Been a fascinating conversation and reading thus far. As a product of an Ungraded School where from grades K through 6 we progressed at our own speed (like a giant SRA experiment) I always enjoy folks espousing theoreticals when the data is there in systems like Tipp City and Wooster. Suffice to say those Ungraded Systems were done away with.

I have been following along but had to jump in when I saw "irregardless" . In Learning Unit 9 (sixth grade-ish) we were taught to use regardless or irrespective instead. Just found it came rushing back when I saw the word....

Interestingly enough, when I looked it up I was surprised that the word is attributed to have originated in Western Indiana in the early 1900s (no doubt by the rustics and bumpkins know as "Hoosiers") according to the OED.

I would like to go over to my mom's and see if she can scare up any "progress reports" from grade school. I do not think we got Grade Cards. Must have done OK most of my grade school friends are Engineers, Computer geeks, Enterprenuers, Teachers and such...most seem pretty successful. Fascinating conversation though, well done. I do not know if this was part of the experiment but we were subjected to standardized testing back then with California Achievement Tests and The GATB tests....was that just our system or did everyone else in the era take those all through grade school and Jr High? The GATB tests said I should not ever do a job that required my hands or play an instrument.....hahah guess that was not a good indicator eh? I sat with my HS guidance counselor for a couple of hours 5 weeks ago and let her talk....when she finally took time to ask what I had done with my life I said "exactly what you told me I had no business even attempting" according to those general aptitude scores

On field promo guy took the training wheels off his microphone and gave it a shot. I'm expecting a Boom Goes the Dynamite before halftime. Yikes.