Comments on: Weeks 8 and 9: The Celebration Chronicles and Celebration, USA

By: Sebastian (a lady)

Sebastian (a lady) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 04:01:38 +0000

You know you’re addled when you read up on the history of Disney before you take the kids to Disney World. But that’s just what dh and I did. I would recommend the books we read if you found the Celebration books interesting. Mouse Tails is written by a man who grew up near Anaheim and had lots of friends and family who worked for Disney Land. It combines a history of the park with a discussion of some of the darker aspects that don’t make it into the glossy brochures.
DH read a great history of Disney World that covered topics like how Reedy Creek Improvement District was established in the first place, how fire service is provided, issues of police juristiction etc. I think that the title is Married to the Mouse.
After reading these two books, we just about drove our family nuts with all the editorial comments we had as we went around the park.
BTW, oddly enough searching Disney World History on amazon.com has one of the volumes of Story of the World as result #119.

By: Amber

Amber — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 05:25:44 +0000

The sad thing is that I am seeing far too many homeschoolers buy into the modern educational philosophies you describe in this utopian school. I’m thinking of unschooling in general and A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille in particular. They seem to think that all they need to do is make their kids work and then they will ask to learn when they are ready. DeMille talks about the classics and then sells modern childhood psychology methods as the way to obtain a classical education. And parents who want more for their kids, but have no experience in the classics buy into his flawed ideology. It is very disheartening to see parents willing to teach their kids at home and then not teach them. They rely on child-led learning and other modern educational philosophies. Thanks for being a voice and showing us what a classical education actually is, and that it is obtainable.

By: Maria

Maria — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:09:35 +0000

I don’t hold much sway to the notion of a utopian society, but I think our urban planning could be more proactive in the development of a real sense of community. I think the best book about what urban planning and neighborhood design has been… and suggestions for what it could be… is “Suburban Nation.” I think it should be required reading for anyone considering buying a home, or building.

By: J.S.

J.S. — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:51:35 +0000

I may have to pick up one of these books…You now have me wondering about the line between planned communities and the planned neighborhoods/gated communities that are becoming so popular. And where do elder living communities fit in this puzzle?

By: Sharla

Sharla — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:17:05 +0000

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Starting-Out-Right/M-Susan-Burns/e/9780309064101/?itm=6#TOC

I’m pretty sure this is the book. After it told me I was not qualified to teach my child to read–which I’ve already done–I didn’t pay much attention to the cover since I immediately started to contemplate burning it. Then I realized that’s a dangerous train of thought to entertain even in jest.
Have you ever posted about the differences in teaching four different kiddos? DD4 was easy to teach because she was more than happy to sit on my lap and learn to read on her own–total bookworm. But DS2 is a constant tornado of (mostly dangerous) activity. I think I’ll have to figure out how to teach him through a game of paintball or something! I would love to hear your thoughts on different learning and teaching styles.

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:53:06 +0000

Sharla, you’ve got to spill the beans…what was the book?

By: Sharla

Sharla — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:15:33 +0000

Re: educating our own kids. I was browsing over the tiny homeschool shelf at Barnes & Noble last week when I picked up a book about helping your child become an avid reader. Mind you, I’m looking at the “homeschool” books. I flip the book open and the first page I see is “Whether to teach your child to read before he starts school.” First point on the page: “Realize that you, like most parents, are not qualified to teach your child to read.” I stood aghast! With my jaw gaping open I started looking for an absurd place to put the absurd book. But that just felt ridiculous so I put it back where it “belonged” and picked up the first volume of The Story of the World.

By: e

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:55:28 +0000

The school situation you describe is what my high school looked like when it was first built–in the early 70s, and, coincidentally, also in a planned (Utopian?) community (Reston).

After the powers that be realized that the open floor plans didn’t foster education, only distraction, they erected cardboard partitions to help cut down on distractions.

Thank goodness that’s where the comparison ends. We did get text books and had some semblance of an education.

By: Katie Wilson

Katie Wilson — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:42:52 +0000

Fascinating reviews. Isn’t it interesting how people with no children want “hyper” parents to calm down and trust the “all-knowing educators?” Let’s hear it for homeschooling. Don’t tell me not to worry about diagramming sentences, or basic history. That’s my privledge as a parent–to worry about my child’s education, and to DO something about it.

BTW, since you are reading journalist’s accounts…I just finished an interesting book this weekend. You may want to add it to your list: “Little Pink House” by journalist Jeff Benedict. A fascinating look at the famous Supreme Court eminent domain case. Well researched and presented. Worth the read, I think.

By: Amanda Read

Amanda Read — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:21:58 +0000

I love your new blog design!

~Amanda~

By: Leah

Leah — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 03:44:28 +0000

I’m a bit confused–these people moved to these Utopian communities looking to live a sort of 1950s lifestyle, but what they find is a 1960s/post-1960s educational philosophy in their schools. That seems very incongruous to me. Meanwhile, Ross does sound out of touch. But, I also question why the journalists with two young kids didn’t research the school’s philosophy before sending their children there. Given that the school’s philosophy sounds fairly extreme it doesn’t seem like it would have taken much research to discover that this school just wasn’t going to be for them.