School pupils in all publicly-supported schools should have the opportunity to spend a half-year at the primary level and a full year at the secondary level in an individually-tailored and largely self-constructed course of studies based on each pupil's personal abilities and interests. The process of designing this 'special studies' course, with the help of teachers, would be part of the preceding school year's curriculum.
Pupils in such courses would choose a few courses from the school's basic curriculum, particularly those subjects relevant to his or her main study areas, and for the rest would develop a timetable of self-chosen reading, and self-planned craft, artistic, shop, laboratory, computer, research, hobby, domestic, athletic, performance, entrepreneurial, community-service and other activities and pursuits.
Each pupil would select in advance - or be selected by - one (or two or three) of the school's teachers with skills in the appropriate areas to act as mentors. Community participation also would be essential, with pupils calling for assistance from experts in the community.
- Each child would be stimulated to think in advance about his or her own most distinct personal abilities, assets, interests and fascinations - and to plan ahead for a project or set of projects.
- This would lead to a greater sense of personal responsibility for how their lives develop and, hopefully, to a sense of personal uniqueness and self-esteem.
- It provides more diverse opportunities for every child to succeed and an incentive to marginal or alienated pupils not to drop out; it might lead to a reduced youth crime rate. Secondary-level drop-outs would receive an invitation to return to school to plan and then pursue their 'special year.'
- It will help turn out new graduates who have a wider range of proven capabilities and interests.
Ed: Such courses could incorporate elements of group work so as to provide experience of working in a team, and for mutual support, particularly at the primary level. A gentle way to try the idea out is for more schools at slack points in the curriculum to encourage pupils to spend a mere week or fortnight on a project of their own devising.
- Gregory Wright, 14161 Riverside Drive #3, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, USA (tel 818 784 0325).
- Eunice Hinds, Director, The College for Independent Study, 20 West Street, Oxford OX2 OBQ (fax 0277 231838).