Awhile back, Katherine sent me this link about changing the way we look at education: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U&noredirect=1
I found it to be extremely thought provoking. After watching it, the two things which jumped out at me was that: 1. It reconfirmed my idea that it is detrimental to expect all kids to perform at a homogenized, certain level in every subject based on age. 2. It made me think about how important it is to have students collaborate with each other on projects since most adults do work with others in just about every job, but especially in the fields of research and development which is so important to our economy and future as a country. I wasn't sure what he was trying to say about classical learning, but he seemed to be saying that it is not relevant or useful. I would disagree with this. So, after watching this, I did want to read Sir Ken Robinson's book, but I never got around to it.
Then, this weekend, Stuart wanted me to read Seth Godin's manifesto on education. I read about 20% of it, but it really began to annoy me. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2012/02/wwwstopstealingdreamscom-my-new-manifesto-is-now-live.html
His ideas are similar to some of the ideas expressed in the preceding video. One concept he communicated over and over and over again was that our current schooling system stems back to the industrial revolution when public schools were first invented in order to develop a compliant, obedient working class. His point was that the economy drove the development of schools, and it worked for awhile in the age of factories and assembly lines, but this model no longer works in our modern society. According to him, we need dreamers and innovators! We need creative people who can produce new products and inventions. His point is that if we keep producing, compliant, obedient, plain old vanilla workers, we are going to be at the bottom of the food chain as a country. He admitted that his manifesto was a rant, but it annoyed me that he gave no credit to the current public school system. He wrote as though all schools were full of neanderthal administrators and teachers. Stuart said Godin just wants to get his point across, even if he is overstating things, over simplifying things, and being overly critical. His writing reminded me of when Stuart was reading books by David G. Wells which critiqued the Evangelical church. I'm not a big fan of one-sided critics even if their points might have some truth to them.
ANYWAY, sigh...I'm already getting riled up just thinking of Godin and Wells's writing...Anyway, I know that public education began during the industrial revolution, but I was under the impression that America began providing free public education through the use of tax dollars so that we would have an educated society which was needed for democracy to be successful. I also thought it was the result of child labor laws. I guess it doesn't really matter except for the fact that Godin kept making his case that public education was originally founded upon the idea that companies needed obedient, homogenized workers and it was up to the schools to train children to be like this. Godin, to me, just seemed like one of these "gifted and talented" students who is always asking why, why, why? Why do I have follow the teacher's ridiculous instructions when I already know how to write well? Why do I have to show my work on these calculus problems when I can already do it all in my head? Why? Because most people do learn more from following the directions. Most people aren't geniuses. And anyways, obedience is an important quality to have in any functioning society and for working well with others, and no one, regardless of intelligence, power, or money, should be given the right to stomp all over the rules that others must follow. Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now.
Stuart just came home from Tanzania about a month ago, and he said that the Tanzanians lived like people lived about 300 years ago. They live in mud huts. They do not have electricity, and they survive by doing subsistence farming. He said they also seem less stressed and more at peace than we are over here. He also said they share a much greater sense of community than we do. So, why do I want to educate students in a way that will allow them to think outside of the box! Innovate! Create! Push the boundaries! if all that is going to result in is more technologies for us all to live virtually and rarely ever go outside and feel a blade of grass through our toes or feel the wind blowing on our faces?
It made me want to consider what role I hope to serve as an educator. I would say that language learning, reading, and writing all help people to realize their higher selves and to develop the intellect God gave them. I believe that when we put words to objects, ideas, and feelings, we can appreciate them at a higher level. On the other hand, it seems to me that if the role of schools is for our country to lead the world in technological advancement, I'm not sure I'm all for that. At the same time, I don't want to be like one of those naysayers who kept refusing to hear what Aristotle was saying about the world being round. Plus, technology can be used for excellent services such as solving the world's water supply problems and curing cancer...but is it really going to be so great for everyone to live to age 120 if we never put down our computers and iphones long enough to enjoy nature or each other. Oh, I know. I have no room to talk. I spend hours upon hours on my computer or kindle.
Maybe I'll move to Africa and learn Swahili...as long as I can take my computer and have internet access. :)
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