make me write a notarized letter
stating that I was keeping Em in that school against their best judgment and
that any problems caused by it were entirely my fault, lol!
What I though was funny was that if the school was socially inappropriate for
a 10yo, how could it be socially appropriate for a 12yo?
--Jacqueline
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
bstamp@... writes:
<<It really makes no difference what grade levels are at a school anyways
because from our experience the kids have lunches only with their grade.>>
My dd Emily's only school experience was 7th grade at the local Jr. High that
included 7th and 8th grade. Her primary reason for attending was that she
really wanted to see what school was like. She was 10 yo and 2 or 3 yrs.
younger than the other 7th graders. When I enrolled her, I filled out about 20
forms that all asked for her birthday. I also turned in a health form with her
age on it and a standarized test report with her age on it.
The day after we received her first quarter report card in the mail, I was
called in to a meeting with the principal and a guidance counselor. They told
me that they had just found out that Emily was 10 (they had made a chart of
their ages in science and the teacher had spread the news around to her other
teachers and some of them had expressed concerns that Em was only 10 to the
guidance counselor.)They made it sound like I had tried to keep it a secret! They
said that Em would have to immediately go to the 5th grade in another school
because the social environment in their school was inappropriate for a 10 yo.
I pointed out that Em's average was a 99, and she was highest on the honor
roll for the 7th grade, and she was taking 8th grade math and high school French
1. I also pointed out that Em had lots of friends, had never had any sort of
problem in school, and even looked older than many of the other students.
(Note no one had realized she was any younger than them until she pointed it out.)
They were still determined to have her immediately placed in the 5th grade,
which would have been devasting to her! After threatening a law suit based on
them providing an appropriate education for all students...including
appropriate academics...they let her stay. They did make me write a notarized letter
stating that I was keeping Em in that school against their best judgment and
that any problems caused by it were entirely my fault, lol!
What I though was funny was that if the school was socially inappropriate for
a 10yo, how could it be socially appropriate for a 12yo?
--Jacqueline
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Anita Bower
I recently ordered and read a book by an unschooling mom. The book is
called: "Homeschooling Reflections" by Connie Colten. It is worth
reading. One woman's journey in unschooling. You can learn more about the
book and order it at:
http://www.homeschoolingreflections.com/
Anita B
called: "Homeschooling Reflections" by Connie Colten. It is worth
reading. One woman's journey in unschooling. You can learn more about the
book and order it at:
http://www.homeschoolingreflections.com/
Anita B
[email protected]
In a message dated 2/25/2004 4:23:56 PM Mountain Standard Time,
ivorygrace7@... writes:
After threatening a law suit based on
them providing an appropriate education for all students...including
appropriate academics...they let her stay. They did make me write a
notarized letter
stating that I was keeping Em in that school against their best judgment and
that any problems caused by it were entirely my fault, lol!
===========
They're worried about sexuality.
Some (maybe most, maybe all) states have laws that don't allow for kids
failing more than two grades, or being moved ahead more than one. It's more
important that they're of similar age than that they're of similar academic
anything.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
ivorygrace7@... writes:
After threatening a law suit based on
them providing an appropriate education for all students...including
appropriate academics...they let her stay. They did make me write a
notarized letter
stating that I was keeping Em in that school against their best judgment and
that any problems caused by it were entirely my fault, lol!
===========
They're worried about sexuality.
Some (maybe most, maybe all) states have laws that don't allow for kids
failing more than two grades, or being moved ahead more than one. It's more
important that they're of similar age than that they're of similar academic
anything.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 2/25/2004 6:17:23 PM Central Standard Time,
homequaker@... writes:
families journey. I found much in common with Connie but maybe it is our ages and
stage of life. A good read anyhow.
Laura
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
homequaker@... writes:
> I recently ordered and read a book by an unschooling mom. The book isI enjoyed the book, to me it is not a how to book as much as it is one
> called: "Homeschooling Reflections" by Connie Colten. It is worth
> reading.
families journey. I found much in common with Connie but maybe it is our ages and
stage of life. A good read anyhow.
Laura
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Diane
Some of that's based on eligibility for sports, too. In some areas it's
been common practice to have boys "held back" several times so by the
time they're playing HS sports they're full-grown men, and therefore
team stars.
:-) Diane
been common practice to have boys "held back" several times so by the
time they're playing HS sports they're full-grown men, and therefore
team stars.
:-) Diane
>===========
>
>They're worried about sexuality.
>
>Some (maybe most, maybe all) states have laws that don't allow for kids
>failing more than two grades, or being moved ahead more than one. It's more
>important that they're of similar age than that they're of similar academic
>anything.
>
>Sandra
>