More Than Choice.

Abstract

Life demands each of us to make tough decisions. Per sons vary in their readiness to make such decisions, yet, ig noring the process does not make critical issues disappear. At home, a person is faced with decisions of how to live most amicably with those close at hand. People also have to make decisions about what happens at work. What needs to be done? With whom? For what ends? Finally, people are faced with decisions relative to one's outreach. How do per sons respond to injustices? to illness? to needs in the immediate community or in other parts of the world? Do people choose to be lulled into euphoria, or do they select to reflect on, even agonize about, situations needing attention? That choice is inherent in life nobody can deny. Most educators are aware that children need opportunities to make decisions. Visit many of today's schools, and what does one see? Fre quently large open spaces with varieties of mater ials displayed, assortments of books from which children can choose what they wish to read, colorful shelves full of games, toys in a play corner, or block corners where children may decide to reenact previous experiences or to cre ate new ones. Such opportunities for decision are frequently seen within the school building. Less frequently seen are school systems in which individual buildings and schools within schools have a clearly stated philosophy and program, such as Montclair, New Jersey, 1 where parents are carefully informed about school possibilities avail able within the community. With their children and the help of school personnel, par ents select the philosophy and program deemed most appro priate for their children. For example, parents can elect to put their children in a gifted and talented magnet school in which giftedness is defined to include all children. Or a sec ondary parent and child may select the School for the Per forming Arts, again the as sumption being that all youth can perform with varying degrees of skill. Choice and decision are acknowledged, and parents engage in tough think ing as they make decisions about their children's education. If one considers selected aspects of school programs, one can find much emphasis on choice. For example, guidance and career educa tion programs frequently help the young deal with certain options that they have. Even though evidences of choice are seen in many school settings, one is frequently hard pressed to find curricula in which attention is given to teaching the delicate and difficult proc esses of making tough decisions. Somehow peo ple tend to feel that choice is enough. Yet, if we