THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510130027
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 27 lines
A child-centered curriculum attempts to identify specific strengths, talents and gifts of students. It then individualizes instruction to maximize the development of these attributes. Such a curriculum is rooted in two beliefs:
1. Individuals will eventually gravitate toward self-fulfillment.
2. Society is strengthened most by the diverse contributions of people.
Our society needs to bring out the best in each student. It is therefore only common sense to make sure each child's passage through a public school is emotionally, intellectually and spiritually safe. For this to happen, we must have parental input but specify where parents' rights begin and end.
We can shed light without generating heat, but we must be problem-focused rather than emotion-focused.
TERRY KELLY
Virginia Beach, Oct. 8, 1995 by CNB