I wanted to touch on an issue that we were discussing on Thursday in class, education. We spoke about education being a huge breakthrough and form of enlightenment for the time. The ideas of Kant, Locke, Jefferson, Voltaire, and Rousseau were new, but not exactly what the people in power wanted. The thought of change did not sit well with them because it meant that they may not have control. I think the same can be said for today and the education that we have in place. The people in power liked that the people they ruled over were not educated. The people not being educated meant that the people in power were not questioned.
Questioning and challenging the people in power is what contributes to the advancement of society. The education system now is all about teaching to the test and there are some teachings who go beyond and actually teach. The students are force fed material that they must regurgitate for a test that is supposed to tell those in charge whether or not the students know the material. Anyone can memorize some things for a test, but it does not mean that they know the material. The education system right now is trying to change or enlighten itself in order to be better suited for the students. The idealist of history, particularly those that pushed to educate the uneducated, gave us what we have today. The people in our society today take what we have for granted.
People did not always have access to education or could not speak out against their ruler. Society has had education for a very long time now and it is time for another enlightenment. We need this enlightenment in order to see more Jefferson's and Voltaire's, so that we can advance the human race even more. Restricting students to only learn what the government says is necessary to survive is ridiculous, we need to educate students in a way that will make them flourish.
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I agree with a lot of what you say Jeff. I do think teaching to the test hinders true growth and progress. It's really ironic to me that we teach students facts, and not a way of thinking, and then are surprised when people complain about having to think. One of my high school teachers told me that the majority of her students would rather be told what to learn and not taught how to learn because it's simply easier. To me, this indicates we've got a much deeper problem than an education system that is based around multiple choice, scantron, #2 pencil tests. To me it says we've got a society that would rather take the easy way out than do the hard work to get where we need to go, and that type of laziness is upsetting. And while I don't have a solid, concrete plan to address that type of a problem, I think the best place to start is by branching out in schools and putting more tests in front of students that are essay based and open-ended where the right answers aren't obvious and you have to craft an argument on your own.
ReplyDeleteJeff, hey I respect the fact that you're taking a strong stance here. However, my ears always prick up a little bit I hear people agitating about "advancing the human race," especially in regards to state-run education. You have to bear in mind the results of past social programs designed for that purpose.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that education reform is needed in American public schools. School vouchers and greater accountability for underperforming teachers and schools is a must. Also, I think students should be taught about personal finances as a subject, as its virtually ignored in American public schools today. A little bit of Balance the Checkbook 101 in highschool might show a new generation the power of saving and delaying instant gratification.
I definitely hear you here, Jeff. My mom is a teacher and she has this awesome sign in her classroom which reads, "A Child is More than a Test Score." As far as advancing the human race, I think a big part of the problem is technology. While it does connect us and has allowed us to branch out and learn more, it proves to be a hinderance because it has created laziness in us as a society. Why do something ourselves when we can press a button or use a machine to do the job for us? It's easy to copy and past and simply cite rather than come up with your own ideas. I think this kind of laziness has found its way into the education system because, as you said, children would prefer to do the easy things.
ReplyDeleteAnd Brad, I agree about the real-life eduaction idea. My AP Microecon teacher actually had us do a massive project on just that, and it proved to be invaluably useful. I've never been the biggest fan of vouchers, though. What about the schools to which the children would be transferring? I like the idea of the voucher to an extent, but it would produce massive over-population problems as well as lessening the effectiveness of education at the transfer school due to increased class sizes. One school and its faculty can only do so much for so many.
Jeff, while I agree that there need to be changes in the education system, I disagree that the people in power are intentionally trying to cripple education to maintain control. Our leaders understand that the better the education, the more successful its people will be and thus its economy will be. I agree that the way they are going about it must change and I think the "enlightenment" that will occur that will help education will be adding choice, which will breed competition, which will raise the level of education. Test focused education is a problem that may not be addressed by allowing free school choice, but might be remedied by adding a focus on classical education and liberal arts.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your criticisms of education and the educational system but I also think that it is unfair to compare the job of a teacher in today's society with the job of a teacher in the time of the Enlightenment, mostly because of the changing notion of who should be educated and to what purpose. Locke and Rousseau were certainly not designing an educational system for the masses but were advocating a new way for private tutors to approach their duties with the children of the elite.
ReplyDeleteModern day education not only reflects the belief that all people should be educated but it also demonstrates the impact of the scientific and technological breakthroughs that have occurred in the centuries since the Enlightenment. I would argue that the entire purpose and vision of education is radically different. In most schools, the emphasis is no longer on a classical education but instead on what some theorists refer to as "human capital formation" which is essentially teaching people the skills they need to meet the demands of the job market while also creating a new way in which to "gate-keep" that allows some people to move forward while holding others back.
Sadly, as much as I agree with what you and the other responders advocate (the need to help students learn to think), I do not see how that can be accomplished in today's educational climate in which schools becomes businesses that make a product (an educated child) that they must deliver to their clients (parents and community) in a timely, efficient and low-cost manner. I would also argue that most students would prefer an "A" in the course to the potential benefits of being forced to think for themselves. (Oh, I am old and jaded....)
Jeff, I agree that education is a key to societal advancement. However, often the success of an individual is dependent not on those who teach, but the drive and will of the student. This holds very true in our current society. In America, the multitude of educational sources available are staggering. We are given every opportunity we need to become educated components of the system (the democratic republic that we live in). It is up to each individual to utilize the tools provided to make ourselves the best we can be.
ReplyDeleteJeff, you are right. Education is the key for our future. The question is what future are we heading toward? For example in my wife's third grade class they focused on several historical figures, FDR, Eleanor Roosevelt, Caesar Chavez, LBJ, Thurgood Marshall, and Susan B Anthony. At first blush these seem like good historical subjects for kids to learn about, but if you look more closely you will find a common thread that is being forced on our children by mandate. If we don't balance the education of our children we will be headed down the same path that the revolutionaries traveled, and end up with a dictatorial society that we have voted into being.
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