Alternative Education

    As I was looking at institutions of alternative learning styles, I became intrigued with The Experimental College of Haverford. This is a "college" in which anybody (and everybody) can be a teacher; the classes are student run. Some examples of classes offered in this college are beginner ceramics, SEPTA and the real world, and Roman Baroque art. Classes are often held in dorm rooms and attendance is usually quite low. Homework is not encouraged and little is required of the students. Although this is an interesting alternative to traditional education, it seems rather humorous, almost like a joke. The classes are rather random and even though one may be learning some practical things such as how to use the bus system, he or she is not even expected to take class seriously. The is some consolation in the fact that none of these classes are for credit, but it seems almost as if this is a place for students to go if they want to experience the social life of college without the work.

The Experimental College of Haverford couldn't be more different than John Brown University. At JBU, classes are taught by experts in their area and students are expected to act responsibly in their courses. The aim of classes is to teach students not only about the course they are studying, but also to teach them skills that they can apply to all areas of life. At JBU, students are expected and taught how to use their brains to their fullest ability; the Experimental College seems to lack this aspect of education. Although the classes at Haverford sound interesting, I do not think they would be effective in developing my gifts and talents. To grow, one needs to be challenged. At ExCo this factor seems to be lacking; the website even says that teachers of a class do not need to know very much about the subject they are teaching. Challenge is essential in deep learning; if students are not challenged, they will not learn and grow. The Experimental College at Haverford is more like a summer camp than a college.