The Coalition of Essential Schools has just failed (see their “Farewell” announcement on their website). This is breaking news in the sense that the Wikipedia article on the coalition has yet to be updated.

Of course, the guiding lights of the coalition did not see fit to deal honestly with the issue of the language barrier. Had they introduced Esperanto into their curriculum, in even the most tentative way, it would have been a decisive break with the mediocrity that they were trying to evolve beyond, but which has re-engulfed them.

They have a list of 10 fine-sounding principles that they claim to go by, but fine-sounding words never buttered any parsnips. Introducing Esperanto, in even the most tentative way, would butter parsnips.

How would this have helped? There was no problem of a language barrier within that framework, it was not a concern. And in what way did the coalitions (that is the allied schools who carried out the ideals, which many already believed in) not fulfil the principles?

Even the people involved don't see it as a failure. The ideals are embedded and likely to be carried forth by similar organisations inspired by CES. They even influenced some schools here in NL.

The direct link to CES.

Vestitor:How would this have helped? There was no problem of a language barrier within that framework, it was not a concern. And in what way did the coalitions (that is the allied schools who carried out the ideals, which many already believed in) not fulfil the principles?

Even the people involved don't see it as a failure. The ideals are embedded and likely to be carried forth by similar organisations inspired by CES. They even influenced some schools here in NL.

The direct link to CES.

Education reform intrinsically involves Esperanto, as Allan C. Boschen points out in his article “Esperanto: To Aid Education Reform”.

'Intrinsically' is a bit of a claim. The linked article is the usual promotion of Esperanto for any field (with which I general agree), but there can be no argument stating that failure to include Esperanto in any educational scenario leads to inevitable failure. Education might involve the use of a shared language (might), whether or not it is Esperanto is a matter of dispute, not a fixed truth.

Personally I think Esperanto should be in all schools from an early age, but to be honest, apart from it being easy to learn (at least in the early stages) I don't believe in some of the more outlandish claims about it somehow having astonishing effects on "logical thought", and I wouldn't blame educationalists for being sceptical about it. On the other hand there has to be some convincing reasons for an education system to adopt it. It's not an easy nut to crack

Vestitor:'Intrinsically' is a bit of a claim. The linked article is the usual promotion of Esperanto for any field (with which I general agree), but there can be no argument stating that failure to include Esperanto in any educational scenario leads to inevitable failure. Education might involve the use of a shared language (might), whether or not it is Esperanto is a matter of dispute, not a fixed truth.

Personally I think Esperanto should be in all schools from an early age, but to be honest, apart from it being easy to learn (at least in the early stages) I don't believe in some of the more outlandish claims about it somehow having astonishing effects on "logical thought", and I wouldn't blame educationalists for being sceptical about it. On the other hand there has to be some convincing reasons for an education system to adopt it. It's not an easy nut to crack

Thank you for your reply. I think you’ve got things wrapped around the axle, but at least you made the issues clear. So, here is my take:

1. We’re not talking about ‘any’ educational scenario, but an enterprise-level attempt at transcendence.

2. No claim is made or implied (except to those lacking imagination) that the educational system itself needs Esperanto, for communication among its own staff and students – it might or it might not. What the educational system needs Esperanto for is to allow the students to reach out to the world in a nuanced and critical fashion. This can easily start with young students exchanging picture postcards with other young students throughout the world, using Esperanto. Anyone who has ever done this knows what a thrill it is to get a picture postcard from ten thousand miles away.

3. Esperanto makes it possible to give L2 experience to all students at an early age, even if the teacher doesn’t know Esperanto, because Esperanto is so easy that the teacher can learn it along with the students, as Tim Morley describes in his TED talk. This alone would be a convincing argument for educational systems to adopt it.

4. So, yes, ‘intrinsically’.

Education reform have to be made there where the things are going wrong! The main idea its what polititions have to do it! and in fact, analyzing how they are thinking they should be searching for mental pills on online pharmacy reviews. at least that's what i think that nowadays politics went to.

Tront1975:Education reform have to be made there where the things are going wrong! The main idea its what polititions have to do it!

Your illiterate response is proof of the need for education reform. You are apparently an example of the Dunning-Kruger effect, completely unaware of the self-parody you present. I rest my case.

mkj1887:1. We’re not talking about ‘any’ educational scenario, but an enterprise-level attempt at transcendence.

Is this a joke? I'm sorry, but I can't take this seriously. I won't expend mental energy on Deleuze-Guattari type constructions. Please do your best to write with simple clarity so that everyone has a chance to read and respond.

mkj1887:2. No claim is made or implied (except to those lacking imagination) that the educational system itself needs Esperanto, for communication among its own staff and students – it might or it might not. What the educational system needs Esperanto for is to allow the students to reach out to the world in a nuanced and critical fashion. This can easily start with young students exchanging picture postcards with other young students throughout the world, using Esperanto. Anyone who has ever done this knows what a thrill it is to get a picture postcard from ten thousand miles away.

As I already made clear, the simple fact of it being easy to learn and its possible function as a 'springboard' to language learning doesn't seem to have a profound effect on educationalists in any broad way. You can keep on saying it and linking to as many arguments in print and on video as you like, but it won't change that fact.
The world is not a unified whole, it is still separated in many ways and educational needs and priorities are just as much local and national as international (if they are 'international' at all for some regions). The fact has to be faced - unpalatable though it is - that the international dimension to education is focused on learning English because the U.S. has a dominant cultural presence. Tim Morley and the like can make TED talks all day, but until that situation is overcome all the "convincing arguments" for Esperanto are like sweeping up leaves in the wind.

mkj1887:3. Esperanto makes it possible to give L2 experience to all students at an early age, even if the teacher doesn’t know Esperanto, because Esperanto is so easy that the teacher can learn it along with the students, as Tim Morley describes in his TED talk. This alone would be a convincing argument for educational systems to adopt it.

I agree. The solution is enough of a conviction to inform a policy implementation in the same way educational policy at the national level insists upon competence in mathematics and the home language as basic requirements. Nothing else will work. Voluntary learning is tiny and ineffectual in terms of creating a large body of speakers to make the language large enough to be necessary in education.

mkj1887:4. So, yes, ‘intrinsically’.

Still not 'intrinsically'. You and me and everyone here may hold the opinion that Esperanto is a necessary educational solution, but outside Esperantujo there are plenty of fair-minded arguments for not implementing it.