[K12OSN] Linux cut off

KJ ksj2010 at myrealbox.com
Fri Nov 19 14:19:57 UTC 2004


Hey Terrell,
I have, in my usual way, not communicated in written word properly.   I 
agree with you 100%. 

I am installing LTSP in a local private K12 school, at quite a cost to 
myself.  Could the school go out and get grants from M$ and Dell, 
probably, do I want them too, NO!  I want the kids to learn.  They'll 
get the big guys anyway, I want them to be fans of OSS. 

I apologize if I sounded like a M$ evangelist.  I'm not, I was simply 
saying that the business teachers are correct, it is the standard and I 
understand their point.  However, much like we don't want our children 
and students to learn only the English language, but grammar so that the 
concept is there and they can (and should) learn other languages.  The 
same with the computer, M$ may be the standard (for now) but we don't 
want our children and students to learn only M$ technology, we want them 
to learn the concepts.  That's why I run Apple OS X at home, Linux and 
LTSP is going into my kids school and when it comes time for their own 
systems, my kids will have a choice, but I hope they will go for another 
OS (or OS's) over Microsoft. 

sorry for not communicating properly.
KJ
written on a computer running Microsoft XP, because my job requires it.  
Written using Mozilla's Thunderbird because I can choose it!  :-)

Terrell Prudé, Jr. wrote:

> Hello KJ,
>
> You're right to duck like that.  The reason is that we are educators 
> of *concepts* in K12 schools.  Having come from corporate myself, I 
> don't see any justification for turning fourth-graders into "Good 
> Little Employees" ready to be trained monkeys on specific 
> applications.  Children don't learn how to write on just Avery-brand 
> paper.  They learn how to write.  Period.  Same with math--we don't 
> teach them how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide only on HP 
> calculators.  Rather, we teach them how to add, subtract, multiply, 
> and divide, period.  Same with cars.  The auto shop in every high 
> school I've ever seen that has one teaches the kids how to work on 
> cars, not just Fords, not just Chevys, not just Toyotas, etc.  They 
> teach *automobiles*.
>
> What we should be focusing on is the *concept* of word processing.  
> Same with using a spreadsheet--any spreadsheet, or any presentation 
> software.  I don't want kids only being able to use Microsoft 
> products; they're no good to me in my shop, and I won't--and 
> can't--hire them.  Several educators have found that, when children 
> are exposed to multiple implementations of the same concept, they get 
> that concept a whole lot better.  I have found that to be true of 
> myself even to this day.
>
> Schools do not have the same goals as corporations.  Corporations care 
> strictly and only about the bottom line for shareholders.  The mission 
> of schools, by contrast, is to get a young mind to develop and open up 
> to new ideas.  K12 schools are not Voc-Tech institutes like ITT.  
> They're centers of general mental development, teaching children of 
> all ages how to learn.  Am I opposed to children learning about 
> Microsoft Windows and Office?  Not really.  Am I opposed to children 
> learning about *ONLY* Microsoft Windows and Office?  Yes!
>
> If you think I'm wrong here, then, one corporate person to another, 
> I'd like to know your thoughts.
>
> --TP
>




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