Non-Traditional Education?

cara · 01-08-2010, 02:25 PM

I'm curious about everyone's childhood education. Were you educated in a non-traditional school like a montessori or a Waldorf School? Were you home schooled? What was it like for you? How did the experience help/hinder you in later years?

I'll start: My parents enrolled me in a montessori pre-school and day care for a few years before I started kindergarten in a non-traditional grade school program. In grade school, we had very small class sizes and called our teachers by their first names. Our parents were required to help out in the classroom many hours each year. We were not graded and rarely had homework. Field trips were monthly occurances and we spent hours each day playing and creating artwork and learning on our own terms and at our own pace. Often, classrooms had more than 1 grade level. For instance, I had the same teacher for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. In addition to frequently tutoring younger students, we also mentored differently abled students in a program called "Share & Care," since our school was next door to the district's special education program. I had to take three different shuttle buses to school and spent nearly three hours each day getting to/from school. Thankfully, there was a number of other kids in my neighborhood who also participated in the program. We would sit together and defend each other when the other kids would start picking on us for being different.

It's safe to say the transition from grade school to a traditional, public junior high school was not easy. The kids I previously spent seven years with were in different schools all over the district or in private schools. I was smart and did well academically so homework was still a rareity for me. However, I was not used to such big class sizes and rigid rules and structure, including bells between classes and the most dreaded class of all--gym class. Socially, I was a bit awkward, but who isn't during at that stage of life?

So, that's a little about my experience. How about yours?

Corkey · 01-09-2010, 04:12 PM

I'm so old none of these programs were available. I started kindergarden at 4 1/2, got all my points to graduate college prep at 16, stuck around for one more year to play sports, graduated with my class and went to college while in the AF.
I can honestly say I never wanted for an education, it was there for me, I did as well as I possibly could, and continue to learn something new every day.
Public school, K-12

Crone · 01-10-2010, 12:43 AM

I think that not everyone is a cookie cutter. So alternative education programs are great!

Crone

cara · 01-10-2010, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crone

I think that not everyone is a cookie cutter. So alternative education programs are great!

Crone

I 100% agree!

cara · 01-10-2010, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corkey

I'm so old none of these programs were available. I started kindergarden at 4 1/2, got all my points to graduate college prep at 16, stuck around for one more year to play sports, graduated with my class and went to college while in the AF.
I can honestly say I never wanted for an education, it was there for me, I did as well as I possibly could, and continue to learn something new every day.
Public school, K-12

I like this. Life just wouldn't be the same if we didn't learn something new every day.

Selenay · 01-10-2010, 03:01 AM

What is "traditional" education?

A public school in the neighborhood?

A public school outside of the neighborhood?

A public school with selective admissions?

Toughy · 01-10-2010, 09:46 AM

I was born in 1952...........there were no 'alternative education' programs. It was public school and in my home town that was the only game in town.

I really had no idea private school existed until I was in the 9th grade and one of my best friends got pregnant and was shipped of to a private boarding school in Phoenix.

MsDemeanor · 01-10-2010, 11:47 AM

The military moved us all the time and always mid-school year, so I was in a new school many Februarys and then sometimes changed schools again in September (going from 6th to 7th grade for example) and sometimes they were civilian schools and sometimes they were on-base schools. In total, I went to 11 different schools between K and 9 and one high school. Does that fall under "traditional" or "non-traditional"?

BornBronson · 02-21-2010, 03:18 PM

If traditional schooling means staying in one city,town,ect,until you graduated from high school.Then no,mine was very non-traditional.

Btw,I believe in home schooling is the best form of education.

I mean,just look how I turned out.

What?

Words · 02-21-2010, 03:54 PM

Two of my three kids spent about two years in a Waldorf School. From a social point of view, it was wonderful. Academically? A disaster. Perhaps if they'd been there from the get go, but they hadn't, they'd been in mainstream education so as far as they were concerned, going to a Waldorf school was like one big extended holiday. (Let's face it, how many kids would choose to do homework if they knew there was no 'punishment' for not doing it?)

So, did I do the right thing in sending them there? I think so, if for no other reason - they were the only Palestinian kids in what, until then, had been a school for Israeli kids - than it allowed them to form their own opinions about Israelis and to appreciate that not all Israelis are the enemy. BUT, I do feel - and I think the guilt surrounding this will stay with me forever - that from an academic educational point of view (rather than a 'life' educational point of view) I did them a huge disservice.

*Sigh.* Yet one more thing to feel guilty about. Ugh.

Words

View Poll Results: If your elementary/grade school education was US-based, did you attend a:
traditional/public school	27	77.14%
traditional private school	5	14.29%
non-traditional school/program	3	8.57%
home school program	0	0%
other	0	0%
Voters: 35. You may not vote on this poll

01-08-2010, 02:25 PM	#1
cara Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Queer/lesbian femme Preferred Pronoun?: She/her Relationship Status: Married to my love 08.15.15 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Snohomish County, Washington State Posts: 3,401 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 11,994 Thanked 13,254 Times in 2,724 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	Non-Traditional Education? I'm curious about everyone's childhood education. Were you educated in a non-traditional school like a montessori or a Waldorf School? Were you home schooled? What was it like for you? How did the experience help/hinder you in later years? I'll start: My parents enrolled me in a montessori pre-school and day care for a few years before I started kindergarten in a non-traditional grade school program. In grade school, we had very small class sizes and called our teachers by their first names. Our parents were required to help out in the classroom many hours each year. We were not graded and rarely had homework. Field trips were monthly occurances and we spent hours each day playing and creating artwork and learning on our own terms and at our own pace. Often, classrooms had more than 1 grade level. For instance, I had the same teacher for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. In addition to frequently tutoring younger students, we also mentored differently abled students in a program called "Share & Care," since our school was next door to the district's special education program. I had to take three different shuttle buses to school and spent nearly three hours each day getting to/from school. Thankfully, there was a number of other kids in my neighborhood who also participated in the program. We would sit together and defend each other when the other kids would start picking on us for being different. It's safe to say the transition from grade school to a traditional, public junior high school was not easy. The kids I previously spent seven years with were in different schools all over the district or in private schools. I was smart and did well academically so homework was still a rareity for me. However, I was not used to such big class sizes and rigid rules and structure, including bells between classes and the most dreaded class of all--gym class. Socially, I was a bit awkward, but who isn't during at that stage of life? So, that's a little about my experience. How about yours?

01-09-2010, 04:12 PM	#2
Corkey Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Human Preferred Pronoun?: He Relationship Status: Very Married Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Where I want to be Posts: 8,155 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 47,491 Thanked 29,299 Times in 6,640 Posts Rep Power: 21474859	I'm so old none of these programs were available. I started kindergarden at 4 1/2, got all my points to graduate college prep at 16, stuck around for one more year to play sports, graduated with my class and went to college while in the AF. I can honestly say I never wanted for an education, it was there for me, I did as well as I possibly could, and continue to learn something new every day. Public school, K-12 __________________ "Many proposals have been made to us to adopt your laws, your religion, your manners and your customs. We would be better pleased with beholding the good effects of these doctrines in your own practices, than with hearing you talk about them". ~Old Tassel, Chief of the Tsalagi (Cherokee)

01-10-2010, 03:01 AM	#6
Selenay Member How Do You Identify?: A soul for a compass and a heart for a pair of wings. Preferred Pronoun?: All I ask of living is to have no chains on me. Relationship Status: All I own are the strides I spend to the finish line. Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Somewhere in between here and gone. Posts: 662 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 110 Thanked 1,450 Times in 370 Posts Rep Power: 6344714	What is "traditional" education? A public school in the neighborhood? A public school outside of the neighborhood? A public school with selective admissions? __________________ Two or three things I know for sure, And one is that I would rather go naked Than wear the coat the world has made for me.

01-10-2010, 09:46 AM	#7
Toughy Senior Member How Do You Identify?: pervert butch feminist woman Preferred Pronoun?: see above Relationship Status: independent entity Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Oakland Posts: 1,826 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 4,068 Thanked 7,656 Times in 1,522 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	I was born in 1952...........there were no 'alternative education' programs. It was public school and in my home town that was the only game in town. I really had no idea private school existed until I was in the 9th grade and one of my best friends got pregnant and was shipped of to a private boarding school in Phoenix. __________________ We are everywhere We are different I do not care if resistance is futile I will not assimilate www.butchfemmesocials.com/

01-10-2010, 12:43 AM	#3
Crone Junior Member How Do You Identify?: Lesbian Preferred Pronoun?: Yours, Mine, Ours? Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: USA Posts: 8 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts Rep Power: 0	I think that not everyone is a cookie cutter. So alternative education programs are great! Crone

01-10-2010, 11:47 AM	#8
MsDemeanor Member How Do You Identify?: queer stone femme Relationship Status: Happily married to MisterMeanor, the man of my dreams Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 703 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 165 Thanked 1,849 Times in 510 Posts Rep Power: 2698179	The military moved us all the time and always mid-school year, so I was in a new school many Februarys and then sometimes changed schools again in September (going from 6th to 7th grade for example) and sometimes they were civilian schools and sometimes they were on-base schools. In total, I went to 11 different schools between K and 9 and one high school. Does that fall under "traditional" or "non-traditional"? __________________ artisan jewelry jewelry gallery

02-21-2010, 03:18 PM	#9
BornBronson Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Permanently banned 7/2010 Preferred Pronoun?: Straight Butch Woman Relationship Status: Nice Tie Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: In Love Posts: 177 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 24 Thanked 139 Times in 82 Posts Rep Power: 0	If traditional schooling means staying in one city,town,ect,until you graduated from high school.Then no,mine was very non-traditional. Btw,I believe in home schooling is the best form of education. I mean,just look how I turned out. What?

02-21-2010, 03:54 PM	#10
Words Member How Do You Identify?: Queer femme submissive Relationship Status: Married Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Posts: 969 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,449 Thanked 4,261 Times in 677 Posts Rep Power: 21474851	Two of my three kids spent about two years in a Waldorf School. From a social point of view, it was wonderful. Academically? A disaster. Perhaps if they'd been there from the get go, but they hadn't, they'd been in mainstream education so as far as they were concerned, going to a Waldorf school was like one big extended holiday. (Let's face it, how many kids would choose to do homework if they knew there was no 'punishment' for not doing it?) So, did I do the right thing in sending them there? I think so, if for no other reason - they were the only Palestinian kids in what, until then, had been a school for Israeli kids - than it allowed them to form their own opinions about Israelis and to appreciate that not all Israelis are the enemy. BUT, I do feel - and I think the guilt surrounding this will stay with me forever - that from an academic educational point of view (rather than a 'life' educational point of view) I did them a huge disservice. Sigh. Yet one more thing to feel guilty about. Ugh. Words