Thank-you for VG feedback
Michele Sears
Joyce, Pam L, Sandra, and Julie,
Thank-you for taking the time to give some feedback regarding VG use with
my 6yo son. Not micromanaging his time has been a huge shift for me, and
there is no one in my life who is doing this, so I appreciate any feedback I
can get to help me get through this change. I particularly appreciate
suggestions about how I can be involved even if I'm not right there:
bringing snacks, moving his console upstairs, talking with him about it,
finding him magazines, etc.etc.etc. - I really get a feel for how this
looks/feels and can focus my efforts constructively to do these things.
Your feedback also really met my need for reassurance that how he is
choosing to spend his time is most certainly in line with my beliefs of not
wanting to make decisions for him. As I mentioned, it is just such a
radical shift, some perspective from you is very helpful. I also
appreciated, Sandra, your comment that VG research has often been measured
by school success (you didn't say that specifically, but that is what I
understood - is that a correct statement?) - this helps tremendously as I
shelve all the books I've read regarding this issue - I feel that I can shut
the door without looking back if that's true.
Anyways, this is a very active list - it's hard to keep up with the
volume! Thank-you again,
Michele
Thank-you for taking the time to give some feedback regarding VG use with
my 6yo son. Not micromanaging his time has been a huge shift for me, and
there is no one in my life who is doing this, so I appreciate any feedback I
can get to help me get through this change. I particularly appreciate
suggestions about how I can be involved even if I'm not right there:
bringing snacks, moving his console upstairs, talking with him about it,
finding him magazines, etc.etc.etc. - I really get a feel for how this
looks/feels and can focus my efforts constructively to do these things.
Your feedback also really met my need for reassurance that how he is
choosing to spend his time is most certainly in line with my beliefs of not
wanting to make decisions for him. As I mentioned, it is just such a
radical shift, some perspective from you is very helpful. I also
appreciated, Sandra, your comment that VG research has often been measured
by school success (you didn't say that specifically, but that is what I
understood - is that a correct statement?) - this helps tremendously as I
shelve all the books I've read regarding this issue - I feel that I can shut
the door without looking back if that's true.
Anyways, this is a very active list - it's hard to keep up with the
volume! Thank-you again,
Michele
[email protected]
In a message dated 5/23/04 7:30:11 PM, brewstersears@... writes:
<< I also
appreciated, Sandra, your comment that VG research has often been measured
by school success (you didn't say that specifically, but that is what I
understood - is that a correct statement?) >>
Almost everything in our culture has been measured by school success.
The "tests" (such as they are) involve schoolkids, and the considerations are
"how will this affect their lives"? Attention span, time with family,
willingness to go to bed in time to get up for school, mood when they're made to
stop...
None of those are issues with unschoolers, but researchers don't care about
that.
The proofs that this culture wants have to do with schoolkids. We just have
to look at all that through our own new lenses.
Sandra
<< I also
appreciated, Sandra, your comment that VG research has often been measured
by school success (you didn't say that specifically, but that is what I
understood - is that a correct statement?) >>
Almost everything in our culture has been measured by school success.
The "tests" (such as they are) involve schoolkids, and the considerations are
"how will this affect their lives"? Attention span, time with family,
willingness to go to bed in time to get up for school, mood when they're made to
stop...
None of those are issues with unschoolers, but researchers don't care about
that.
The proofs that this culture wants have to do with schoolkids. We just have
to look at all that through our own new lenses.
Sandra
[email protected]
Two things I forgot.
Just in case it didn't come into that exchange, there is a collection of
video game information, testimony and links here:
http://sandradodd.com/games/page
And another thing. The subject line "Thank-you for VG feedback" made me
think "very good feedback," not video game feedback. And that reminds me of my
sister's report cards in the late 60's, when the schools decided that letter
grades were harmful and not very informative. So they "did away with" letter
grades and percentages, and moved to an evaluative system. there were still
reports, but they were a long page of specifics, rather than six or eight subject
areas. And the marks weren't A B C D F
they were:
E VG G NI and U
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Needs Improvement
Unsatisfactory
Excellent was very sparingly given. It was a kind of "best in class" award.
VG covered A and high B. G was low B, high C. NI was "below average, but
tried some" (low C and D) and U was the old F.
Just goes to show I'll never live long enough to completely recover from
school.
Sandra
Just in case it didn't come into that exchange, there is a collection of
video game information, testimony and links here:
http://sandradodd.com/games/page
And another thing. The subject line "Thank-you for VG feedback" made me
think "very good feedback," not video game feedback. And that reminds me of my
sister's report cards in the late 60's, when the schools decided that letter
grades were harmful and not very informative. So they "did away with" letter
grades and percentages, and moved to an evaluative system. there were still
reports, but they were a long page of specifics, rather than six or eight subject
areas. And the marks weren't A B C D F
they were:
E VG G NI and U
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Needs Improvement
Unsatisfactory
Excellent was very sparingly given. It was a kind of "best in class" award.
VG covered A and high B. G was low B, high C. NI was "below average, but
tried some" (low C and D) and U was the old F.
Just goes to show I'll never live long enough to completely recover from
school.
Sandra