Wednesday, 13 October 2004 - 1:01 PM CDT
Name:
Snubby
I was but the occasional lurker back when this subject was on the points list, but that's okay, because I'm sure my ideas would never garner real support in the industry... And, I've already had a Dodge Viper anyway. I traded it in for a Mitsubishi Montero because I got tired of burning my calves on the stupid exhaust...
And I suppose the repost were some good ideas, but if you aren't part of the solution...
I actually have an outline of an educational network that I would love to see go into play; but as I have no idea how to go about starting and running a television network, I guess the only way it would happen is if I ran Fox studios for a year...
My network would serve as the catalyst for educational reform in this country. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with nothing but PURE, GENUINE, eduational content for a variety of educational levels.
And I'm not talking about Teletubbies and Blue's Clues. There really isn't any content out there that I know of tha would be deemed appropriate for my network. The Howard Zinn mini-series sounded like it had potential, but I still haven't seen or heard of that coming to fruition.
Programming would come in a variety of blocking. Think in terms of what "magazine-style" did for reading, this format would do to television. 5, 10, or 15 minute blocks of information. Even commercial style ideas, hints, tips, tidbits, activities, and quizzing.
Before children are squashed to a gruesome death by the politics and limitations of the public school system, almost all are very enthusiastic learners about a variety of subjects. I would choose to capitalize on this innocent, but extreme thirst for knowledge and provide these children with a complete array of non-fiction and creatively appropriate fiction to foster a life-long love of learning, capability, and self-reliance.
All subject matters wold be covered and cross-cultivated to their fullest potentials. Not just science; but biology, anatomy, chemistry, zoology, entomology, geology, and herpetology... just to name a few. Not just "multicultural studies" but a true investigation into worldwide histories, religions, politics, philosophies, peoples, economies, class systems, lifestyles, celebrations, educational beliefs, technologies and antiquities...
Children are not the fumbling fools that our system thinks them to be; however, there currently is an EXTREMELY limited availability of appropriate resources for which they can indulge, enjoy, and prosper.
Think of it this way: For every time your child turned on the television and was bombarded with even the vaguest imagery of sex, drugs, violence, abuse, turmoil, divorce, junk food, useless toys, etcetera... Wouldn't you rather them to have an alternative of switching to a single channel and finding something that was actually INTERESTING? Enlightening? Educational? Something that could help them construct, instead of destroy, the very foundations of their being from which they are expected to survive?
From this network would grow a complete multimedia experience. There would be a website and an online community. There would be an availability of written materials, curriculum ideas, and fun activities that would all be sponsored by APPROPRIATE and complementary product advertising. There would be projects, and contests, and venues for sharing....
Classroom experiences all around the country, and eventually further, could be tied in with the materials and opportunities provided by this network. Schools could be provided technology labs that would link them into the broadcast and students could even create and host a variety of their own programming. News, drama, skits, projects, presentations, penpals....
With the institution of such a network, all learning styles, levels, and abilities would have unlimited opportunities to thrive. From outgoing performers and producers to the introverted and/or physically/mentally/behaviorally challenged.
And as no televised entity should be, this network would not be the be-all, end-all for learning provision; however, it would encourage children and adults to take the interests and knowledge they have acquired and put it to good use in the real world.
Perhaps there is a block on butterflies. The programming higlights the lifecycle of a particular type of butterfly. The programming could encourage the child to go outside and observe caterpillars and butterflies. Perhaps they will want to catch some and construct their own butterfly house.
This blocking could be sponsored by the Smithsonian Natural History Department in conjunction with Butterfly World in Pompano. They could offer free or discounted admission and specialized onsite interaction with a scientiest/doctor to either places by mentioning the broadcast.
You could call the number or log on to the site to order a free or minimally priced curriculum package furthering the study of butterfly lifecycles. The site could offer for sale a variety of visual aids such as cards, posters, models, butterfly houses, books, etc.
Perhaps there could be a photography contest in which students were encouraged to capture striking images of their local species. Winners would receive national recognition along with prize packages prepared by sponsors.
With network ideas as a base, and as a concrete option to encourage parental involvement, think of all the projects that could be springboarded from there. Both at home and in the classroom. Students could keep journals of observations of their captured species, they could write fictional stories and poetry... Create dramatizations of butterflies dancing, design travel brochures to a South American butterfly habitat. All sorts of research could be done on butterlies in different cultures. Do they or have they ever had a medicinal value? How do they reproduce? What sort of economical impact do they have? Are they imported and exported, providing stimulus to third world countries? Do they help or destroy crops? ........
Gosh, I could go on and on...and in far more detail. But, you would really have to be familiar with my educational beliefs, and that is for an entirely different group. I know this isn't the appropriate forum to garner support for such ideas, but since it was tossed back up, I couldn't resist adding my twelve cents. I know I need to befriend the likes of Oprah and Tiger Woods to make something like this happen, but in the meantime, I've got two of my own to worry about.
And I wish that more people could realize that changing the world does start in your own home. And, from there, all good shall radiate.
