[sugar] Sugar for the rich

[Edward Cherlin]

On Tue, May 27, 2008 at 2:24 PM, Yamandu Ploskonka <yamaplos at bolinux.org> wrote:
>
>> that point, seriously neglecting the challenge of getting
>> Constructionism into the schools of the developed countries, but most
>> of the community is clear on that need.
>>
>
> Ed, I do not feel that statement is inclusive of our diversity.
> While sadly it might be correct, that the rest of us are several minorities,
> not all in the community agree on that "need".
>
> I know that you personally do go out of your way to make feel people
> included, so I assume a glitch.
>
> Quite a few of us are getting more and more aware that the best model is on
> contents and maybe activities based on collaboration *among* and *from* the
> local stakeholders rather than *for* them by outsiders, and based on local
> experience and knowledge with support from outsiders *when* those will
> respect these parameters.
>
> In principle this is not a contradiction of Constructionism/vism, actually
> from my understanding, this is what it is all about.  Yet we are not putting
> that into practice.
>
> I personally am all for Constructionism, as long as it's an option I am not
> forced to push in its present incarnation, not a closed-end, vertical deal
> as it is so far, where while there is not a written mandate to exclude
> others, too many seem just happy to keep local stakeholders away by not
> prioritizing models where actual collaboration is the norm and encouraged
> expectation.

When I talk about Constructionism, I am not talking about Nicholas
Negroponte's management style. I mean collaborative discovery among
children and within the entire education community and society as a
whole. I want to imagine and then create Constructionist politics, a
Constructionist economy, and a whole lot more. What Constructionism
should be, not what it has been made to appear as. When I say that
most of the community is for Constructionism, I mean the practice, not
an ideology or a management delusion. I certainly don't mean to say
that they are for ideas of mine that I have never stated publicly. %-[

> As a community, we are diverse, and getting Constructionism into the schools
> of develop... oh, you said developed countries.  So it WAS a glitch.

My goal is to get Constructionism in everywhere, but the stated goal
of OLPC is only to get it into developing countries. Indeed, a glitch.

> I guess it's OK.  Just wanted to make a point that we all are together into
> developing education tools, yes, but not necessarily all of us around this
> kind of Constructionism as the end.

I must confess that I have very little idea what OLPC means by
Constructionism, but I don't like it. We should have this discussion
in public, as we have started to do on the OLPC-Open list.

>> Computing and Internet without the new education model would be a
>> major step forward in global development. With the new model, it will
>> be far more potent.
>
> Finally, I really do not know what to say.
> Ed's thoughts have very often been an inspiration to me.
>
> I feel like he is a valued mentor, in a peculiar Socratic way, where I learn
> a lot when I react to what he brings.  I respect Ed deeply, but so far I
> seem to be showing it wrong by getting on his case every time he speaks,
> which tells more about my bad manners than about his patience.

Not really. You force me to be much clearer in what I say, which is
quite useful.

> I do not want, community, this to be seen as meaning disrespect to Ed.  The
> fact that I disagree with some of his thoughts should not be construed as a
> disagreement with his dedication to a cause I share, in a different set of
> priorities than his.

Having a disagreement is not disrespect. Acting disrespectfully about
it by generally shouting (which we do surprisingly little of) or
refusing to discuss the problem (mainly a problem with Nicholas) is
disrespect. So we are doing quite well, you and I.

> I just apologize for all wrong impression.
>
>
> And I am learning when I read his posts, often more than from many others.
>
> Thank you, Ed.

You are entirely welcome.

> Yama

-- 
Edward Cherlin
End Poverty at a Profit by teaching children business
http://www.EarthTreasury.org/
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."--Alan Kay