How Many Bushes Does it Take to Permanently Screw Up America's Schools?
I have no doubt that for less motivated students, even freshmen, a more “relevant” education (that is, one where they can see the direct application of what they’re learning to what they want to do in life) would be just the ticket. This assumes, of course, that they have any idea what they want to do. Call me crazy, but in a world where many of the jobs that my students will have as adults do not yet exist, a world where people are expected to change careers—not jobs, careers—at least five times in their lives, declaring a major at the age of 14 sounds preposterous in most cases.
One argument in favor of this is the oft-touted reports that show American students lagging far behind their counterparts in other, especially Asian, countries. Interestingly, China is working on a different problem in their country. They have discovered that they produce world-class technicians, but they are seriously lagging in the innovation department. Seems America still dominates that. China is now inserting far more…….are you ready for this????? Liberal arts classes! Honest-to-Pete, it’s like watching dogs chase their tails.
Truly, hasn’t anyone noticed that the more non-educators stick their noses into schools, the worse the “crisis” espoused in “A Nation at Risk” becomes? The study behind that 1983 report had some serious flaws anyway. America is the only country that tests and reports the scores of all of its kids. The countries that score higher track their kids from very early on and report only the test scores of their college-bound track. As I mentioned in an earlier post, in America, every kid is supposed to be college-bound.
It seems to me that magnet schools are the answer here. For young people who know what they’re passionate about, they can provide subject-intensive curriculum that fills those kids’ needs. Otherwise, you know what this program looks like to me? “Listen, kid, you’re going through the Fun Factory, whether you like it or not. Now, you wanna be a long, star-shaped noodle, a triangle noodle, or just a bunch of spaghetti lookin’ stuff? C’mon, c’mon, pick. We ain’t got all day, here.”
Then again, a kid whose education revolves exclusively around math and science might not get around to reading Orwell or studying history or learning about any of that other stuff that makes people question the powers that be… Just one little problem, science tends to wreak havoc with the status quo, sooner or later.
There's nothing I can add to this, except to agree. You're preaching to
the choir here.
Education for the non-educators out there, is indoctrination, they all want
docile widgets not people who have been trained to use their imaginations
and think outside the box.
Christ at fourteen I didn't know my ass from my elbow and I didn't know any
other fourteen year olds who did. Expectations and parents who care will be
of greater importance in career choices than asking a fourteen year old to
make that choice.
You are right about changing careets, I had three very different jobs
just in my first five years after leaving school.
jayward
Oh yes indeedy, Science does wreak havoc, and contradicts many things
taught in english. Many biblocal allusions crumbled, many theories in
history class..crumbled.
Asking a 14 year old to declare a major is ludicrous. How many college
freshman are still unable to declare a major. I can't believe the idiot
ideas generated in the name of "fixing" our education. I didn't know what
I wanted to do till I was in my 20's and was fortunate to go back to school
to finish up. I think if all kids were doing the debate team, it would
sure prepare them no matter what their major.
I have to say, Mel, that science shouldn't contradict art (in the form of
literature or anything else). Only a literal interpretation of the Bible
crumbles. The allusions in literature are metaphorical and archetypal.
Science doesn’t deal in those at all. A well-rounded person needs all of
it!