Dateline Normal: "Forest and Trees" Program comes to Normal Schools-----FICTION

(Ed.note: This is a portion of the formal press release from the Normal School District, Normal, Mn., sent to me by Herman this afternoon. I have edited it for brevity."---FICTION


A little like chutes and ladders, the key element of this groundbreaking awareness program for elementary students, is the essential skill of distinguishing a forest from a tree. As all adults know, this early predictor skill leads to the ability to distinguish a little lie from a big lie, a little truth from a little lie, and then the ultimate, the ability to distinguish an email generated news story from an unknown remote source from a story that has been really written and investigated.

One of the problems, of course, is that young students, being small and short, think that trees of only small height----- are in fact big trees------ and a real forest. They look big. They seem big. But in fact they are little. That is the real difficulty. How to allow kids to be kids, and yet to gradually improve the skill set so that they can clearly see ------ this is just a little tree......and not the forest.

The most innovative part of this computer program, is the use of candy. When the elementary student correctly identifies the small tree as a tree and not the forest, they are rewarded with candy. This innovative approach has led to a tremendous acceleration of learning. In fact, there has been advanced discussion that this approach might be used in the political sphere in Normal, Mn., in distinguishing "Beef" from "Baloney" in local political contests. The only snag may be a rare Minnesota statute that prohibits any giving of candy in order to influence a vote, or even learning of any kind. Some pundits have suggested that the statute was really referencing "candy bar" and not the small types of candy that will be used.

It is hard to believe that groundbreaking educational policy could come out of Normal, Mn.. Still, it is important to have an open perspective. Stay tuned. One must NEVER underestimate the power of candy.