Loving Education and Strict Education posted by Ben

There is a strong element in American conservatism that believes that the best way to work with children is to teach them independence, self-control, and a strong work ethic.

I don't have any problem with those values.

However, I do take issue with how some attempt to instill them.

For example, refusing to hold a crying baby on the grounds that it would condition the poor thing to expect comfort when it's upset seems like absolute lunacy. Or more apropos of today's topic, making second graders sit still for seven hours straight, immediately punishing speaking up or loss of concentration, and insisting that seven-year-olds act like tiny adults, can be downright criminal.

I spent the last two days as a substitute at a charter school in Columbus. I couldn't help comparing it to the Montessori school where my wife used to work. Let's see if we can tell the difference between the two.

School A: Kindly teach children to keep their toys and possessions on a mat.
School B: Put school papers (no toys allowed) in hard metal desks

School A: When a student misbehaves, send him or her to timeout. Bring the student back when the temper fit has passed.
School B: Teach the students to tell on other's bad behavior to get out of trouble. Yell at the class at the top of your lungs every five minutes. (That's what I heard from the other classrooms all day long.) Punish everybody.

School A: If a child needs to go to the bathroom, let him or her go.
School B: If a child needs to go to the bathroom, make all of the children wait for a few hours after they arrive before even considering a trip, then have them line up, cross their arms, puff out their cheeks, and march to the bathroom for a carefully monitored trip.

School A: Leave plenty of time in the day for the children to run around outside in a safe, healthy environment.
School B: Surround the school by concrete and a chain link fence. Offer fifteen minutes of recess once or twice a week for structured 'play time'. Take away recess if they misbehave.

School A: Treat the children with respect and teach them to respect and listen to their teachers.
School B: Treat the children like miniature terrorists and teach them to fear their teachers.

Which school do you think has well-behaved children who know how to listen, enjoy working, get along well with each other, and love coming to school?

Which school has miserable children who hate coming to school, don't want to learn, and are so rowdy that the teacher has no time for individual or remedial instruction?

Exactly.

Bonus Question: Which school has fewer discipline problems? Remember, one of these schools based its entire philosophy of education on making sure that children were strictly disciplined. Ten extra points if you can see the sad irony.