There have been so many advances in the past twenty years but we still haven’t learned how to distribute this new knowledge evenly. For example, Sol Kahn of Kahn Academy discovered that math instruction was exactly backwards from how it ought to be. Instead of instructing the students in the techniques of mathematics during their daily classroom interaction and then assigning problems as homework, it was much more effective to assign tutorial videos on You Tube and have the students work problems in class where the teacher was available to help them if they were having problems.
This model isn’t appropriate for instruction in all subjects but it illustrates the arbitrary nature of our teaching techniques. And in many cases, we know how things ought to be done but because of resistance to or lack of awareness of advances in pedagogical techniques, students continue to suffer through ineffective classes often learning the subjects in spite of the instruction they are given instead of because of it.
Someone suggested that someone who was going to college to be a businessman shouldn’t be required to take Chemistry or Biology. I disagree. I think we should concentrate on providing a good, solid general education to our college undergraduates and leave specialization to graduate school.
I also think we should put more emphasis on mastery of material in primary and secondary school. How can we expect people who haven’t entirely mastered algebra, for instance, to succeed in advanced algebra. In the current era of education there seems little justification for teaching students in classes stratified by age. They should be allowed to progress through the curriculum at their own pace.
These issues often arise because in many places we have an inadequate supply of properly trained, enthusiastic teachers. And why should we have enough good teachers when we fail to pay them a competitive wage. Teachers can make more money working in industry than they can doing the most important job in the world, teaching our children. This has been the case for the last forty years with no sign of improving. Until we value our educators and reward them when they do a good job teaching our children, we will continue the inevitable slide into widespread ignorance.
In the final analysis, education must happen in the student. Teachers are at best midwives for the knowledge that is brought forth in their pupils. But so many teachers in schools currently are glorified baby sitters.
I hope I am wrong. I come to these conclusions with limited observation of the schools from the outside combined with my observation of the quality of education that they produce. There are still well educated people in our society but in general it is in spite of the schools they attended.
Sweet dreams, don’t forget to tell the ones you love that you love them, and most important of all, be kind.