Harold,

Our sons had more than a few good teachers but all too often their influence and creative juices were stifled by excessive and inappropriate curriculum requirements. I feel empathy for those well-meaning teachers who have their enthusiasm snuffed out by the system and the powers that be.

Yes, we encountered some bad apples and I still wish I could hold them accountable. But life goes on...

Our children were very fortunate, in that they always had at least one parent at home and that we were both equipped to assist them with their education. This is not the norm. We also have very bright, well-behaved and self-directed, motivated kids.

I haven't followed the links in your blog and I will. I just want to make the case for kids who maybe don't have the tools and opportunities ours do and maybe don't have the unconditional support ours do. They may need more encadrement , more structure. This need not limit learning but it may require a more imposed structure. Self-directed learning is wonderful in theory but some kids couldn't do it without direction, some never will.

I don't think that our points of view are mutually exclusive.

andrea