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Exclusive Silicon Valley Schools Reject Technology

posted 4 years ago by spacecomedy (2013)
4 replies | jump to latest

Interesting that some of the most exclusive private schools in Silicon Valley (where the tech titans send their own kids) reject nearly all forms of technology in favor of traditional, hands-on learning. The Waldorf School has an annual tuition of about $20K for elementary age kids. Makes you wonder why they pay so much to keep their own kids away from all this tech.

Food in Films: Burgers on the grill and beers at the Holland house looked much tastier than whatever organic chia concoctions were being served on The Circle campus.

[–] moviechatterer (14130) 4 years ago

"reject nearly all forms of technology"
like the Amish?
They arnt going to get much of an education then are they?

[–] spacecomedy (2013) 4 years ago

Did kids not get much of an education before the prevalence of technology? Pretty sure all the scientists and engineers involved in early space exploration went to school in classrooms with books and chalkboards.

Here's a description of the Waldorf School philosophy...
In most public and private schools across the nation, Chromebooks, iPads or Windows devices are everywhere.

But things look very different at Waldorf Schools, where technology and screens aren’t used at all through 8th grade, and are scarce even in high school. The Waldorf teaching philosophy is used at more than 1,000 institutions in 91 countries, including 136 schools in the U.S.

[–] moviechatterer (14130) 4 years ago

Pretty sure all the scientists and engineers involved in early space exploration went to school in classrooms with books and chalkboards.
They sure did, and in the early 60s they had people to help them whose job description was "computer" before they got actual computers. then they used those computers. the chalk was long gone.

As someone with a pretty high up engineering qualification i can tell you scientists and engineers will use absolutely any technology they can lay their hands on to make theor job easier, more consistent and more productive.

That said, i dont know w hat 8th grade is. If thats little kids not in high school then yeah I agree they arnt doing anything too complicated and could learn maths & science using pen and paper. as i did.

Once you get to college you *need* technology

edit:
i didnt notice you said "elementary age" in the OP.
I agree, they dont need ipads.

[–] spacecomedy (2013) 4 years ago

I think we're on the same page. For adults, technology can be a lifesaver (as long as it doesn't consume one's life to the point where one is ignoring most human interactions). For elementary school kids though, it can be a major hindrance that lowers attention spans and cognitive abilities. It's why distance learning can work well for teenagers but is often a train wreck with little ones. I find it interesting that many people who work in tech don't want their little ones around that same tech.