I have always loved learning. Before first grade I was trying to figure out algebra on my own. It just happened to be in the back section of a math workbook my grandmother had us using at home.

To this day I want to keep learning. I strive to put whatever knowledge I can into my skull. I do it because it is still fun to learn.

This may shock some but, I dropped out in the 12th grade. I've been pretty much in steel toe boots ever since. Four years after becoming a quitter, I walked into VC and took the GED. They wanted me to study a small stack of books but I refused and just took it cold turkey style. Passing it made me feel good and the 99 I got on the science section made me feel even better. The lady overseeing the test offered to put in a word for me where her son worked, NASA. I didn't have the means to get to Houston though.

I think we should maintain as many forms of education as poosible for the time being. Eventually the students themselves will show all establishments how to proceed. (or rather, the students have things to teach that all forms of education will need to learn.)

Your not lazy my friend. You are resourceful! There is a lot of info out there and we owe it to ourselves to learn as much as we can from as diverse sources as we can.

If I were in your class I'd be the one with my hand up all the time going "Ooo!, Ooo!, Ooo!"

Education should be based on mental development, not physical. I have a nephew who I was teaching algebra too, before he even went to 1st grade. Mathematics does not require much in the way of language skills, just the capacity to reason and communicate.

He could've graduated when he was 10, but his mother held him back because of his size; he's short. He was allowed to attend UT during the summer before his junior year, but she did not have money to send him. I'm sure that he is not alone, The children of these generations is not like previous ones.

I used the computer, and my own genuis in its application to accelerate his learning. This is happening through the world on laptops and iphones, everyday. I seriously doubt that many are applying technology to such young ages, as intense as have; but technology is accelerating the learning curve.

Most adult's have no idea, how far advance young peoples learning ability has been affected; traditional learing structures have become a barrier to learning.

There is coming a time when young people will be decades ahead of their parents, in real-time. We must be supportive in allowing this to happen. The internet is just knowledge, useless unless you know how to apply it. Applications like twitter, facilitating the creation of ideas on applying that knowledge will eventually create a upper class of student.

The more ideas, students have on how that knowledge can be used the further ahead they will be. They will also begin to learn how to learn as others have figured out how too.

In a nutshell becca, I support your posting; and am seeing the development of education, at least online, through people embedding their reasoning abilities in others, through the exchange of ideas.

Are we pondering how a child grows to be a responsible adult? If so, I'm thinking it's not by 13 years of schooling or we would have more responsible adults.

I like the "want to" idea but there are many people who need that structured pattern in their life to do what they need to do. Me, somethings yes, some no.

In my younger days I cannot remember much of a time when I WANTED to be in school. We got out of school before Memorial Day and did not go back until after Labor Day, and I did not want to go back. But I did not skip school. More of a type of upbringing than did not want to. Going was the right thing to do.

I wanted to learn, my dad was a mechanic type back when you could work on things, and I was all oiled up when we had the money to fix stuff. Tore down my first car engine when I was in the 7th grade. We had little money, the car engine was gone and dad had the flu, someone had to do it. One of the best mechanical learning experience. I would take apart toys and fix them.

Catching animals (was not the hunter back then), insects, etc. I was messing with all kind of stuff. My dad's kin said I was just like him. But put me in the class room with all the technical biology, deep science,..not me.

Even history with me in school was the most BORING class I had. I actually flunked my American History class in high school, because I was bored and really didn't care to be there. Sommer school was better with a better teacher. Now, I could teach the class better than first teacher. As is said, history ROCKS!

I was much more into class room instruction in my later years. When I had to do something when the oil field shutdown in the 80's I went to college for the first time. 32 years old, wife and two small boys. And it was GREAT, wish I could have gone more without having to worry about everyday things like MONEY. With chances to miss a class, I wanted to be there.

Nowadays I am the go to guy at work and such for history, government, true politics,...but not much for the good ole boy club. But not from the class room teaching.

Much as I don't agree with a lot of the modern "gadgets" taking the time away, and my wife could kill me for looking up stuff so much taking up time, I think the internet is great for getting knowledge. We have gone to it for "winning" arguments about process problems out at work when arguing with engineers and upper management. And, it is also one of the most dangerous for the uninformed, non matured, etc...
History channel, Discovery, National Geographic, etc. most used. But even some of them can "make a mistake" in presentation.

How do you prepare them for life, in that they will have to have in most cases a structured schedule and rules? Well know fact, most people do not like thier JOBS.

When a child doesn't have to be in school they WANT to go. Ask a homeschooled child about that one. =D We could use that - the not having to be there - to our advantage! LOL

"I want schools to be desired and not compulsory."

There's my philosophy in a nutshell. As one wag said, If education is so great, why does it have to be compulsory? Don't want to get up in a timely fashion and put some clothes (WITH a belt!) and sit on your bum and learn something? Fine. Get a job in the outside world.

The other part of my reform is to expand vocational schools. Not everyone is cut out to attend college, and there should NOT be a stigma attached to wearing steel-toed boots or bib overalls or a shirt with your name sewed on the front.

I like the way you think. Your statement " I want schools to be desired and not compulsory", speaks volumes about our education system.

Our current education is a failure. Almost all parents have seen in the eyes and face of their young children a desire to learn something new. And they have seen the joy in their eyes and voice when they learn. It is a beautiful heart warming feeling to observe their wonderful flame burning for knowledge.

Something happens when formal schooling starts, the flame starts losing its brightness and in many cases burn out.

It is disturbing to see them no longer inspired to unlock the secrets of the universe. Lost is the natural drug that provides a sense of self-worth and inner euphoric feeling when something new is learned and accomplished. Lost is dream to be creative with the newfound knowledge, so very sad.