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Topic:
Re: Math, self-esteem, and multi-cultural approaches (Was: Re: , International mathematics and science scores (U.S. 4th graders second in world)
Replies:
45
Last Post:
Mar 11, 1998 9:24 AM
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Re: Evidence that ability-grouping works?
Posted:
Jul 21, 1997 2:16 PM
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Herman Rubin wrote:
>
> In article <Pine.OSF.3.95.970720100522.24898E-100000@amon.reed.edu>,
> Michael Ames Connor <mconnor@reed.edu> wrote:
Nothing could be further from the
> case, but this was straightforward intellectual Marxism. ...
>
> "The children who know how to think for themselves, spoil the harmony
> of the collective society that is coming, where everyone (would be)
> interdependent." 1899
>
> "Independent self-reliant people (would be) a counterproductive anachronism
> in the collective society of the future [...] (where) people will be
> defined by their associations." 1896
>
> -- John Dewey, educational philosopher, proponent of modern public schools.
>
> This quote is quite compatible with lowest common denominator, etc.
1) collective is not marxist
2) the statement on its face has nothing to do with ability grouping
3) It has nothing to do with lowest common denominator.
You have to put this discussion into context. Most of the claims in
this discussion have not been in favor of individualism, but raising the
common denominator presumably by excluding the weak and stressing the
strong to improve their performance. demanding extremely high rigorous
performance hardly encourages individualism cf, the Japanese. Many
armies faced the same problem, how do you merge the greek hoplite
individual hero with the roman collective legionary killing machine? Or
in modern terms, when do the benefits of standardization and uniformity
outweigh the advantages of individualism?
Vince
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