Andrew Coulson & Home Education
It’s through the literature and videos that I knew of Andrew Coulson. The information and insight gained from his analyses will remain significant, instructive and cautionary not only for home educators but for all who cherish freedom and the primary role of parents in the education of their children.
Adam Schaeffer’s suggestions for further reading are welcome: http://www.cato.org/blog/andrew-coulsons-legacy
I know most of Coulson’s work was in aid of the broader topic of choice. But as far as home education goes, these are some of the issues that are informed by Coulson’s interpretations and which bear watching:
– “professionalization” of teaching will further bar parents from their primary role in education
– 21st Century Learning Transformations currently in vogue are shifting “transmission” of knowledge and skills toward greater focus on human development, psychology and data collection — a dangerous move
– compulsory public education as a project is full of oxymoronic contradictions
– individualism is a “threatened species” in light of collectivist leanings
I have heard others say in their tributes that Andrew’s work has been key to the spread of choice efforts and successes. Concerning the four cautions above — the field of home education would have enjoyed a longer relationship with Andrew Coulson’s ideas to further advance the choice direction. The deep feeling of loss is profound.