Silicon Valley is kicking it old school.
(Photo by Caitlyn Willows)
Scorners of digital-learning initiatives have found a few powerful and unlikely allies. At the Waldorf School of the Peninsula, set deep in the heart of Silicon Valley, children of higher-ups from Google, Apple, and eBay learn through creative, hands-on tasks. There is not one computer or smartboard or tablet to be found. And School of the Peninsula isn’t alone in its methods; nationwide, there are over 160 Waldorf schools (most but not all of them private). While digital instruction surely works for some, others find comfort and success in a more holistic and physically engaging classroom. To which Gadfly says: Great! We’d never think to ask all parents to ascribe to the same religion, sign their children up for the same extracurricular activities, or feed them like meals. Prescribing one educational model for all families would be equally as foolish. Different strokes…
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“A Silicon Valley School That Doesn’t Compute,” by Matt Ritchel, New York Times, October 22, 2011. |