Comments on: My Answers to “Curious” http://freekeene.com/2010/06/07/my-answers-to-curious/ Peaceful Evolution Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:45:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: LSNL http://freekeene.com/2010/06/07/my-answers-to-curious/comment-page-1/#comment-88409 LSNL Tue, 08 Jun 2010 06:55:58 +0000 http://freekeene.com/?p=6309#comment-88409 Ian M., I would suggest to you that the greatest benefit you're likely going to get from government schools is the experience of surviving it, and enjoying time with friends. I believe government schools do more harm than good, so I am not one to suggest that it's better than nothing. On the other hand, if you're going to go, try not to take it too seriously, and enjoy the time you have with your friends. It won't be long before you & your friends will have little to no time to enjoy each others' company. If you're an academic type, and convinced that you're going to go to college, I'd suggest making that you're absolute priority. However, put some serious thought into whether or not college will be worth it, as many find that it was a shockingly serious waste of time, and money. I'd be willing to bet that once you're six months out of government school, you'll marvel at the abuse you tolerated while in school, and how you couldn't have known anything else just 6 months previous ( and hopefully you won't allow yourself to be treated like that again). Here are some links you might find valuable; Khan Acadeny: http://www.khanacademy.org./ John Taylor Gatto: Liberty Forum - "Open Source Education" http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2009/04/01/john-taylor-gatto-walkabout-london-an-unscientific-look-at-open-source-education/ "The Underground History of American Education" http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/chapters/index.htm Alliance for the Separation of School and State: Alan Schaeffer @ Liberty Forum: http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2009/03/14/alan-schaeffer-alliance-for-the-separation-of-school-and-state/ Website: http://www.schoolandstate.org/home.htm Some other links.. http://www.schoolsucksproject.com/ http://www.garynorth.com/public/department99.cfm http://unschooling.org/ http://werhumansbeing.com/ http://www.freedomofeducation.net/ http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/ http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm http://education-portal.com/articles/Universities_with_the_Best_Free_Online_Courses.html http://www.abeka.com/ http://lifehacker.com/software/technophilia/discover-the-edu-underground-307427.php http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z1buym2xUM&feature=player_embedded http://freetalklive.com/path_of_liberty http://www.garynorth.com/public/6135.cfm http://www.garynorth.com/public/6442.cfm There are many excellent free education resources on the net. Good luck! To the other Ian; I apologize if I wasn't suppose to ad all those links. I'll try and find the rules of the site as soon as I post this, and brush up. :) Ian M.,

I would suggest to you that the greatest benefit you’re likely going to get from government schools is the experience of surviving it, and enjoying time with friends. I believe government schools do more harm than good, so I am not one to suggest that it’s better than nothing. On the other hand, if you’re going to go, try not to take it too seriously, and enjoy the time you have with your friends. It won’t be long before you & your friends will have little to no time to enjoy each others’ company. If you’re an academic type, and convinced that you’re going to go to college, I’d suggest making that you’re absolute priority. However, put some serious thought into whether or not college will be worth it, as many find that it was a shockingly serious waste of time, and money.

I’d be willing to bet that once you’re six months out of government school, you’ll marvel at the abuse you tolerated while in school, and how you couldn’t have known anything else just 6 months previous ( and hopefully you won’t allow yourself to be treated like that again).

Here are some links you might find valuable;

Khan Acadeny: http://www.khanacademy.org./

John Taylor Gatto:
Liberty Forum – “Open Source Education” http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2009/04/01/john-taylor-gatto-walkabout-london-an-unscientific-look-at-open-source-education/
“The Underground History of American Education” http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/chapters/index.htm

Alliance for the Separation of School and State: Alan Schaeffer @ Liberty Forum: http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2009/03/14/alan-schaeffer-alliance-for-the-separation-of-school-and-state/
Website: http://www.schoolandstate.org/home.htm

Some other links..
http://www.schoolsucksproject.com/
http://www.garynorth.com/public/department99.cfm
http://unschooling.org/
http://werhumansbeing.com/
http://www.freedomofeducation.net/
http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm
http://education-portal.com/articles/Universities_with_the_Best_Free_Online_Courses.html
http://www.abeka.com/
http://lifehacker.com/software/technophilia/discover-the-edu-underground-307427.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z1buym2xUM&feature=player_embedded
http://freetalklive.com/path_of_liberty
http://www.garynorth.com/public/6135.cfm
http://www.garynorth.com/public/6442.cfm

There are many excellent free education resources on the net. Good luck!

To the other Ian; I apologize if I wasn’t suppose to ad all those links. I’ll try and find the rules of the site as soon as I post this, and brush up. :)

]]> By: Abbie http://freekeene.com/2010/06/07/my-answers-to-curious/comment-page-1/#comment-88406 Abbie Tue, 08 Jun 2010 04:17:11 +0000 http://freekeene.com/?p=6309#comment-88406 ian m, tried video school? its kinda cheap. ian m, tried video school? its kinda cheap.

]]> By: gibson042 http://freekeene.com/2010/06/07/my-answers-to-curious/comment-page-1/#comment-88403 gibson042 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 02:27:56 +0000 http://freekeene.com/?p=6309#comment-88403 Kudos to Ian for these incredibly articulate and reasonable responses. I hope Curious is willing to engage in an ongoing dialogue. Kudos to Ian for these incredibly articulate and reasonable responses. I hope Curious is willing to engage in an ongoing dialogue.

]]> By: xrazorwirex http://freekeene.com/2010/06/07/my-answers-to-curious/comment-page-1/#comment-88402 xrazorwirex Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:47:20 +0000 http://freekeene.com/?p=6309#comment-88402 When I was in highschool I spent my free time (and some class time; we convinced the school to offer networking classes) learning about careers I was interested in. I downloaded torrents of information on electronics and by the time I was a senior the teacher used my tests as the key in physics class during the electronics quarter. This gave me a huge edge when it came time to start my career and I would probably still be unemployed if I hadn't have taken initiative and learned what I needed to learn on my own. Figure out what you're good at and want to do and spend as much time as possible learning about it (and doing it, if possible). School will be over in no time and you can forget about all the days you wasted in a hot room learning how to spell 5+14 in spanish. When I was in highschool I spent my free time (and some class time; we convinced the school to offer networking classes) learning about careers I was interested in. I downloaded torrents of information on electronics and by the time I was a senior the teacher used my tests as the key in physics class during the electronics quarter.

This gave me a huge edge when it came time to start my career and I would probably still be unemployed if I hadn’t have taken initiative and learned what I needed to learn on my own.

Figure out what you’re good at and want to do and spend as much time as possible learning about it (and doing it, if possible). School will be over in no time and you can forget about all the days you wasted in a hot room learning how to spell 5+14 in spanish.

]]> By: Pat http://freekeene.com/2010/06/07/my-answers-to-curious/comment-page-1/#comment-88401 Pat Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:06:37 +0000 http://freekeene.com/?p=6309#comment-88401 Ian, you are a master. Ian, you are a master.

]]> By: bil http://freekeene.com/2010/06/07/my-answers-to-curious/comment-page-1/#comment-88400 bil Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:19:34 +0000 http://freekeene.com/?p=6309#comment-88400 Ian M.-since you are stuck in a government school,perhaps you could use the time wisely and learn something useful.Not a wise remark,I will tell you the useful thing.Learn how to learn,it is the most important thing you can do.It will stay with you forever.Learn how to take notes,how to find information that interests you,and how to follow it on various tangents.Most people never really learn how to learn about something,and the resources that are availlable. When you get this figured out,a whole new world will open up.The blinders will be removed from your eyes,and you can see things from all points of view,not just the ones that you are 'officially' supposed to learn without questioning.I was also bored in school,and barely graduated.Yet I took the time to get an education on my own,learning not what someone else thought was important,but what I thought was important and interesting.My jobs have taken me to many wonderful places,and many people don't believe me when I tell them I didn't go to college,I barely got out of high school.The best part is that you learn more if you are interested,and sometimes even learn what they wanted you to,by accident.But you have the advantage of seeing it from both sides,and learning WHY something is so,not just that it is.It will get you far.Good luck. ---bil Ian M.-since you are stuck in a government school,perhaps you could use the time wisely and learn something useful.Not a wise remark,I will tell you the useful thing.Learn how to learn,it is the most important thing you can do.It will stay with you forever.Learn how to take notes,how to find information that interests you,and how to follow it on various tangents.Most people never really learn how to learn about something,and the resources that are availlable.
When you get this figured out,a whole new world will open up.The blinders will be removed from your eyes,and you can see things from all points of view,not just the ones that you are ‘officially’ supposed to learn without questioning.I was also bored in school,and barely graduated.Yet I took the time to get an education on my own,learning not what someone else thought was important,but what I thought was important and interesting.My jobs have taken me to many wonderful places,and many people don’t believe me when I tell them I didn’t go to college,I barely got out of high school.The best part is that you learn more if you are interested,and sometimes even learn what they wanted you to,by accident.But you have the advantage of seeing it from both sides,and learning WHY something is so,not just that it is.It will get you far.Good luck. —bil

]]> By: Ian M. http://freekeene.com/2010/06/07/my-answers-to-curious/comment-page-1/#comment-88399 Ian M. Mon, 07 Jun 2010 23:48:27 +0000 http://freekeene.com/?p=6309#comment-88399 I would love to get homeschooled but my parents don't have the time for it. As of now I make do with what I have and try to keep positive thoughts going. There must be other teens out there that have the same thoughts as me, we just need to find them. I would love to get homeschooled but my parents don’t have the time for it. As of now I make do with what I have and try to keep positive thoughts going. There must be other teens out there that have the same thoughts as me, we just need to find them.

]]> By: Paul http://freekeene.com/2010/06/07/my-answers-to-curious/comment-page-1/#comment-88398 Paul Mon, 07 Jun 2010 23:34:25 +0000 http://freekeene.com/?p=6309#comment-88398 Ian, if possible, do what I did: ask your folks to try homeschooling. My reasons were very similar to yours -- I was bored to tears in math and science because it was too easy, and bored to tears in other subjects because I had little interest. One sized fits all solutions, and teaching to the average, shortchanges students. Ian, if possible, do what I did: ask your folks to try homeschooling. My reasons were very similar to yours — I was bored to tears in math and science because it was too easy, and bored to tears in other subjects because I had little interest. One sized fits all solutions, and teaching to the average, shortchanges students.

]]> By: Ian M. http://freekeene.com/2010/06/07/my-answers-to-curious/comment-page-1/#comment-88397 Ian M. Mon, 07 Jun 2010 22:49:18 +0000 http://freekeene.com/?p=6309#comment-88397 As a high school student it sucks being forced to go to government run school. I simply do not have the option to go to a private school or be taught at home. In school we are forced to learn by these strict policies that tell us what we HAVE to learn with in a certain amount of time. The teachers that teach us force new material upon us when we might not be ready for it. If I were to be home schooled I could learn twice the amount of stuff than I am learning now. Being in government run high school has made me so furious. The teachers tell me that I MUST learn something, but really I only need to learn this to break into the government's education system. As people of America we are throwing are money away at a lost cause. Funding should go towards private schools to make it more affordable. This lost cause can be compared to an ongoing failure known as the War on Drugs. Every day citizens are losing there money to this useless war, same thing is happening with people being forced to pay their taxes, most of which go to government schools. I could rant on for hours or days on similar topics to these but I will end here. -Ian M. As a high school student it sucks being forced to go to government run school. I simply do not have the option to go to a private school or be taught at home. In school we are forced to learn by these strict policies that tell us what we HAVE to learn with in a certain amount of time. The teachers that teach us force new material upon us when we might not be ready for it. If I were to be home schooled I could learn twice the amount of stuff than I am learning now.

Being in government run high school has made me so furious. The teachers tell me that I MUST learn something, but really I only need to learn this to break into the government’s education system. As people of America we are throwing are money away at a lost cause. Funding should go towards private schools to make it more affordable. This lost cause can be compared to an ongoing failure known as the War on Drugs. Every day citizens are losing there money to this useless war, same thing is happening with people being forced to pay their taxes, most of which go to government schools. I could rant on for hours or days on similar topics to these but I will end here.

-Ian M.

]]> By: Paul http://freekeene.com/2010/06/07/my-answers-to-curious/comment-page-1/#comment-88391 Paul Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:55:24 +0000 http://freekeene.com/?p=6309#comment-88391 I think it's worth noting that while ostracism is appropriate for behaviors one merely finds distasteful, defensive force is justified in response to violence against persons or property -- like rape or molestation (or theft, assault, murder, etc). In these cases, the perpetrator should be made to make fair restitution to the victim(s), and if the perpetrator is a continuing imminent threat to others, he/she may need to work to do so in a secure environment. While ostracism is an important tool, it is inadequate to respond to violent -- perhaps even psychopathic individuals. Defensive force to stop an attack is justified, as well as to obtain fair restitution. That's my view anyhow :) ... I think it's fairly well accepted. I think it’s worth noting that while ostracism is appropriate for behaviors one merely finds distasteful, defensive force is justified in response to violence against persons or property — like rape or molestation (or theft, assault, murder, etc). In these cases, the perpetrator should be made to make fair restitution to the victim(s), and if the perpetrator is a continuing imminent threat to others, he/she may need to work to do so in a secure environment.

While ostracism is an important tool, it is inadequate to respond to violent — perhaps even psychopathic individuals. Defensive force to stop an attack is justified, as well as to obtain fair restitution.

That’s my view anyhow :) … I think it’s fairly well accepted.

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