RE: Question 2: Non-traditional education

Yes, but how can we get that understanding without experimentation?  Great leaps in our understanding have historically taken place because someone dared to try, dared to think!  We do not encourage enough thinking in our students, never mind our teachers, our administrators, our systems.

I used the terms 'thoughful experimentation' with great forethought.  I certainly do not advocate unchecked, unplanned approaches.  But an experiment by definition is a well thought out, controlled exercise that leads an effective experimenter to some form of a conclusion.  What we do with the conclusion is a seperate issue and should be kept as such for education to continue to thrive.

If we do not dare to learn more about effective ways to teach children, we will fail far too many along the way.  If we do not dare to let teachers continue their own learning (through experimentation, education, experience) we will fail even greater numbers.