We Need to Change Our Education Paradigm

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 6:40 pm

Ahso!;1362660 wrote: I guess what people are saying when they complain about this system is they don't like the product (people) our country produces. If that's true, work to change the education system, which needs tearing down and rebuilding from scratch. If we're not willing to do that we should cease complaining.I agree that we are overdue for remaking the system.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 4:49 am

Yes, we do need to change the system. Being confined within the No Child Left Behind, and having the bar raised yearly has led to many inner city schools with students who always feel defeat before they even start. When told last year our class averages on district assessments needed to be 85%, and we would be judged by this also in anticipation of the new evaluation system, it is a no win scenario. Did my class averages go up the last few years-oh yes. But because the students and I worked harder-the intrinsic nature of learning for itself needs to be encouraged with students. No longer able to go off on a tangent lesson for the love of science itself-because of fear of not completing required coursework that leads to assessments. Takes alot of fun out it-what good is a hurricane in force, and not spending a day learning about them and tracking them? Luckily tsunamis and earthquakes were in my curriculum, so when the Japan one took place, I could spend a day on it. I was told by administration to cut out the NASA photos of the day to start my lessons-even though astronomy is one unit in my curriculum! It took time out of learning was their reasoning, even though by the time we reached that unit the students would already know galaxies, their shapes and formation, and many good facts about our solar system.

And no, I did not watch the You Tube thingee, if this is off....but addresses the Post Title....

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 6:41 am

Cool video! It's good to see more people recognizing the need for a complete fundamental redesign of this worthless and tired old system. Unfortunately, I'm pessimistic of this change occurring anytime within the next, say, 100 years because there's an awful lot of powerful individuals and organizations that have become dependent on keeping it as it is and only tweaking it here and there. But we can raise our voice now and plant the seeds.

I have the impression the current situation (NCLB) is due to a mentality to educate like religions run Sunday school bible classes. That's okay for indoctrination purposes, but not actual education where individuals need to be taught and encouraged to think independently. Though now as the elders of our time, we also need to recognize the conflict of teaching two different methods each contrary to the other (one - religious indoctrination - the other - intellectual freedom). It's very confusing to our young and I believe is one reason there is such political stalemate and vitriol within our society. So It's also time to either rebuild or scrap religion in America because it's the single most resistant societal component to educational forward thinking.

If we fail to address the religious component school will forever be interpreted as just a place to drop kids for the day no matter how we change education.

Patriotism needs to go as well.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 5:28 pm

chonsigirl;1362707 wrote: Yes, we do need to change the system. Being confined within the No Child Left Behind, and having the bar raised yearly has led to many inner city schools with students who always feel defeat before they even start. When told last year our class averages on district assessments needed to be 85%, and we would be judged by this also in anticipation of the new evaluation system, it is a no win scenario. Did my class averages go up the last few years-oh yes. But because the students and I worked harder-the intrinsic nature of learning for itself needs to be encouraged with students. No longer able to go off on a tangent lesson for the love of science itself-because of fear of not completing required coursework that leads to assessments. Takes alot of fun out it-what good is a hurricane in force, and not spending a day learning about them and tracking them? Luckily tsunamis and earthquakes were in my curriculum, so when the Japan one took place, I could spend a day on it. I was told by administration to cut out the NASA photos of the day to start my lessons-even though astronomy is one unit in my curriculum! It took time out of learning was their reasoning, even though by the time we reached that unit the students would already know galaxies, their shapes and formation, and many good facts about our solar system.

And no, I did not watch the You Tube thingee, if this is off....but addresses the Post Title....It's a cool video. The producers are RSA Animate and they use the same basic technique on many different subjects. Your comments were on point, though. Our education system is still in factory mode, while the kids have evolved far beyond it thanks to being saturated in technology. Well worth the 11 minutes, if you ask me.

Now that I've had a couple of years in a general ed classroom I can definitely see what you see. Everything is focused on the test and we've lost the whole reason for education: to LEARN STUFF!

What's your opinion of montessori schools? I haven't researched it at all, but do you think it might be beneficial to use that method in the worst-performing schools?

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 5:51 pm

Ahso!;1362710 wrote: Cool video! It's good to see more people recognizing the need for a complete fundamental redesign of this worthless and tired old system. Unfortunately, I'm pessimistic of this change occurring anytime within the next, say, 100 years because there's an awful lot of powerful individuals and organizations that have become dependent on keeping it as it is and only tweaking it here and there. But we can raise our voice now and plant the seeds.

I have the impression the current situation (NCLB) is due to a mentality to educate like religions run Sunday school bible classes. That's okay for indoctrination purposes, but not actual education where individuals need to be taught and encouraged to think independently. Though now as the elders of our time, we also need to recognize the conflict of teaching two different methods each contrary to the other (one - religious indoctrination - the other - intellectual freedom). It's very confusing to our young and I believe is one reason there is such political stalemate and vitriol within our society. So It's also time to either rebuild or scrap religion in America because it's the single most resistant societal component to educational forward thinking.

If we fail to address the religious component school will forever be interpreted as just a place to drop kids for the day no matter how we change education.

Patriotism needs to go as well.

I'm not so sure its as conscious as you make it out to be. It's the way it's been done. It's always been done that way. It was good enough for our parents, was good enough for us. It's good enough for our kids. That kind of thing. Well, there is that profit-motive thing. Lots of people make lots of money keeping things the way they are. Lots of money to be made developing and printing standardized tests.

I had to chuckle when I read what you wrote about indoctrination and independent thinking. Sometimes it actually becomes indoctrination of independent thinking - of course oxymoronic but not entirely impossible. It's a bit frustrating how often I've had to tell my students that I really do expect them to think critically and make a judgment call - that the rightness or wrongness of the answer lies not in the final answer but in the reasoning and process that brought it about. It's even more frustrating when, like Chonsi, I see a spark of interest but can't entertain it because the curriculum has no room for delay.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 6:07 am

Nobody can say how conscious any of this is with each individual. Most educators choose to function in a robotic mode blindly trusting in the system and that it will all work out in the end. More will become conscious of what's happening as time moves forward.

It's interesting that NCLB, which is structured to eliminate time for inquiry was instituted by the Bush administration whose appointees were decided upon based largely on religious indoctrination levels, I mean religious beliefs.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 12:31 pm

The video brought out that kindergartners were more skilled at divergent thinking than were older kids because of the education system. Can you imagine our world if the wild imaginations of children could be encouraged and honed? Of course we can't imagine it because we've been through the industrialized education system, but just imagine!

theia · Post by **theia** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 1:37 pm

Hello there, Acc...have you heard of A S Neill's Summerhill? You might find it interesting

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 7:22 pm

theia;1362743 wrote: Hello there, Acc...have you heard of A S Neill's Summerhill? You might find it interesting
My dear Theia! I haven't heard of it. Is it a novel?

theia · Post by **theia** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 6:17 am

Accountable;1362746 wrote: My dear Theia! I haven't heard of it. Is it a novel?

No, Acc, A S Neill founded a school called Summerhill...I had to read the book years ago for a child psychology course I was attempting. I think you'd be interested in it, it's some of what you're saying put into practice.

Long time, no speak, my lovely Acc...hope life is good :-4

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 7:14 am

theia;1362748 wrote: No, Acc, A S Neill founded a school called Summerhill...I had to read the book years ago for a child psychology course I was attempting. I think you'd be interested in it, it's some of what you're saying put into practice.

Long time, no speak, my lovely Acc...hope life is good :-4
Life's been better, but you won't find me complaining. :-6

I googled the book after posting. We don't have it in our library, so I might have to spend some money.

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 5:45 pm

Sounds to me as if you are well down the same path Thatcher took British education: teach to the Test. League Tables ranking schools according to pupils' scores in those tests pretty much demand it. So if you can't put a score on it, it isn't "real". sigh. Governments are run by accountants, not accountables, and they know the price of everything and the value of nothing, as the saying goes.

Frankly, to stay working in that environment is thoroughly admirable. Well done, you and Chonsi both.