As many of you know Ethan is about to start Kindergarten. And as sad as I am to see my little boy grow up, I am more concerned with what and how he will be taught. Who knew education was such a big decision?
Well I didn’t…until I had children. ha!
I was given the book Mission Possible to read and offer my response to the below prompt. After reading this, I’d LOVE to know what you think? Please…let’s discuss education! These children are our future. 😉
*Stagnation, being unable to accomplish one’s job at a high level, is one of the greatest sources of low teacher morale. Why do you think this country treats teaching so differently than it does other professions?*
Innovation is something that has become something of a curse word in today’s education system. The current system stamps out children just as it has been doing for just over 100 years, by mimicking an assembly line. In kindergarten children are taught this, first graders learn that, second grade more is added and so on until we achieve a fully assembled student in the 12th grade. Teachers are taught the method in college which is only reinforced while student teaching and is expected of them in their first job. The method they learn is the teacher teaches and the student listens. What if the students could teach and the teacher listens? For instance, teaching a class of first graders to break down a theme found in a book they just finished reading as a class in a group setting, expecting the teacher to take a back seat during the discussion. Creativity and innovation from teachers is not commonly found in America because the goals are set for each grade level and none are expected to, or even acknowledged if they do, surpass them.
Not allowing the standards to adjust with the times ensures the decline of the product (still working on the assembly line theme). Imagine the same standards existing in the world of car assembly of 100 years ago. We would still be driving model T’s with hard rubber tires and top speeds at 40 miles an hour. Or think of a carpenter two, three hundred years ago working with a measuring stick that only has inches. If he were to build in today’s precise standards, he would be immediately thrown out because we not only measure by half inches (doubling the preciseness) but by 16th of an inch or smaller. Proving the point with roundabout examples never works, but the truth is there. Limiting children who are born in this age of technology is foolish. Children of today are taught things that the ancients only expected of their wisest. For instance, the scientific method- I know my kids have tried hypothesis after hypothesis of sneaking out of their beds at night, some more successful than others. Children are ready to learn, but the methods of the day have to be enticing and compelling to provide them the environment to flourish. I have heard it said that sometimes viewing education as a checklist is wrong, it should be more closely compared to gardening, where it is the teachers responsibility to provide the right conditions (water, good soil, sun light…) and expect the plants to grow on their own. Restricting the teachers to the standards which have been set for generations limit creativity and force teachers to educate using the same measuring sticks for a changing world.
This book is really a great read. Honestly it was something I needed to hear as we embark on the schooling journey ourselves. Eva Moskowitz provided for me a new outlook for education. The idea that children can achieve new boundaries and, if pushed, can exceed all expectations. Teaching children to think is critical and that is done by a huge emphasis being placed on reading and writing as they have done in Success Academy. Allowing the adults to create an environment for learning and then take a step back is counter culture to say the least. Overall, the book provides many radical ideas that force the reader to evaluate the current condition of American public schools and wonder why changes haven’t been made.
The good news is that you don’t have to just take my word for it!
All you have to do is leave a comment telling me your thoughts on the prompt!
There are no right or wrong answers! The winner will be chosen next Friday!!!
If you would like to keep up with Eva, here is her Facebook and Twitter! What better way to get your questions answered then by tweeting her yourself!
*Though I was compensated for this post, all opinions expressed are my own.*
Would love to read this! Since this is his field, Jason can speak to the whole idea better than I can, but this illustrates some of the concerns we have about putting our children in school (any school).
It seems to be difficult to hold teachers to high standards while also acknowledging the difficulty of their work and the overwhelming daily challenges they face. I think the profession is treated differently because we recognize this tension.
It’s a hard, hard job, but they also generally have more face time with kids than parents do. That’s an incredible responsibility, and we shouldn’t accept anything but excellence from their performance. However, they also have 30 other kids, so it’s a bit of an unfair challenge. (Again, our hesitation.)
OK, I’ll stop before I write another book here! ha
There is much I could say about this topic, but I will spare everyone and try to give a quick summary. I will clarify and say that when I went to the school of education, I was not taught to teach the way this depicts. It was more of a fun, discovery based not much paperwork kind of way that tailors to each child (which is the way I homeschool). However, when you enter the schools to teach, the are focused on getting every child to pass a test and doing as many papers as you can to “prove” that they can pass it. It is not tailored to each child, but rather to the lowest children because it is all about numbers (like this % of third grade passed, ect). Schools can’t work because they have too many “standards” that are tied to $$$, and the government….well I said it would be short 🙂
If you enjoyed the philosophy found in this book, try looking up Charlotte Mason. (Similar direction, but based on Christian principles.)
It takes a village to raise up a child. We can’t do it alone or without each other. I would love to read the book. Great teachers are retiring every day because of the requirements laid upon their shoulders from the state and they do it all without help from parents. Teachers have become the disciplinarians as well as the teachers. School and education has got to be a team effort, with parents, teachers, administrators and even local business owners. The community all has to be involved to make a better life for the kids.