I’ve always know the three “r’s” to be about readin, ‘ritin, and ‘rithmatic but in a recent article in the Seattle Post Intellicencer, Bill Gates redefines them. Right about now you might be scared. After all, he must be some maniacal academic, right? I mean he is the richest man in the world and he didn’t get there by slacking, right? Newsflash, this is the man who dropped out of Harvard to start some software thing. And by anyone’s standards he did pretty well with it.
What’s interesting about his views on education (which he contributes millions of dollars to) is that they aren’t of the traditionally rigid academic kind. The way he defines his ideas behind building better public high schools are around preparing students not just for college but for the real world. The first, “rigor,” making sure all students are given a challenging curriculum that prepares them for college or work. The second, “relevance,” making sure kids have courses and projects that relate to their lives and their goals. And lastly, “relationships,” making sure kids have adults who know them, look out for them, and push them to achieve. I’m especially pleased that he included this last “r.” Preparing children socially and emotionally for the real world in my opinion trumps all. And while my children are still in pre-school, it’s worth peeking into the future and understanding what is valued in our society. Frankly, I’m glad the richest man in the world values “relationships.”
Posted on May 19th, 2005 by Sam
Filed under: School Time
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