Both of the articles were very interesting and brought up the point that in classrooms, a lot of students become “robots.” In other words, they come to class, take notes, go home, study, and do the same thing day after day. In this sense, they do not get much value out of the topics discussed in class since they are only there for good grades. I can relate to this because I have been in classes where I have acted similarly. This happens when I find a class boring or I am unable to relate to the topic. The classes that I care most about are those where I am most interested in the subject or have an inspiring teacher who is passionate about the subject. Education should be about deeper learning in addition to receiving good grades. Students have potentials but not all students apply themselves because they may dislike a class. And, the ones that do may not really care about learning. Just like the graduation speech addressed, students may have regrets after graduating that they did not gain a lot from school. And, like the text said this is why students may be fearful. I feel I’ve gained from education. But, a lot of what I have gained is a combination of what I learn within classes and how I apply it to other experiences. Deeper lessons can be learned in class rather than just memorizing words, equations, etc. Yes, these things do prepare us for jobs, but we also need people skills, and to hopefully find something we are passionate about doing later in life. There are all sorts of different ways to be successful and people value different things. How do we decide what we value? How are we going to convey the idea to future students that they should get more out of education than just good grades? Do the students need to be more motivated or is there something the teachers/school can do to help?
I really loved both of these readings; they truly resonated with me. Both dealt with the standardization of schooling, highlighting that the motivations are not altruist – not to provide an equitable level of access to knowledge or expanding students’ horizons – but instead fueled by a lust for domination and mechanization. Education is less about learning and more about “knowing.” Less about finding, and more about internalizing what one is told. Less about liberation and freedom, and more about creating the drones needed for the workforce, for citizenship in our consumerist society. It reminds me of Paulo Freire’s “Banking” theory. Freire says that education is now in a state where students are institutionalized and turned into empty vessels for information to be just dropped into. That students are expected to blindly accept “information” from an omniscient teacher, and the measure of success is by how proficient a student is with this task. The Valedictorian Speech did an excellent job at exposing the fallacy of this idea. Freire highlighted that what is needed for true learning is “problem-posing” education, where the students and teacher have an interrelated relationship and where asking questions and seeking answers is primary. That is what the student, Erica Golson, says she missed in school. She missed learning because of education. I find this true and deafening, and I agree. Like Goldson, my goal in college was to get good grades and to “finish.” I was enthralled by the classes that challenged my views, or gave me different things to see. But with all the other classes, that information fell by the wayside. And I thing this is sad. So I agree that learning is not just encapsulated in bland lessons and rote memorization. As teachers we should challenge students to not just receive, but to formulate: to create their own ideas and use their brains as mechanisms for thought and not as temporary databases. I want my students to know that life is about living and learning, and not about tests, grades, and unnecessary information. As I enter grad school, I have to remember this myself! Goldson’s article truly inspired me to take back my life from the confines of what I should do and following the piper. Instead, life is about living , the expression of creativity and the continuous quest for knowledge . I want my students to embrace this. I think to ensure my students don’t become slaves to education, I must free myself first, and be dedicated to emancipating them.
“That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach.” – Aldous Huxley
I think this quote resonates with the Astore article and the commodification of education. For better or worse, the economy is different than it was 20-30 years ago. We have moved to an almost exclusive service based economy. Education is a service, much like healthcare, and finance, with the latter two driving the bulk of the country’s GDP. As a result Americans have traded in professionalism, patriotism, and spiritualism for CONSUMERSIM. It is the single driving force in our socio-political landscape, and it is majorly affecting the country’s education system. Ken Robinson compared our current education system to the McDonalds system, which through standardization, industrialization, and uniformity creates a cheap, uninspired, and unhealthy product. The parallels are easy to make and shockingly similar to our schools today. Instead of a McDonald’s approach, Robinson suggests that education model itself after Zagat and Michelin rated restaurants, who prosper from creativity, ingenuity, and a passion for food. Teachers should be chefs, who create and inspire, rather than burger flippers who exercise monotony and spirit deadening work.
Check out this quick animation on the following link:
The Valedictorian's speech really made me think about these past three years that I have spent in college. I've asked myself numerous times what have I learned from my classes? There are times that I cannot even answer that question. There are quite a few classes that I cannot even remember. I was more concerned with obtaining an A in a course than I was retaining what I had just learned. After taking a midterm, most of the information that I knew has already left my memory. It's sad, but true. I've trained myself to study, get an A, and pass a class. There are many classes that I wish I could just go through without having to be tested. I cannot enjoy a class when I'm always worried about what information is going to be on a test. I learn more from teachers who aren't so “traditional”. They require deeper thinking and for you to critically examine a topic/idea. Other classes just want you to know the information enough to regurgitate it back on a test. Don't get me wrong, I have retained information from the majority of my classes. These are the classes that I can relate to in some way and apply to my surroundings. Sometimes students learn more from actually being able to do something than just sitting in a classroom taking notes. They may feel more prepared for their career if they can get some hands-on experience before they graduate. Internships are very helpful with this task. How do we convey this idea to teachers though? How do we get students to understand that learning is more than just getting an A on a test in or a class?
Reading Goldson's Speech made me think a lot about how I was in high school especially. In high school it was all about getting the A and most of the time taking short cuts or just memorizing the study guide was how to do that. I have even found myself at times confused about a subject, but rather than working through it and asking questions I get reassured it will not be tested and in my mind it is then unimportant. I think the biggest thing is teachers who teach for a test. Even though as students this is our favorite kind of teacher because we know we will be informed of exactly what will be tested and will then be able to get a good grade on it. This idea is what is causing students to cram for a test and then dump everything from their brains directly following it. I agree with Kristyn that in college a great way to work around this education issue is internships. I think that really gets you in the field and makes you think for yourself and not just get the grade or pass the test, but rather apply knowledge you have learned and see where it is you need help and guidance. That to me is learning. The classes we are forced to take, practically just slide through, and then dump the "knowledge" is not learning for life.
I actually love the Valedictorian article. I thought the point of it was excellent. I feel the problem with schools though is not necessarily the teachers, but the school board guidelines that have to be followed so the students can learn whats "on the test". I know from when i loved in New York that we had the New York Regents and we had to learn "stuff for the test." I remember my teachers always saying we need to do this because its on the test. So i dont feel the problem is the teachers, i feel as though there is too much pressure on them because of State tests. Although there are so many ways they can be a lot more creative in teaching what has to be done. I totally agree with studying really hard you will just continue to learn and that you can never get it done any quicker. I used to think that a lot of the HDFS classes at Ohio State all teach basically the same thing so i wondered why they are all necessary to take, but there are so many different aspects of different things that you can learn and with kids there is always something new to learn. Children would really enjoy school so much more if teachers were hired based on how unique they are and creative and fun. I know teachers love their job, and they would love it so much more if they have more of a chance to show their own creativity without pressure of just getting stuff in the kids heads for their tests. Children would also have more of an understanding for things rather than just learning it to forget it after the test. So my question would be, is it ever going to change because the children in school now are the future and someday will be teaching others?
I've asked myself many times during my tenure in college, "why am I here?". I've been in college for 6 years now, and have an Associates Degree to show for it. I keep telling myself that teaching is what I want to do. Teaching is what I love doing. Yet, the Goldson speech makes me wonder how much I will actually like teaching once I get out of college. Goldson had some sort of epiphany before graduated, and had no idea what she loved or wanted to do. Because she was so focused on being the best student she could, she didn't take the time to look forward and contemplate how her schooling will help out her future. I suppose it all boils down to perspective. It what we do actually work? Is it training? Are we going into the field of teaching or spoon feeding? I honestly hope that I'm not plucked from college and put into a system where I have to spoon feed students information from a can and hope that they all are able to digest it without needing any Pepto Bismol. Goldson calls this "brainwashing". I'm not sure I consider this to be brainwashing. We aren't discouraged to think for ourselves, but we are universally tested under the same criteria. Which means we all have to think similarly, but not identically. For someone who followed all of their classes, aced all their tests, and worked the "system" as well as she did, it might be considered "brainwashing". For those of us who have never received straight A's, our perspective is slightly different. I didn't find the need to conform myself to every plan/system laid out before me. I can definitely see where she is coming from, and if I were her, I'd feel like a slave. But, it is all a matter of perspective. I hope I don't end up having to spoon feed my students information. Because that isn't teaching. Teaching is accomplished when knowledge is acquired by the student, not information. And knowledge requires thought. There is something that needs to be done with today's educational system. How do we incorporate more thought in our classrooms while also giving students the information they need to be successful on the standardized testing? Or would re-vamping the entire educational system be too safe of an option? Let's be realistic.
After reading the valedictorian speech, there were many points made that I agreed with about students and their education, and made me think as to how I can avoid this in my classroom someday so that my students get the best education possible. "We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating as first in the class. However, in this way, we do not really learn. We do whatever it takes to achieve our original objective." I think this is especially true in today's educational system with so much of it being geared towards passing all the standardized tests. I have younger siblings and cousings, and when I talk to them about school, I have heard them mention several times having not only the standardized tests, but also memorizing things for the test. But when I go to talk to them about something a couple months later, they can't hardly tell me anything about it. "Our motivational force ought to be passion, but this is lost from the moment we step into a system that trains us, rather than inspires us." I know from personal experience, and I think that most people would agree that they have learned better, no matter what it may be, when they were inspired and truely motivated to actually learn it, rather than just memorize it for the test. Also, when we are inspired and movtivated, we are more likely to go above and beyond and learn more than necessary, rather than the information we memorize, where we get by with what will help us past the test. I think many going into the field of teaching would agree that we need to get our students more motivated and inspired to learn, rather than them just memorizing to past the test and get by. However, with such an emphasis on standardized tests in our school systems, how do we as teachers get our students to that point of inspiration and motiviation that they are willing to go past just memorization? Katelyn Chester
I enjoyed the article about school not being a commodity. I would not have thought to link the obsessive quantifying in education as being influenced by the military. The author brings a unique perspective by writing this article. Education should not be viewed as a commodity, but I think it is. It is sold as the key to a successful future. Academia may stuff information from a book into students' mouths, but retention and practicality are largely ignored. The teacher spoke words and gave a test; the education system only focuses on grades. Addressing the person as a whole is often ignored. After the class, it is up to the students to remember what they learned and build upon it. This I don't necessarily have a problem with. However, I have been in only one class that talked about study habits, memory formation, studies on teaching methods, different types of learners, and information about how I specifically learn and think. Presenting information is undoubtedly important, but it isn't always enough.
I thought the valedictorian speech made some interesting points. The question of why we’re in school and what we’re really learning is one that I often ask myself. My high school’s motto was “We learn not for school, but for life,” but this didn’t stop students from caring about grades to the extent that it impeded their learning. I know that I am often guilty of memorizing for a test, and forgetting the information soon after. Sure, I get A’s, but have I really learned anything? However, if you don’t make grades important, how do you accurately assess learning? Is there a way to make students want to learn without attaching a graded value? And what then happens when students are applying for colleges, or even jobs that look closely at transcripts and resumes? It seems difficult to change the thinking of the graded system. And I think we also need to examine the environment we are going into. Jobs are often based of a somewhat skewed reward system as well. Creativity and practical experience seem to matter less and less. It’s all about how well you can follow instructions. And if this is the case, why do we need higher education at all? What are we supposed to be getting out of our expensive college educations, specializations, and higher degrees? I’m not sure what can be done, but it seems that something needs to change. -Katie Kuvin
I too would like to comment on the Valedictorian speech. Not because I found it more interesting than the other, but because I have somehow miss placed the other article and cannot find it online. Anyhow I found the speech to be both passionate and idealistic. I appreciate the stance taken in regards to the American education system. As many of my peers have, I too found myself reflecting over my time here at Ohio State. Although I will be graduating this quarter, I truly question what it is that I have learned during my time here. No doubt I have grown as an individual, I have been able to find "who I am" and " who I wish not to be". However as far as education, in the sense of "higher learning" I have real questions about what is I will be taking away with me from this institution. I know for a fact that I cannot remember at least 80% of the materials covered during my time in the classroom. I think the other 20% of the information shared was information covered over and over in multiple classes. I also wonder how much of this information will I be able to put into practice once I am in a classroom of my own. The one thing I have learned is that I will likely be "teaching" a curriculum that's purpose is to increase test scores. This idea leaves me feeling a little apprehensive about my future as an "educator". It also made me wonder what it might take to start a REAL educational revolution. Is the students responsibility to stand up and demand reform? Should we look to the parents of today's young students and inform them of the injustices their loved one's are facing each time they step into the classroom? Or is up to us, as fresh new educator's to stand up for ourselves and our students, and proclaim that we will no longer be a part of an educational system that fails those who sole purpose it is to educate. Bryan Stumpf
Though I admire Astore and Goldson for their bold and impudent critique of the American educational system, I'm not sure if there is a realistic alternative to the way in which the education system is run. I completely agree with the thrust of their arguments, but I simply do not see a possible world (at least in the foreseeable future) that is not driven by achievement and standardized testing. I wish, I TRULY wish I (or my students for that matter) could take a class for the simple enjoyment of taking a class, but the world we live in does not create an environment in which that is realistic or efficacious. And that is precisely the problem, the need for efficacy. We as a society are completely focused on results. Bigger, better, faster. America used to be about opportunity. Now it is about who can build the best tools. And not only that: who can do it in the least amount of time, with the least resources and turn the biggest profit. It is scary when one stops to think about it. I am glad that Ms. Goldson stopped to think about the reality of her situation. Unfortunately however, I think that the alternative put forth by Astore and Goldson is simply not realistic, nor (I hate to say this) desirable. I wish it were, but the consumerism and materialism that have a hold on our country will not be letting go any time soon. What I want to know is this: To what degree is this educational system they put forth possible? Though I think it impossible on a national level, can we achieve this sort of system in our classrooms? How would we go about doing such a thing?
Reading the valedictorian speech made me think about a lot. When I think about my past classes, it is discouraging to think that my classes were exactly like what the student was talking about. I went to class just to take notes and pass the tests. There’s very little that I actually remember. Sadly, today in my African American history class I was unable to recall what countries fought on the axis and ally sides in World War II when are professor asked us. I remember learning about it in high school and memorizing them but then just forgot them. I believe that a lot of students can relate to this. Personally, I don’t remember that information because it didn’t interest me and I just was focused on getting an A. Some of my college courses have been boring but some of them really interest me. It’s not all about memorizing info but it’s about learning and being able to apply it to real life. To be honest, this class has opened me up to a lot of ideas and has gotten me look at education a little differently. I feel like in college students have more opportunities to ask questions and to learn more beyond just the facts. I always find it interesting when one of my classmates ask a question about something we wouldn’t even need to know. I usually get annoyed and think its wasting time because I’m just focused on what we would have to know for the exam. In actuality, the student that questions a lot will be better off because they are interested in deepening their knowledge. I really hope that more people can be opened up to this idea and can work on improving the education system.
Sam Rocha’s article, Education After the Death of School, really made me experience many emotions when discussing the death of school. “The death of school would be a time when schools would continue to exist, but would cease to be believed in”, Rocha says on page 2. I personally believe that today, education is on its deathbed if not already dead in most cities. There are some cities who keep their schools alive by having excellent school boards who put the money from taxes where it belongs, (I believe that these schools districts are few), but then there are many cities who are constantly dealing with new school levies because unfortunately they have a school board who does not know how to properly delegate their funds. Education is just this thing in society that everyone has to “do” for 13 years (and 13 more years for each child they bring into the world) and not everyone fully understands what goes into making an education system work. Because not everyone (including many people in the education system) knows how education works then it leads to making teachers and students the equivalent to hamsters continuously running on a wheel. I truly believe that in many city schools that students and teachers are already treated this way and it is going to only get worse. I believe that this has been a continuous theme that we have discussed but it still concerns and scares me, because when it comes to teaching I do not just want to be another ‘teacher’ who just doesn’t matter to my school district. I want to teach for a school district that is proud of their educators, that supports them 110%, and that is proud to be in charge of shaping the minds of many children. I can only hope that I will find my perfect school district, or something as close as possible. -Emily Mink
The articles were so sad but so true. What I’ve noticed subbing is that teachers are not only robots but the young teachers who are innovative (as much as they can be) don’t get the respect or support they deserve from students as well as other faculty members. One of my favorite television series as a kid was The Cosby Show and I will never forget the episode when a guy said, “What is an A?” and Theo says, “Where can I get that book?” Cliff says, “You don’t read son.” Theo says, “Maybe there will be a movie about it.” Cliff says, “People who ask that are the ones who aren’t getting any?”
The valedictorian mentioned the same thing. This being my second time doing this college thing I find myself mentioned in both articles. One because I bust my butt to get the A’s and secondly, because I decided that teaching would be a higher paying job than I was doing at the time. It sucks. The more I get into the teaching and learning or policy and leadership classes the more excited I get because I can’t wait to teach the way I always wanted a teacher to teach me. Except because someone, a parent, a stubborn student, or administration can dictate what and how I teach, I may still find myself attending school again so hopefully I can be the boss and make decisions or run a school the way I like.
My husband I watched Waiting for Superman, and though the movie was bias the truth was that America’s education system is terrible. It was the best form of birth control because we are terrified of what our unborn child’s school would be like. Heck, subbing at my old high school, I notice the change. I just hope my dreams come true and I will have the opportunity to make learning fun, because it can be!
I wish someone had given a speech like that at my graduation. I agree that education today has become more stifling than enabling. In one of my other classes we talked about what the goals of education were, and I did list socialization. However, I in ways that would allow a person to function with and around other people. Education today seems to be more about socializing people into something. I think that tracking especially does this. I know that isn't what I was envisioning when I made that list, but now I have to wonder where that line is. When does preparing children to function in society become stifling them into a life chosen for them?
In Erica Goldson’s valedictorian speech she looks back on the type of educational system she was placed in as a girl in America and she states that she “can’t run away to another country with an education system meant to enlighten rather than condition.” Her statement sums up the American school system. Everything in an American classroom is concerned with working toward graduation through route memorization in the form of standardized tests. All papers, lessons and worksheets are designed to brand facts into the students’ minds in order for them to easily retrieve the facts when it comes time to excel on the standardized tests. Through this type of education, our children are not learning about how to succeed in the job market or society but instead is reducing their intelligence down to the memorization of facts and spitting them out verbatim upon request. This is an issue because the world today does not revolve around the memorization of facts but instead the use of these facts in a creative way in order to solve difficult problems and issues. By having children memorize facts we are only equipping them with half of the things they need to be successful in the world. It is like dropping them off at Home Depot and having them memorize where everything is in the store and them telling them to build a house with no other knowledge. They are simply not equipped for the job. Schools today squash creativity in order to keep the class moving forward to the 100% proficiency and accomplishing all of the state standards, and through this squashing students are not learning how to apply their innate creativity to situations. Without students knowing how to think creatively and being able to use that knowledge to fix issues, the students will never be prepared to complete in the real world. Katie O'Connell
I found the "Education After the Death of School" article to be very interesting. At first, it was difficult for me to understand what Sam Rocha meant by the death of the school. However, I think that he is right. Schools, American schools in particular, have been failing and falling behind other industrialized nations for years now. However, instead of stopping the way that we are schooling children and working the kinks out of a failed system, we keep teaching in the same old ways that are obviously not working. Our form of schooling doe not seem to be able to deliver the necessary education. The problem seems to be that no one is willing to change the system. Much in the same way that schools are failing, traditional schooling is dying. I believe that the cause of this has a lot to do with the issues that we discussed last week regarding democracy in education. There are some awesome teachers out there who probably have reasonable ideas as to how we can change schooling so that students are receiving an education. However, the issue then becomes that administrators and school boards are unwilling to drift from the norm and try something new for fear of greater failure. I agree that traditional schooling will soon come to an end. I believe that the best way to allow the death of schooling while not allowing for the death of education is to promote democracy within schools. Maybe it is time for a less traditional form of schooling in order to meet the demands of a future society. Do you think that traditional schooling should be done away with, and more freedom put in the hands of teachers?
After reading Erica Goldson’s speech, I was actually proud of the things that she said. I think it’s incredible for an eighteen year old to notice these things about the Education system, and especially to mention it in front of a large crowd of people, such as parents, educators and of course the graduating seniors. Goldson made many strong points in her speech about the education system. Throughout high school and even college, I feel like I was mostly focusing on my grades and to just pass with a high grade point average. Grades were and still are extremely important to me, but at the same time, I feel like because I was so focused on getting good grades, I hardly focused on truly learning. I am not trying to say that I did not learn anything, but because teachers often emphasize that getting good grades and passing tests are extremely important, many students look at that and make it their main focus to do exactly what the teacher tells them. “When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path” What this teacher meant when replying to his student was because we are so focused on a goal, whether it’s passing a test or getting straight A’s, we do not really learn anything in order to achieve our full potential. Most classrooms today include the teacher lecturing and then testing their students over the material that was “taught.” As stated many times, this is only a robotic method, having the students learn the information for a test, and losing that information as soon as they have completed the test. I honestly experienced that many times in college as well. I’ve had many classes where I just sat in my chair, and listened to my teacher lecture. That honestly is extremely boring to me. I also zone out at times because it gets difficult for me to concentrate when the only thing you are doing is sitting for a long period of time, listening and sometimes taking notes. I am the kind of person that enjoys doing group activities in order to communicate with my peers. I also enjoy other activities, such as going on site visits or doing other memorable things outside of the classroom in order to help me understand the main point of the lesson. I believe that test-taking is not an efficient way to prove if a student is truly learning. Fun hands-on activities are more memorable to a student. For example, since testing is mandatory, when implementing fun learning activities in the classrooms, this may help the students recall that activity on a test and help them not only become better test takers, but to have the information being taught in their long term memories.
I have found that all the readings of this week talk and focus on one important point, the goal of education. What is the goal of teaching and education for both the teacher and the student? Are the students benefitting anything from going to school and getting educational degrees? From the readings we can see that the American teaching system focuses on other aspects of education other than education itself.
Most students do not benefit from going to school. In the speech of the valedictorian and the Astore article, they point out that students go to school to study, memorize, and work hard to pass exams with excellent grades. Once the exam is over, all the material they have learnt is over as well. It makes me really sad to even think about it, I know as a student one day; I have worked hard to excel in all of my subjects of study to earn good grades. But to think about it from a teacher’s point of view, I feel that my efforts to teach my students something beneficial to them, which they can use on a daily basis, are useless.
As illustrated in “Education after the death of school”, education still exists but the process of learning does not exist anymore. Learning is what makes a person and what makes us moral agents. Learning is achieved through education. But of education has no goals, and the students are not learning, then the schools are really dead. Just thinking about this is scary, as a student, I am scared not to get any benefit out of going to school all these years, and as a teacher, I am scared to be more of like a robot machine, working a certain number of hours every day and not worrying too much about what my students have learnt to be better human beings and good citizens.
The question here then would be: how to put our school systems back into life? What needs to be changed so that our students are benefitting from learning and enjoying it at the same time? How can we build a great nation with knowledgeable moral agent?
I took in Goldson’s valedictorian speech and found it to be very intriguing. Goldson experiences an epiphany prior to graduation, and through this journey he comes to a realization. She comprehends that by placing all of her focus on being a productive student, she did not take the necessary time to look forward and contemplate how schooling would help in the future. This notion points out the belief that students are so caught up getting A’s in their classes that they completely disregard the fact that the material can be applicable and beneficial to post college life. As teachers, it is our job to help our students live up to their fullest potential. We must encourage our students to explore their academic capabilities and grow in everyway possible. We don’t want to be teachers like Goldson notices who “brainwash” students by spoon feeding them information, limiting the students to only one view of the problem. I agree with her on the notion that students shouldn’t have to accept information without question from an omniscient teacher. As a class we all need to be at the same location, but we must remember that there are numerous ways to get there. We must work in the classroom to ensure that the students obtain a well balanced education that allows for all around growth. The question that we need to ask is how can we integrate more knowledge in the classroom in order to further prepare the children for the future. We must be able to give our students multiple ways of learning so in the case one strategies fails, they can still solve the problem.
I really liked all three of the readings this week, but "Students Aren't Customers; Education Is Not a Commodity" especially rang true to me. The final sentence stood out: "If we were properly educated as a nation, the only torturing going on might be in our own hearts and minds - a struggle against accepting the world as it's being packaged and sold to us by the pragmatists, the technocrats, and those who think education is nothing but a potential passport to material success." I have felt this way for a very long time. For my first few years of schooling, I was in a gifted program which was centered on the idea of "enrichment." I loved school then and even in hindsight feel that we really were learning to think, not memorize. I moved to a new district for 5th grade, and from then until graduation I felt increasingly disenchanted with school. It was unchallenging and made me miserable, because what I had always loved most was learning and feeling that my mind was being expanded. Thankfully, I didn't have parents like those of most of my friends - they never pushed me to choose a career path or pick a "useful" major. I went to a small liberal arts college with no other goal than to - finally - get a true education. It was the best four years of my life. I was challenged and sometimes confused by incredibly brilliant professors - a delightful feeling after being bored to death for so many years. I may not be making six figures, but my education for education's sake is dearer to me than any amount of money. I've never regretted my choice to ignore the conventional path of career-driven schooling. I only wish that more students could experience what I did, and not just in college. The question is, where and how much can I incorporate deeper learning into my classroom in light of the current system's requirements?
I related to a great extent to the Goldson article. I feel as though I went through high school not learning, but rather memorizing and going through the motions in order to achieve. I love learning and discovering new ideas, but this was restricted in high school. I was never pushed to truly learn, just to get good grades and score high on tests, like Goldson mentioned. At the end of my high school career I was expected to go on and do big things because of my success and involvement in high school. However, I soon began to wonder how I was supposed to go on to do big things when I never got to discover who I really was as an individual?
I spent a significant time in three majors before finally deciding on a career in education. I contribute part of this to the lack of critical thinking and analyzing of myself as a person in high school. Discovering your self, your strengths, your passions, and your motivations should be fundamental in grade school education. You should be taught to critically think and question that which is taught to you. I agree with Goldson in that we need to act and break this continuing cycle. However, I may disagree with Goldson in that the students can be the achievers of this process; I believe it is going to take people with positions in higher power. The question is though, how do we fundamentally change a system that has been in place for over 200 years?
In response to Students Aren’t Customers; … I thought Astore was generally correct in his assessment, especially in recognizing the depiction of teachers as “overpaid drones protected by tenure or underpaid saints at the mercy of deskbound administrators and pushy parents,” a depiction which seems to be a consistently pervasive theme in society. Although Astore came across as largely liberally biased, he presented legitimate and valid arguments to his three stances on proponents in the restriction of education. I’m not sure he could make the parallel between torture and it being reality of a system that fails to challenge with complete authority, but I do agree with the collateral damages of the recession, and to a lesser extent, the wars. Overall, I found I agreed with most of the conclusions he drew – it is true that the topics debated by the Student Council (or any group of students) are more of parking woes and cafeteria food over government wars or bailouts. However, I am not sure where or how the cyclical nature of our educational system can come to change – it often seems like the chicken and the egg.
The reading from the valedictorian was one I really relate with. In school I was always more preoccupied with the grades I was getting rather than actually learning more. If it hadn’t been for having a hobby outside of school, I probably would have just spent all my time studying or doing homework to get the A. I agree that most students become preoccupied with grades because that is what the school and teachers stress. In another class, we are learning about how to try to motivate students to want to learn and to have a mastery orientation rather than a performance orientation. Mastery orientation is preferred because it is where the student really wants to learn and is motivated to learn more. They aren’t so worried about what grade they are going to get. I think this is important to do but I feel that schools today just aren’t set up that way. With all the testing that is required, teachers have to teach students how to do well on tests. That is more of a performance orientation where the grade is more important than the actual learning. I feel that if teachers were able to instill a mastery orientation in students then more learning would happen and students wouldn’t be so preoccupied with grades. This is something, as a teacher, we need be aware of, but how do we go about doing this? How do we make sure students are learning and not just worried about their grade? Is it something we can do when there is such a push for passing state tests? I think it’s important to think about because it is such a hard thing to do.
Of all the readings we've had this quarter, Goldson's valedictorian speech has been my favorite. I can appreciate her perspective on the education she received and feel that I too had a similar high school experience. Rarely was I challenged to be creative or innovative. It was always study whats going to be on the test and then forget about it in anticipation of the next one. I feel that I still do this in college to be honest. I would be hard pressed to tell you what classes I took last spring, much less what, if anything, I really learned from it. I believe that education should undergo a reformation and move away from, as Goldson puts it, an educational system "that trains us," rather than "inspires us." I also like how Goldson empathizes with faculty. She's not trying to attack them, but rather motivate them to want better for their students. It's up to the next generation of teachers to enact change in the educational system and provide their learners with the best education possible. Teachers need to think outside the box and develop creative ways to get their students to learn. If the next generation of teachers aren't able to enact reform, will reform ever happen?
I really enjoyed and could relate to both these articles. Goldson's speech in particular resonated with me. I can not begin to compile the amount of information I have learned for just long enough to take a test on it. The grade has been my main goal for years, guided by parents who would rather see A's than know that I really got something out of the class. At this point in my college career, I and my fellow education majors have had so much of the same information taught to us over and over again that we respond like robots to the questions posed to us. We, however, are majoring in a subject that will allow us to have a concrete job plan upon graduation. This is one of the most important aspects of education if we believe common thought, get a diploma and get a real job. How many times have I heard someone scoff at a psych or comm major because they won't be able to get a job with their piece of paper. I really liked Goldson's statement that, "We are not here to get a degree, to then get a job, so we can consume industry-approved placation after placation." When I graduate, what will I really know?
Erica Golden’s valedictorian speech was well written and bold. A few times while I was reading it, I wondered what the reactions were of people in the crowd. She is very honest about her opinions and I imagine many different people within the educational system were there watching. I also thought that the things she was saying were very much ahead of her time. Her ideas were mature and thought provoking, especially for someone just graduating high school. I liked it when she said, “I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning.” At first I was surprised to hear that, but then I realized that I do that too! I try my best just to be good at school, but not necessarily to learn everything that’s placed before me. She says, “our motivational force ought to be passion, but this is lost from the moment we step into a system that trains us, rather than inspires us.” I love the idea of being passionate about what you do. When I think about becoming a teacher, I get excited thinking about the fact that I will have the opportunity and privilege to be someone in my students’ lives who is there to motivate, encourage, and guide them. Reading her speech, and the article about the death of schools, reminded me of one reason why I want to become a teacher. We have an incredible influence on students’ lives and that is not something I want to take lightly. Erica says, “We are human beings. We are thinkers, dreamers, explorers, artists, writers, engineers.” As teachers we can see every student as an individual with different goals, dreams, and pursuits. We don’t have to treat our class like robots or slaves to the system. We can treat them as human beings, designed for a purpose.
My question would be: how can we encourage curiosity, adventure, and resilience in schools where standards must be met? How can we do this in a math class?
After reading the article "Education After the Death of School" I felt that a good point about the death of schools was made. When the school dies, the students and teachers will continue to come but they will not enjoy it. They will focus their attention on anything that feels like an escape from the school day.
I feel that our current school system is heading in this direction due the large amount of restrictions implemented by the government. These restrictions are forcing teachers to supply students with the curriculum they have created in the way they desire it to be taught. This is killing the creativity of teachers which makes their desire to teach decline. Simultaneously the students do not enjoy being schools because they feel like it is a burden for them and it is not enjoyable to be in school. They are required to be in school and when a teacher is not able to create engaging lessons, students enjoy being there less and less. This brings up the question. What can be done to revive the life of schools, and whose responsibility is it?
I would also like to respond to the valedictorian speech. I, like many of my classmates, have also pondered on why I am in school and what the ultimate purpose is of "learning" what I learn. I truly forget most of what I am taught anyways. I am a good student and I have a very high GPA but like Erica says in her speech, I earned this by being a good test taker and memorizing information that I soon forgot. I would guess I am not as intelligent as many of the people who get much lower grades than me. My grades, with some exceptions, really only reflect my ability to follow rules and procedures. I have also wondered: how much of what we learn in schools is actually what we should be learning? For example, why is it so important to know a date in history? What can we really learn from a date that we can apply to our personal growth or the growth of society? Rather than focus on historical dates, we should be learning why the event in history happened and what we can learn from it in terms of bettering ourselves and communities. This should be the case for all learning. While some facts are important, we need to understand how everything we are learning can be applied in authentic ways. I have talked to my brother about this before. We both agreed that college isn't about acquiring true knowledge but rather learning how to jump through the bureaucratic hoops of our society. Education should be something that sticks with you and changes you for the better. If you can't remember anything you learned from a class (which happens to me often) it is like you never took the class and is a total waste of time. When I truly feel I have learned is when a teacher has sparked an interest or passion in me and then I pursue knowledge on my own because it is interesting to me. I think the key to a good education is getting students to be intrinsically motivated to learn for themselves. That is when true learning happens.
The valedictorian’s speech really made me reflect on my time in high school. I do remember teachers referring a lot to what would be on the test, and only paying attention to those things. However, I do remember teachers telling us that “everything” would be on the test, and that we should just learn it all. At the time I found this to be extremely obnoxious and it made me dislike the teachers. However, now I see that they were just trying to make us learn more. I think that it is important to know what will be on a test, but teachers should do things like this to make students feel like they need to learn more. When I was in high school I did literally as little as possible with still getting by. This is a habit I sometimes find myself falling back into now that I’m in college, but I am more aware of it now, and I try to do more than is expected. I know that not many people get the opportunity to go to college, and I need to get as much out of it as I can. I agree with the valedictorian when he says, “our motivational force out to be passion”. I have taken this into account when choosing my classes and picking a minor. I think that it is really important for people to study what they are interested in. I can see how in high school people may not be as interested in their classes or school in general, because they do not have the options and freedom to choose like we do in college.
I couldn't agree more with the message of the valedictorian speech. This system of education that we find ourselves in is making students stressed, obsessed with grades, focused on achievement based on a number, and making money. Due to this system students minds are limited and their passions are suppressed. Goldson points out that human beings are thinkers and dreamers and we are free to do all that if we are in an educational system that allows us to do so, but right now it holds us down. She points out that our system is driven towards grades and towards getting a job that will make us money. Goldson believes it should be driven by passion. I agree with this statement, everything is about money, when it should be about what we love to do based on our talents and passions. The way we teach should be geared more toward learning and lighting passions in the lives of our students rather than just getting the grades on projects and standardized tests. I believe this is the most important issue that we need to address in order to improve our education systems. -Megan Conway
I personally thought that the Rocha article applied to many of the same concepts that we have been talking about, particularly in the Dewey and Garrison readings. For me, the concept of "education" is becoming more and more of a difficult topic to explain and discuss. While reading the article, I started to think of my own experience in school. I always feel like information is being shoved down my throat, but not a lot of room to think for myself and find how I can relate the subject matter to myself and my career. I agree with Rocha when he talks about teachers and the ones that are becoming devalued. How is teaching supposed to be thought of as a noble profession when the rules and curriculum are becoming so strict that teachers don't feel like they have the room or time to be creative with their class so that everyone actually LEARNS the material instead of memorizing it for a test and then forgetting about it. Teachers are becoming books, people that simply spit out text and stand in front of a classroom without actually engaging the students. Even in college, I feel like information is being thrown at me in certain subjects so that I can fulfill some requirement for my major. Why am I getting a college degree when in some classes, particularly GECs, I'm not even thinking, learning, or understanding. I am just memorizing information to get a decent grade on the midterm and final. American society needs to wake up and realize that our once very strong and powerful empire is now on the decline. I truly believe that this could change with a better educational system. We need people that can think and be creative and find solutions to our problems. We don't need people that can spit out information and memorize data. We have access to computers and books that can tell us that.
The Valedictorian speech by Erica Goldson stuck out to me the most of the two readings this week. The speech helped me remembered how I was in High School and how I still am in College here at the Ohio State University. I strive constantly to get the good marks because I feel as though this is what is expected of me so I can move onto the next higher point in education. In High School higher grades allowed students to get into better colleges than who do not get higher GPA's and those who scored higher in College moved on to getting into the best Higher Education Programs. I agree with Erica in saying all students are focused on one specific goal, and when focused on this goal how are we learning whats truely important in life. Its true now adays teachers teach to the test, telling students what is important and what is not. Why should this matter because truthfully everything is important? Not just the specific things that are going to be tested on a silly one time test. She spoke about how we as students have become robots regurettating what is expected of us. Why can't school systems focus on bigger objectives rather than allowing their students to focus on getting high marks and graduating? Those two things are important but there are more important things that students should focus on. My big question for this week is how do we change the focus for grades back on the focus of learning and not memorzing and taking the most out of every class I can and others can?
I found myself reflecting on my own educational experience while reading the Valedictorian article. I do think that most of the time students do act like "robots" because they believe that is all they have to do to get the A. I felt as if I should have tried a little bit harder in high school, despite getting good enough grades to make Honor Roll each year. I feel that if I would have tried harder, or if the content taught was taught in a way that showed relevance to my life, I would have gained a lot more from those classes. Teachers shouldn't teach students in a way that has the students regergitating the information back from memorization. When content is taught in this manner, students do act like robots and regergitate the information the best they can from their short-term memory.
I found that I have taken a different approach in college and enjoy the content in my classes because they are more relevant to what I want to become (a teacher). Teachers must find the ways of teaching in which students are engaged and really learn the information. If we do not, then we are setting our students up for a difficult time in college and in the career field.
I would argue that Miss Goldson’s own perception of the education system has lead to much of her insecurity. Although it is required by law to attend school, it is not required to excel, or even to obtain a diploma. It was her choice to spend her time as she did – and maybe the lesson being presented in this speech is what she took away from the current education system. The truth is, people are constantly changing. Our goals, our “passions” are constantly evolving. If the author was once passionate about getting good grades, why is that being discounted simply because academic excellence didn’t seem as important in retrospect? I think the author is experiencing a taste of real life – and yes, it is scary. To me, “schooling” is only one aspect of that life. While some teachers are better at inspiring than others, I do not think anyone in the schools has the power to “suppress uniqueness.” It’s about creating balance between what you learn in school and what you learn away from school, and appreciating both. If you rely on the public education system to teach you everything you need to know about life – obviously there will be a problem. Yes, there are rewards and accolades for excelling academically, but there are rewards and accolades for a lot of things – and it is impossible to win them all. This young valedictorian should be proud of herself and take her own advice by embracing the excitement that comes when there is no easy answer.
I found both articles to be really interesting and making very valid points. Lately I have been considering what makes a "good student." Much like the argument made by Goldson, I have criticized the students who work very hard and dedicate the majority of their time to studying the exact ideas and facts that are required to get high grades. Further, I am not an avid studier, and end up with average grades and therefore may not make it into the masters program necessary for me to become a teacher through Ohio State's system. However, these grades do not reflect my creativity, ability to question, explore, and my passion for working with children. Yet, our education doesn't value these things, such was the point of both articles. From this, I really liked Goldson's closing points. Though throughout her speech she was heavily critical of modern education, she makes suggestions and encouraging remarks about how we can change the direction of education by being critical and finding our own perspectives.
The majority of us are in this class because we wish to be teachers. Some of us may want to teach because we want to make a difference among the youth, some of us may want to teach because we are so entrapped in the school system it seems like a safe bet. Both articles sparked a thought, not necessarily one that is new to me, but one I try not to think about much. I feel like I'm on this educational marry-go-round. I excelled in high school because my parents stressed the importance of academia, I immediately went to college because it is what was expected of me, I plan to graduate from Ohio State and start my masters directly after, once I've obtained my masters I would like to teach in a school and simultaneously work on my PhD in education. My family says I have big goals, that I am a hard worker and I want to be the best. I say I'm afraid to be done with school because it is the only thing I've known. Think about it, most of us have been in school since we were at least 6 or 7, if you went to preschool take that down to 4 or 5. My ENTIRE life has been school. My future plans are school. I have this idea that education equals success. If I'm in school for 20+ years (even if it is totally unnecessary) then I'll be successful in life, how couldn't I be? I'll have a PhD for goodness sake!?! Erica Goldson said "While others sat inclass and doodled to later become great artists, I saw in class to take notes and become a great test-taker. While others would come to class without their homework done because they were reading about an interest of theirs, I never missed an assigment. While others were creating music and writing lyrics, I decided to do extra credit, even though I never needed it." A friend of mine barely graduated high school, currently works a dead end job, but is absolutely phenomenal at the guitar. Instead of studying for school, he spent all his time locked in his room playing his instrument. I found myself pushing him to apply to a music school. Why let that talent go to waste? He would get frustrated and say, "Why do I need to go to school to succeed?" To me, that answer was obvious; because that is just how it is. Now, I'm starting to think he was the smart one. He has this amazing talent and what do I have? Knowledge? Half of the stuff I've learned I forgot immediately after the test. So now I'm thinking with my own mind, I'm not letting my parents or society tell me what I should or should not do, and I can't help but wonder, what is the point of school? To build 'responsible moral agents' for our society? People who will contribute something worthwhile? How is memorizing the presidents or the steps in photosynthesis enabling us to contribute to society? What is the point of modern education?
I really enjoyed reading these articles. Their ideas are spot on. Schools today are treat students like robots. We are given information then told to regurgitate it back on a test. Rarely, was I asked to think critically. There were probably 6 teachers I had in high school that actually made me learn and think critically. For the most part those 6 teachers were by far my favorite. Unfortunately, I was in the minority in regards to this. Many students absolutely hated these teachers, because their classes required more work and thinking. Many students really like the robotic style of education, because it is easier. I feel that more classes should put emphasis on critical thinking and applying what they have learned. Learning how to apply what they are learning will greatly benefit students later in their lives, whereas passive memorization will not. I feel that History is one of the worst subjects for this very topic. Most teachers treat history as the study of facts, names, and dates. Personally, I feel history should be much more than this. Students should look at how people lived, what they believed in, why they believed it. Then they can trace all of this over time and see where some of their beliefs originated. Critical thinking is important and needs to be used more in the classroom.
The articles for this week had a focus on a narrow definition of the purpose of education taking over the school. The act of making the educational experience as a vocational one seems to be a complete 180 away from the initial purpose of public schooling. Education in the social sense was more of an at home event. Now the lines are blurred between what the parent as a teacher is responsible for and what the government is responsible to teach. Perhaps this begins with the idea that educated people began to out due the at home instructors. These articles seem to put a lot of definition of the school as a vocational institution that is responsible for preparing the nation's children for the working lives they are headed for. There is little focus on preparing them to become more than people that produce a number value. The articles place value on the unquantifiable benefits a school should provide its students. To avoid creating a mindless and unmotivated mob of test takers the articles support people from all walks of life working together to become passionate learners, rather than mere test takers. I feel that use of grading at the end of a book, journals or whatever else to discover the overall comprehension and growth patterns of the students is a wonderful idea. By having a log of the lessons I have used and the benefits they have produced I can develop the classroom routine around a range of different individuals. This has the potential to create an atmosphere that effectively engages the student in learning and avoids creating a memorize and recite environment.
I enjoyed all three readings this week, but the one that I can really concur with is Erica Goldson's graduation speech. I was salutatorian of my high school and was a good student, but all I learned was how to "memorize names, places, and dates to later on forget".
I found myself agreeing with every point that Goldson made in her speech. She really opened my eyes to my past education experiences. I am getting ready to graduate in a month, but I find myself questing what I learned the last sixteens years of schooling that I went through? I really feel that I did not even learn a third of what I could have and should have. I cram for tests and then immediately forget the information after the test is over with. I think that this is exactly what Erica is explaining in her speech. This method is probably what many students use because it works (pretty good) and no one tries to fix or change it. I just wish that I would have known early on that I would not take away as much information from classes as I should have by doing this. I think that the curriculum needs to be adjusted to make it impossible, or at least harder, for students to just cram information and then not have to recall it again after being tested on it. Teachers really need to work hard to motivate and challenge the students and instill to them the idea that the focus of education is more on learning rather than just getting good grades. Grades are pretty much the only thing that students are taught to care about, and this is where educational systems go wrong. I thought that Goldson made really good point when she made recommendations to current and future students. "You still have the opportunity to stand up, ask questions, be critical, and create you own perspective. Demand a setting that will provide you with the intellectual capabilities that allow you to expand your mind instead of directing it. Demand that you be interested in class. Demand that the excuse, "You have to learn this for the test" is not good enough for you." These recommendations could be the start of an attempt at fixing the educational system, but will students actually ever take her advice?
"The Death of Education" article was interesting yet confusing. What I can take from this article, is that when teaching I must go beyond just the lesson plan. I need to make all learning experiences memorable, applicable, and relevant for students. Rather than just solely teaching a lesson plan, I need to engage students into activities by using multisensory tools like drama. For example, in my "drama in the classroom" course I learned that children retain so much more information when they are acting as characters from a book rather than just discussing major inquiry questions within a book.
Also, technology allows students to be more lazy in school. Children have calculators, spell check, grammar check, google, and other technologies at their fingertips at all times. This allows students to come to correct answers without actually having to do any cognitive processing. I think that students need to be self sufficient and independent thinkers. Therefore, forcing them to be active learners instead of passive learners is imperative. Although the article had a roundabout way of getting to the point, I believe that it is suggesting students will not only not learn as much but also teachers will be less appreciated and needed in the long run.
I enjoyed reading Goldson's graduation speech because like a lot of other people, the realizations she made during her high school career are similar to things we've reflected about ourselves at some point in time. This 'system' that is too often brought up as a problem in education really does affect the way teachers teach and the way students learn. Most of us have found ourselves studying for tests in high school, and even in college, thinking, 'how is this material at all relevant to my life?' Goldson's reflections are not new and ingenious realizations. Once a person gets wrapped up in the system and it becomes natural, they will eventually have a similar reflection. This issue with this speech (as well as with many articles on education, i.e. Dewey, Rocha) is that intellects and scholars continue to focus on the 'problem' of modern education and the controlling system that stifles creativity of teachers and turns students into robots. These same articles have been written for a hundred years. I agree with the points made by each, but find it strange that there is little written about HOW to make this change in education. I don't necessarily think the teacher is always to blame for teaching to the test or limiting the creativity in the classroom. Sometimes in rigid autocratic school systems the teachers have to do the best with what they're given. Like we discussed in class, I would like to find written works on the positives of teaching. How can teachers rise above the system? Who are the exceptional teachers of the country and what can we learn from them?
The valedictorian's speech reminds me of the valedictorian at my own high school. She worked the system and had little time for everything else. I found out that when she was not at school or extracurricular activities she was studying. The speaker points out many of the flaws of the education system mainly being that it teaches to the test and stifles creativity and self exploration. What she doesn't answer is the question of how do we fix it?
I found the graduation speech to be interesting and enlightening. The point that she addressed about us being slaves throughout life to get the jobs that we strive to attain is a very valid point. We are told that we need to be critical thinkers and while thinking about this idea, how are we not always critically thinking? Throughout our education teachers constantly push us to do our best and exceed expectations to simply gain the jobs and careers that we want. Taking this into account the most important thing that we should get out of our education is that we are well rounded education citizens. What should be most important is that we gain knowledge from our education and we should not simply strive for what kind of jobs we can all attain. Don't get me wrong it is crucial to ensure that we all get the jobs that we want however education does not always meet the needs that we as students need. We are not able to study the things that we really take interest in because we are told that we need to meet the certain standards in order to graduate and make something of ourselves. Education goals need to be shifted to make sure that our students are really gaining what they should be out of their education.
In the valedictorian speech that we needed to read I was very impressed by the strong words that the student used. The things that were said made a lot of sense, and are usually the sentiment shared with many high school students in the country. I wish that I could have been at the ceremony so that I would have heard the words being spoken; I feel that they would have had a deeper meaning if heard in person. There was one part of the speech that really stuck out to me, “For those of you that work within the system that I am condemning, I do not mean to insult; I intend to motivate. You have the power to change the incompetencies of this system. I know that you did not become a teacher or administrator to see your students bored.” My question is who wants their students to be bored in class? I hope no one. I really hope that my students don’t get bored in my class. I remember being the student that was bored in class, and I don’t want to subject my students to the same thing. I plan to work to make sure that my class is the one that students think about in years to come because it was so good. I want my students to come back and thank me for the education that they received. If I fail to do this with my students I hope that one of them will tell me so that I may fix this problem.
I was really impressed by the Valedictorian Speech by Erica Goldson. I was extremely surprised that this was written for a high school graduation because of the critical thinking she brings up in her speech.“We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating as first in the class. However, in this way, we do not really learn. We do whatever it takes to achieve our original objective.” This statement sums up exactly how I feel about the education system, somehow we have gotten to this point where teachers are not teaching students how to learn but are teaching them to get through the cracks and pass the tests and achieve goals without a lot of work done. When I think back to the best teachers I had through high school, they were not the teachers who taught me how to ‘just get by’ but the ones who made me struggle and push to get good grades and achieve my goals. These teachers who made me work to achieve were the ones who I really respect and look back and really appreciate and this is the type of teacher I want to be. These teachers taught me so much more than just the content from their class, I learned skills that have made me a better person.
I thought both of these articles were very good reads. The information that was presented in both of these articles, I couldn't agree more with. Students do the same routine over and over again. Put yourself in their shoes, would you like to do the same thing over and over? I think most of us would say they wouldn't want to do that. That is why it is important to make are lesson plans diverse and creative as teachers. It is our responsiblity to make the kids have fun while they are learning. The children wil not only have fun, but they will remember and learn more from doing so. I remember when we created the scene of D-Day with waterballoons in 6th grade. It was not only a blast at the time, but we all remember how that battle took place. If I went in and just took notes over and over each day, I wouldn't remember it as well and my attention would probably last a few minutes. The question that I have from this article is how do you know how many notes a child should take a certain day? College seems like notes, notes, and more notes. However, I think taching younger children, notes shouldn't be stressed as much. Maybe they should for future practice though?
I really liked the valedictorian's speech. I know that in high school, and even some classes in college, I did very little and obtained an A. In my high school it was very easy to do nothing and still get the good grades. I know my senior year was nothing but a joke. I had completely checked out and although my councilors said to not take the easy way out and to still challenge myself, I was not challenged. I took hard classes, but for the most part most of my homework was graded on completion and not correction. When it comes to college things are different, slightly. There are some classes that I have been challenging, but some haven't been. I have had classes that all I had to do was memorize facts and definitions. There was no need to know how to apply the concepts or what they really mean. With some classes it is all about being able to spit out the information on a test and the teachers do not really care if you actually learned and know the information they are "teaching". And it seems like those are the teachers who take attendance and use that as part of your grade. Like they make you come to their class, the class the prof. posts all of the notes online and read them word for word during class. And they expect you to be there for the words most boring classes but when it comes time to test you they don't test you on the concepts/theories because they can't because they never taught concepts, they taught facts and definitions.
These two articles brought up very significant points about our education system. I have pondered these same ideas, as I am sure many others have as well, but what can we do? As a society we are forced into this educational intuition and therefore do not know anything different. Sure we can talk about these negatives of our education and point out what is wrong, but at the end of the day, I am taking this class because I have to in order to get my degree saying that I am qualified to teach. Not that I have not enjoyed this class and, in fact, the reading for this class has been the most influential I have had yet, but I otherwise would probably not read these articles if is was not required. In the end we need grades to be deemed successful in western society. It is not right at all and much is being lost in the process, but nothing can be done unless we stop talking and start doing. I am by no means taking an negative outlook on the future of education, but rather becoming inspired to teach how to think, not how to learn canned information. Too often we hear of teachers becoming burnt out from these problems that the speech and article both addressed. Making teachers aware of these flaws before they begin teaching in the hopes of preventing this is the first step in change.
Both of the articles were very interesting and brought up the point that in classrooms, a lot of students become “robots.” In other words, they come to class, take notes, go home, study, and do the same thing day after day. In this sense, they do not get much value out of the topics discussed in class since they are only there for good grades. I can relate to this because I have been in classes where I have acted similarly. This happens when I find a class boring or I am unable to relate to the topic. The classes that I care most about are those where I am most interested in the subject or have an inspiring teacher who is passionate about the subject.
ReplyDeleteEducation should be about deeper learning in addition to receiving good grades. Students have potentials but not all students apply themselves because they may dislike a class. And, the ones that do may not really care about learning. Just like the graduation speech addressed, students may have regrets after graduating that they did not gain a lot from school. And, like the text said this is why students may be fearful. I feel I’ve gained from education. But, a lot of what I have gained is a combination of what I learn within classes and how I apply it to other experiences. Deeper lessons can be learned in class rather than just memorizing words, equations, etc. Yes, these things do prepare us for jobs, but we also need people skills, and to hopefully find something we are passionate about doing later in life. There are all sorts of different ways to be successful and people value different things. How do we decide what we value? How are we going to convey the idea to future students that they should get more out of education than just good grades? Do the students need to be more motivated or is there something the teachers/school can do to help?
I really loved both of these readings; they truly resonated with me. Both dealt with the standardization of schooling, highlighting that the motivations are not altruist – not to provide an equitable level of access to knowledge or expanding students’ horizons – but instead fueled by a lust for domination and mechanization. Education is less about learning and more about “knowing.” Less about finding, and more about internalizing what one is told. Less about liberation and freedom, and more about creating the drones needed for the workforce, for citizenship in our consumerist society. It reminds me of Paulo Freire’s “Banking” theory. Freire says that education is now in a state where students are institutionalized and turned into empty vessels for information to be just dropped into. That students are expected to blindly accept “information” from an omniscient teacher, and the measure of success is by how proficient a student is with this task. The Valedictorian Speech did an excellent job at exposing the fallacy of this idea. Freire highlighted that what is needed for true learning is “problem-posing” education, where the students and teacher have an interrelated relationship and where asking questions and seeking answers is primary. That is what the student, Erica Golson, says she missed in school. She missed learning because of education. I find this true and deafening, and I agree. Like Goldson, my goal in college was to get good grades and to “finish.” I was enthralled by the classes that challenged my views, or gave me different things to see. But with all the other classes, that information fell by the wayside. And I thing this is sad.
ReplyDeleteSo I agree that learning is not just encapsulated in bland lessons and rote memorization. As teachers we should challenge students to not just receive, but to formulate: to create their own ideas and use their brains as mechanisms for thought and not as temporary databases. I want my students to know that life is about living and learning, and not about tests, grades, and unnecessary information. As I enter grad school, I have to remember this myself! Goldson’s article truly inspired me to take back my life from the confines of what I should do and following the piper. Instead, life is about living , the expression of creativity and the continuous quest for knowledge . I want my students to embrace this. I think to ensure my students don’t become slaves to education, I must free myself first, and be dedicated to emancipating them.
“That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach.” – Aldous Huxley
ReplyDeleteI think this quote resonates with the Astore article and the commodification of education. For better or worse, the economy is different than it was 20-30 years ago. We have moved to an almost exclusive service based economy. Education is a service, much like healthcare, and finance, with the latter two driving the bulk of the country’s GDP. As a result Americans have traded in professionalism, patriotism, and spiritualism for CONSUMERSIM. It is the single driving force in our socio-political landscape, and it is majorly affecting the country’s education system. Ken Robinson compared our current education system to the McDonalds system, which through standardization, industrialization, and uniformity creates a cheap, uninspired, and unhealthy product. The parallels are easy to make and shockingly similar to our schools today. Instead of a McDonald’s approach, Robinson suggests that education model itself after Zagat and Michelin rated restaurants, who prosper from creativity, ingenuity, and a passion for food. Teachers should be chefs, who create and inspire, rather than burger flippers who exercise monotony and spirit deadening work.
Check out this quick animation on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
Justin Beattie
The Valedictorian's speech really made me think about these past three years that I have spent in college. I've asked myself numerous times what have I learned from my classes? There are times that I cannot even answer that question. There are quite a few classes that I cannot even remember. I was more concerned with obtaining an A in a course than I was retaining what I had just learned. After taking a midterm, most of the information that I knew has already left my memory. It's sad, but true. I've trained myself to study, get an A, and pass a class. There are many classes that I wish I could just go through without having to be tested. I cannot enjoy a class when I'm always worried about what information is going to be on a test. I learn more from teachers who aren't so “traditional”. They require deeper thinking and for you to critically examine a topic/idea. Other classes just want you to know the information enough to regurgitate it back on a test. Don't get me wrong, I have retained information from the majority of my classes. These are the classes that I can relate to in some way and apply to my surroundings. Sometimes students learn more from actually being able to do something than just sitting in a classroom taking notes. They may feel more prepared for their career if they can get some hands-on experience before they graduate. Internships are very helpful with this task. How do we convey this idea to teachers though? How do we get students to understand that learning is more than just getting an A on a test in or a class?
ReplyDeleteReading Goldson's Speech made me think a lot about how I was in high school especially. In high school it was all about getting the A and most of the time taking short cuts or just memorizing the study guide was how to do that. I have even found myself at times confused about a subject, but rather than working through it and asking questions I get reassured it will not be tested and in my mind it is then unimportant. I think the biggest thing is teachers who teach for a test. Even though as students this is our favorite kind of teacher because we know we will be informed of exactly what will be tested and will then be able to get a good grade on it. This idea is what is causing students to cram for a test and then dump everything from their brains directly following it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kristyn that in college a great way to work around this education issue is internships. I think that really gets you in the field and makes you think for yourself and not just get the grade or pass the test, but rather apply knowledge you have learned and see where it is you need help and guidance. That to me is learning. The classes we are forced to take, practically just slide through, and then dump the "knowledge" is not learning for life.
I actually love the Valedictorian article. I thought the point of it was excellent. I feel the problem with schools though is not necessarily the teachers, but the school board guidelines that have to be followed so the students can learn whats "on the test". I know from when i loved in New York that we had the New York Regents and we had to learn "stuff for the test." I remember my teachers always saying we need to do this because its on the test. So i dont feel the problem is the teachers, i feel as though there is too much pressure on them because of State tests. Although there are so many ways they can be a lot more creative in teaching what has to be done. I totally agree with studying really hard you will just continue to learn and that you can never get it done any quicker. I used to think that a lot of the HDFS classes at Ohio State all teach basically the same thing so i wondered why they are all necessary to take, but there are so many different aspects of different things that you can learn and with kids there is always something new to learn. Children would really enjoy school so much more if teachers were hired based on how unique they are and creative and fun. I know teachers love their job, and they would love it so much more if they have more of a chance to show their own creativity without pressure of just getting stuff in the kids heads for their tests. Children would also have more of an understanding for things rather than just learning it to forget it after the test. So my question would be, is it ever going to change because the children in school now are the future and someday will be teaching others?
ReplyDeleteI've asked myself many times during my tenure in college, "why am I here?". I've been in college for 6 years now, and have an Associates Degree to show for it. I keep telling myself that teaching is what I want to do. Teaching is what I love doing. Yet, the Goldson speech makes me wonder how much I will actually like teaching once I get out of college. Goldson had some sort of epiphany before graduated, and had no idea what she loved or wanted to do. Because she was so focused on being the best student she could, she didn't take the time to look forward and contemplate how her schooling will help out her future. I suppose it all boils down to perspective. It what we do actually work? Is it training? Are we going into the field of teaching or spoon feeding? I honestly hope that I'm not plucked from college and put into a system where I have to spoon feed students information from a can and hope that they all are able to digest it without needing any Pepto Bismol. Goldson calls this "brainwashing". I'm not sure I consider this to be brainwashing. We aren't discouraged to think for ourselves, but we are universally tested under the same criteria. Which means we all have to think similarly, but not identically. For someone who followed all of their classes, aced all their tests, and worked the "system" as well as she did, it might be considered "brainwashing". For those of us who have never received straight A's, our perspective is slightly different. I didn't find the need to conform myself to every plan/system laid out before me. I can definitely see where she is coming from, and if I were her, I'd feel like a slave. But, it is all a matter of perspective. I hope I don't end up having to spoon feed my students information. Because that isn't teaching. Teaching is accomplished when knowledge is acquired by the student, not information. And knowledge requires thought. There is something that needs to be done with today's educational system. How do we incorporate more thought in our classrooms while also giving students the information they need to be successful on the standardized testing? Or would re-vamping the entire educational system be too safe of an option? Let's be realistic.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the valedictorian speech, there were many points made that I agreed with about students and their education, and made me think as to how I can avoid this in my classroom someday so that my students get the best education possible.
ReplyDelete"We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating as first in the class. However, in this way, we do not really learn. We do whatever it takes to achieve our original objective." I think this is especially true in today's educational system with so much of it being geared towards passing all the standardized tests. I have younger siblings and cousings, and when I talk to them about school, I have heard them mention several times having not only the standardized tests, but also memorizing things for the test. But when I go to talk to them about something a couple months later, they can't hardly tell me anything about it.
"Our motivational force ought to be passion, but this is lost from the moment we step into a system that trains us, rather than inspires us." I know from personal experience, and I think that most people would agree that they have learned better, no matter what it may be, when they were inspired and truely motivated to actually learn it, rather than just memorize it for the test. Also, when we are inspired and movtivated, we are more likely to go above and beyond and learn more than necessary, rather than the information we memorize, where we get by with what will help us past the test.
I think many going into the field of teaching would agree that we need to get our students more motivated and inspired to learn, rather than them just memorizing to past the test and get by. However, with such an emphasis on standardized tests in our school systems, how do we as teachers get our students to that point of inspiration and motiviation that they are willing to go past just memorization?
Katelyn Chester
I enjoyed the article about school not being a commodity. I would not have thought to link the obsessive quantifying in education as being influenced by the military. The author brings a unique perspective by writing this article. Education should not be viewed as a commodity, but I think it is. It is sold as the key to a successful future. Academia may stuff information from a book into students' mouths, but retention and practicality are largely ignored. The teacher spoke words and gave a test; the education system only focuses on grades. Addressing the person as a whole is often ignored. After the class, it is up to the students to remember what they learned and build upon it. This I don't necessarily have a problem with. However, I have been in only one class that talked about study habits, memory formation, studies on teaching methods, different types of learners, and information about how I specifically learn and think. Presenting information is undoubtedly important, but it isn't always enough.
ReplyDeleteI thought the valedictorian speech made some interesting points. The question of why we’re in school and what we’re really learning is one that I often ask myself. My high school’s motto was “We learn not for school, but for life,” but this didn’t stop students from caring about grades to the extent that it impeded their learning. I know that I am often guilty of memorizing for a test, and forgetting the information soon after. Sure, I get A’s, but have I really learned anything? However, if you don’t make grades important, how do you accurately assess learning? Is there a way to make students want to learn without attaching a graded value? And what then happens when students are applying for colleges, or even jobs that look closely at transcripts and resumes? It seems difficult to change the thinking of the graded system. And I think we also need to examine the environment we are going into. Jobs are often based of a somewhat skewed reward system as well. Creativity and practical experience seem to matter less and less. It’s all about how well you can follow instructions. And if this is the case, why do we need higher education at all? What are we supposed to be getting out of our expensive college educations, specializations, and higher degrees? I’m not sure what can be done, but it seems that something needs to change.
ReplyDelete-Katie Kuvin
I too would like to comment on the Valedictorian speech. Not because I found it more interesting than the other, but because I have somehow miss placed the other article and cannot find it online. Anyhow I found the speech to be both passionate and idealistic. I appreciate the stance taken in regards to the American education system. As many of my peers have, I too found myself reflecting over my time here at Ohio State. Although I will be graduating this quarter, I truly question what it is that I have learned during my time here. No doubt I have grown as an individual, I have been able to find "who I am" and " who I wish not to be". However as far as education, in the sense of "higher learning" I have real questions about what is I will be taking away with me from this institution. I know for a fact that I cannot remember at least 80% of the materials covered during my time in the classroom. I think the other 20% of the information shared was information covered over and over in multiple classes. I also wonder how much of this information will I be able to put into practice once I am in a classroom of my own. The one thing I have learned is that I will likely be "teaching" a curriculum that's purpose is to increase test scores.
ReplyDeleteThis idea leaves me feeling a little apprehensive about my future as an "educator". It also made me wonder what it might take to start a REAL educational revolution. Is the students responsibility to stand up and demand reform? Should we look to the parents of today's young students and inform them of the injustices their loved one's are facing each time they step into the classroom? Or is up to us, as fresh new educator's to stand up for ourselves and our students, and proclaim that we will no longer be a part of an educational system that fails those who sole purpose it is to educate.
Bryan Stumpf
Though I admire Astore and Goldson for their bold and impudent critique of the American educational system, I'm not sure if there is a realistic alternative to the way in which the education system is run. I completely agree with the thrust of their arguments, but I simply do not see a possible world (at least in the foreseeable future) that is not driven by achievement and standardized testing. I wish, I TRULY wish I (or my students for that matter) could take a class for the simple enjoyment of taking a class, but the world we live in does not create an environment in which that is realistic or efficacious. And that is precisely the problem, the need for efficacy. We as a society are completely focused on results. Bigger, better, faster. America used to be about opportunity. Now it is about who can build the best tools. And not only that: who can do it in the least amount of time, with the least resources and turn the biggest profit. It is scary when one stops to think about it. I am glad that Ms. Goldson stopped to think about the reality of her situation. Unfortunately however, I think that the alternative put forth by Astore and Goldson is simply not realistic, nor (I hate to say this) desirable. I wish it were, but the consumerism and materialism that have a hold on our country will not be letting go any time soon. What I want to know is this: To what degree is this educational system they put forth possible? Though I think it impossible on a national level, can we achieve this sort of system in our classrooms? How would we go about doing such a thing?
ReplyDeleteReading the valedictorian speech made me think about a lot. When I think about my past classes, it is discouraging to think that my classes were exactly like what the student was talking about. I went to class just to take notes and pass the tests. There’s very little that I actually remember. Sadly, today in my African American history class I was unable to recall what countries fought on the axis and ally sides in World War II when are professor asked us. I remember learning about it in high school and memorizing them but then just forgot them. I believe that a lot of students can relate to this. Personally, I don’t remember that information because it didn’t interest me and I just was focused on getting an A. Some of my college courses have been boring but some of them really interest me. It’s not all about memorizing info but it’s about learning and being able to apply it to real life. To be honest, this class has opened me up to a lot of ideas and has gotten me look at education a little differently. I feel like in college students have more opportunities to ask questions and to learn more beyond just the facts. I always find it interesting when one of my classmates ask a question about something we wouldn’t even need to know. I usually get annoyed and think its wasting time because I’m just focused on what we would have to know for the exam. In actuality, the student that questions a lot will be better off because they are interested in deepening their knowledge. I really hope that more people can be opened up to this idea and can work on improving the education system.
ReplyDeleteSam Rocha’s article, Education After the Death of School, really made me experience many emotions when discussing the death of school. “The death of school would be a time when schools would continue to exist, but would cease to be believed in”, Rocha says on page 2. I personally believe that today, education is on its deathbed if not already dead in most cities. There are some cities who keep their schools alive by having excellent school boards who put the money from taxes where it belongs, (I believe that these schools districts are few), but then there are many cities who are constantly dealing with new school levies because unfortunately they have a school board who does not know how to properly delegate their funds. Education is just this thing in society that everyone has to “do” for 13 years (and 13 more years for each child they bring into the world) and not everyone fully understands what goes into making an education system work. Because not everyone (including many people in the education system) knows how education works then it leads to making teachers and students the equivalent to hamsters continuously running on a wheel. I truly believe that in many city schools that students and teachers are already treated this way and it is going to only get worse. I believe that this has been a continuous theme that we have discussed but it still concerns and scares me, because when it comes to teaching I do not just want to be another ‘teacher’ who just doesn’t matter to my school district. I want to teach for a school district that is proud of their educators, that supports them 110%, and that is proud to be in charge of shaping the minds of many children. I can only hope that I will find my perfect school district, or something as close as possible.
ReplyDelete-Emily Mink
The articles were so sad but so true. What I’ve noticed subbing is that teachers are not only robots but the young teachers who are innovative (as much as they can be) don’t get the respect or support they deserve from students as well as other faculty members. One of my favorite television series as a kid was The Cosby Show and I will never forget the episode when a guy said, “What is an A?” and Theo says, “Where can I get that book?” Cliff says, “You don’t read son.” Theo says, “Maybe there will be a movie about it.” Cliff says, “People who ask that are the ones who aren’t getting any?”
ReplyDeleteThe valedictorian mentioned the same thing. This being my second time doing this college thing I find myself mentioned in both articles. One because I bust my butt to get the A’s and secondly, because I decided that teaching would be a higher paying job than I was doing at the time. It sucks. The more I get into the teaching and learning or policy and leadership classes the more excited I get because I can’t wait to teach the way I always wanted a teacher to teach me. Except because someone, a parent, a stubborn student, or administration can dictate what and how I teach, I may still find myself attending school again so hopefully I can be the boss and make decisions or run a school the way I like.
My husband I watched Waiting for Superman, and though the movie was bias the truth was that America’s education system is terrible. It was the best form of birth control because we are terrified of what our unborn child’s school would be like. Heck, subbing at my old high school, I notice the change. I just hope my dreams come true and I will have the opportunity to make learning fun, because it can be!
I wish someone had given a speech like that at my graduation. I agree that education today has become more stifling than enabling. In one of my other classes we talked about what the goals of education were, and I did list socialization. However, I in ways that would allow a person to function with and around other people. Education today seems to be more about socializing people into something. I think that tracking especially does this. I know that isn't what I was envisioning when I made that list, but now I have to wonder where that line is. When does preparing children to function in society become stifling them into a life chosen for them?
ReplyDeleteIn Erica Goldson’s valedictorian speech she looks back on the type of educational system she was placed in as a girl in America and she states that she “can’t run away to another country with an education system meant to enlighten rather than condition.” Her statement sums up the American school system. Everything in an American classroom is concerned with working toward graduation through route memorization in the form of standardized tests. All papers, lessons and worksheets are designed to brand facts into the students’ minds in order for them to easily retrieve the facts when it comes time to excel on the standardized tests. Through this type of education, our children are not learning about how to succeed in the job market or society but instead is reducing their intelligence down to the memorization of facts and spitting them out verbatim upon request. This is an issue because the world today does not revolve around the memorization of facts but instead the use of these facts in a creative way in order to solve difficult problems and issues. By having children memorize facts we are only equipping them with half of the things they need to be successful in the world. It is like dropping them off at Home Depot and having them memorize where everything is in the store and them telling them to build a house with no other knowledge. They are simply not equipped for the job. Schools today squash creativity in order to keep the class moving forward to the 100% proficiency and accomplishing all of the state standards, and through this squashing students are not learning how to apply their innate creativity to situations. Without students knowing how to think creatively and being able to use that knowledge to fix issues, the students will never be prepared to complete in the real world.
ReplyDeleteKatie O'Connell
I found the "Education After the Death of School" article to be very interesting. At first, it was difficult for me to understand what Sam Rocha meant by the death of the school. However, I think that he is right. Schools, American schools in particular, have been failing and falling behind other industrialized nations for years now. However, instead of stopping the way that we are schooling children and working the kinks out of a failed system, we keep teaching in the same old ways that are obviously not working. Our form of schooling doe not seem to be able to deliver the necessary education. The problem seems to be that no one is willing to change the system. Much in the same way that schools are failing, traditional schooling is dying. I believe that the cause of this has a lot to do with the issues that we discussed last week regarding democracy in education. There are some awesome teachers out there who probably have reasonable ideas as to how we can change schooling so that students are receiving an education. However, the issue then becomes that administrators and school boards are unwilling to drift from the norm and try something new for fear of greater failure. I agree that traditional schooling will soon come to an end. I believe that the best way to allow the death of schooling while not allowing for the death of education is to promote democracy within schools. Maybe it is time for a less traditional form of schooling in order to meet the demands of a future society. Do you think that traditional schooling should be done away with, and more freedom put in the hands of teachers?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Erica Goldson’s speech, I was actually proud of the things that she said. I think it’s incredible for an eighteen year old to notice these things about the Education system, and especially to mention it in front of a large crowd of people, such as parents, educators and of course the graduating seniors. Goldson made many strong points in her speech about the education system. Throughout high school and even college, I feel like I was mostly focusing on my grades and to just pass with a high grade point average. Grades were and still are extremely important to me, but at the same time, I feel like because I was so focused on getting good grades, I hardly focused on truly learning. I am not trying to say that I did not learn anything, but because teachers often emphasize that getting good grades and passing tests are extremely important, many students look at that and make it their main focus to do exactly what the teacher tells them. “When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path” What this teacher meant when replying to his student was because we are so focused on a goal, whether it’s passing a test or getting straight A’s, we do not really learn anything in order to achieve our full potential. Most classrooms today include the teacher lecturing and then testing their students over the material that was “taught.” As stated many times, this is only a robotic method, having the students learn the information for a test, and losing that information as soon as they have completed the test. I honestly experienced that many times in college as well. I’ve had many classes where I just sat in my chair, and listened to my teacher lecture. That honestly is extremely boring to me. I also zone out at times because it gets difficult for me to concentrate when the only thing you are doing is sitting for a long period of time, listening and sometimes taking notes. I am the kind of person that enjoys doing group activities in order to communicate with my peers. I also enjoy other activities, such as going on site visits or doing other memorable things outside of the classroom in order to help me understand the main point of the lesson. I believe that test-taking is not an efficient way to prove if a student is truly learning. Fun hands-on activities are more memorable to a student. For example, since testing is mandatory, when implementing fun learning activities in the classrooms, this may help the students recall that activity on a test and help them not only become better test takers, but to have the information being taught in their long term memories.
ReplyDeleteI have found that all the readings of this week talk and focus on one important point, the goal of education. What is the goal of teaching and education for both the teacher and the student? Are the students benefitting anything from going to school and getting educational degrees? From the readings we can see that the American teaching system focuses on other aspects of education other than education itself.
ReplyDeleteMost students do not benefit from going to school. In the speech of the valedictorian and the Astore article, they point out that students go to school to study, memorize, and work hard to pass exams with excellent grades. Once the exam is over, all the material they have learnt is over as well. It makes me really sad to even think about it, I know as a student one day; I have worked hard to excel in all of my subjects of study to earn good grades. But to think about it from a teacher’s point of view, I feel that my efforts to teach my students something beneficial to them, which they can use on a daily basis, are useless.
As illustrated in “Education after the death of school”, education still exists but the process of learning does not exist anymore. Learning is what makes a person and what makes us moral agents. Learning is achieved through education. But of education has no goals, and the students are not learning, then the schools are really dead. Just thinking about this is scary, as a student, I am scared not to get any benefit out of going to school all these years, and as a teacher, I am scared to be more of like a robot machine, working a certain number of hours every day and not worrying too much about what my students have learnt to be better human beings and good citizens.
The question here then would be: how to put our school systems back into life? What needs to be changed so that our students are benefitting from learning and enjoying it at the same time? How can we build a great nation with knowledgeable moral agent?
I took in Goldson’s valedictorian speech and found it to be very intriguing. Goldson experiences an epiphany prior to graduation, and through this journey he comes to a realization. She comprehends that by placing all of her focus on being a productive student, she did not take the necessary time to look forward and contemplate how schooling would help in the future. This notion points out the belief that students are so caught up getting A’s in their classes that they completely disregard the fact that the material can be applicable and beneficial to post college life. As teachers, it is our job to help our students live up to their fullest potential. We must encourage our students to explore their academic capabilities and grow in everyway possible. We don’t want to be teachers like Goldson notices who “brainwash” students by spoon feeding them information, limiting the students to only one view of the problem. I agree with her on the notion that students shouldn’t have to accept information without question from an omniscient teacher. As a class we all need to be at the same location, but we must remember that there are numerous ways to get there. We must work in the classroom to ensure that the students obtain a well balanced education that allows for all around growth. The question that we need to ask is how can we integrate more knowledge in the classroom in order to further prepare the children for the future. We must be able to give our students multiple ways of learning so in the case one strategies fails, they can still solve the problem.
ReplyDeleteI really liked all three of the readings this week, but "Students Aren't Customers; Education Is Not a Commodity" especially rang true to me. The final sentence stood out: "If we were properly educated as a nation, the only torturing going on might be in our own hearts and minds - a struggle against accepting the world as it's being packaged and sold to us by the pragmatists, the technocrats, and those who think education is nothing but a potential passport to material success." I have felt this way for a very long time. For my first few years of schooling, I was in a gifted program which was centered on the idea of "enrichment." I loved school then and even in hindsight feel that we really were learning to think, not memorize. I moved to a new district for 5th grade, and from then until graduation I felt increasingly disenchanted with school. It was unchallenging and made me miserable, because what I had always loved most was learning and feeling that my mind was being expanded. Thankfully, I didn't have parents like those of most of my friends - they never pushed me to choose a career path or pick a "useful" major. I went to a small liberal arts college with no other goal than to - finally - get a true education. It was the best four years of my life. I was challenged and sometimes confused by incredibly brilliant professors - a delightful feeling after being bored to death for so many years. I may not be making six figures, but my education for education's sake is dearer to me than any amount of money. I've never regretted my choice to ignore the conventional path of career-driven schooling. I only wish that more students could experience what I did, and not just in college. The question is, where and how much can I incorporate deeper learning into my classroom in light of the current system's requirements?
ReplyDeleteI related to a great extent to the Goldson article. I feel as though I went through high school not learning, but rather memorizing and going through the motions in order to achieve. I love learning and discovering new ideas, but this was restricted in high school. I was never pushed to truly learn, just to get good grades and score high on tests, like Goldson mentioned. At the end of my high school career I was expected to go on and do big things because of my success and involvement in high school. However, I soon began to wonder how I was supposed to go on to do big things when I never got to discover who I really was as an individual?
ReplyDeleteI spent a significant time in three majors before finally deciding on a career in education. I contribute part of this to the lack of critical thinking and analyzing of myself as a person in high school. Discovering your self, your strengths, your passions, and your motivations should be fundamental in grade school education. You should be taught to critically think and question that which is taught to you. I agree with Goldson in that we need to act and break this continuing cycle. However, I may disagree with Goldson in that the students can be the achievers of this process; I believe it is going to take people with positions in higher power. The question is though, how do we fundamentally change a system that has been in place for over 200 years?
In response to Students Aren’t Customers; … I thought Astore was generally correct in his assessment, especially in recognizing the depiction of teachers as “overpaid drones protected by tenure or underpaid saints at the mercy of deskbound administrators and pushy parents,” a depiction which seems to be a consistently pervasive theme in society.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Astore came across as largely liberally biased, he presented legitimate and valid arguments to his three stances on proponents in the restriction of education. I’m not sure he could make the parallel between torture and it being reality of a system that fails to challenge with complete authority, but I do agree with the collateral damages of the recession, and to a lesser extent, the wars.
Overall, I found I agreed with most of the conclusions he drew – it is true that the topics debated by the Student Council (or any group of students) are more of parking woes and cafeteria food over government wars or bailouts. However, I am not sure where or how the cyclical nature of our educational system can come to change – it often seems like the chicken and the egg.
The reading from the valedictorian was one I really relate with. In school I was always more preoccupied with the grades I was getting rather than actually learning more. If it hadn’t been for having a hobby outside of school, I probably would have just spent all my time studying or doing homework to get the A. I agree that most students become preoccupied with grades because that is what the school and teachers stress. In another class, we are learning about how to try to motivate students to want to learn and to have a mastery orientation rather than a performance orientation. Mastery orientation is preferred because it is where the student really wants to learn and is motivated to learn more. They aren’t so worried about what grade they are going to get. I think this is important to do but I feel that schools today just aren’t set up that way. With all the testing that is required, teachers have to teach students how to do well on tests. That is more of a performance orientation where the grade is more important than the actual learning. I feel that if teachers were able to instill a mastery orientation in students then more learning would happen and students wouldn’t be so preoccupied with grades. This is something, as a teacher, we need be aware of, but how do we go about doing this? How do we make sure students are learning and not just worried about their grade? Is it something we can do when there is such a push for passing state tests? I think it’s important to think about because it is such a hard thing to do.
ReplyDeleteOf all the readings we've had this quarter, Goldson's valedictorian speech has been my favorite. I can appreciate her perspective on the education she received and feel that I too had a similar high school experience. Rarely was I challenged to be creative or innovative. It was always study whats going to be on the test and then forget about it in anticipation of the next one. I feel that I still do this in college to be honest. I would be hard pressed to tell you what classes I took last spring, much less what, if anything, I really learned from it. I believe that education should undergo a reformation and move away from, as Goldson puts it, an educational system "that trains us," rather than "inspires us."
ReplyDeleteI also like how Goldson empathizes with faculty. She's not trying to attack them, but rather motivate them to want better for their students. It's up to the next generation of teachers to enact change in the educational system and provide their learners with the best education possible. Teachers need to think outside the box and develop creative ways to get their students to learn. If the next generation of teachers aren't able to enact reform, will reform ever happen?
----Eric Border
I really enjoyed and could relate to both these articles. Goldson's speech in particular resonated with me. I can not begin to compile the amount of information I have learned for just long enough to take a test on it. The grade has been my main goal for years, guided by parents who would rather see A's than know that I really got something out of the class. At this point in my college career, I and my fellow education majors have had so much of the same information taught to us over and over again that we respond like robots to the questions posed to us. We, however, are majoring in a subject that will allow us to have a concrete job plan upon graduation. This is one of the most important aspects of education if we believe common thought, get a diploma and get a real job. How many times have I heard someone scoff at a psych or comm major because they won't be able to get a job with their piece of paper. I really liked Goldson's statement that, "We are not here to get a degree, to then get a job, so we can consume industry-approved placation after placation." When I graduate, what will I really know?
ReplyDelete-Katie Petrolo
Erica Golden’s valedictorian speech was well written and bold. A few times while I was reading it, I wondered what the reactions were of people in the crowd. She is very honest about her opinions and I imagine many different people within the educational system were there watching. I also thought that the things she was saying were very much ahead of her time. Her ideas were mature and thought provoking, especially for someone just graduating high school. I liked it when she said, “I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning.” At first I was surprised to hear that, but then I realized that I do that too! I try my best just to be good at school, but not necessarily to learn everything that’s placed before me. She says, “our motivational force ought to be passion, but this is lost from the moment we step into a system that trains us, rather than inspires us.” I love the idea of being passionate about what you do. When I think about becoming a teacher, I get excited thinking about the fact that I will have the opportunity and privilege to be someone in my students’ lives who is there to motivate, encourage, and guide them. Reading her speech, and the article about the death of schools, reminded me of one reason why I want to become a teacher. We have an incredible influence on students’ lives and that is not something I want to take lightly. Erica says, “We are human beings. We are thinkers, dreamers, explorers, artists, writers, engineers.” As teachers we can see every student as an individual with different goals, dreams, and pursuits. We don’t have to treat our class like robots or slaves to the system. We can treat them as human beings, designed for a purpose.
ReplyDeleteMy question would be: how can we encourage curiosity, adventure, and resilience in schools where standards must be met? How can we do this in a math class?
-Sarah Tidwell
After reading the article "Education After the Death of School" I felt that a good point about the death of schools was made. When the school dies, the students and teachers will continue to come but they will not enjoy it. They will focus their attention on anything that feels like an escape from the school day.
ReplyDeleteI feel that our current school system is heading in this direction due the large amount of restrictions implemented by the government. These restrictions are forcing teachers to supply students with the curriculum they have created in the way they desire it to be taught. This is killing the creativity of teachers which makes their desire to teach decline. Simultaneously the students do not enjoy being schools because they feel like it is a burden for them and it is not enjoyable to be in school. They are required to be in school and when a teacher is not able to create engaging lessons, students enjoy being there less and less. This brings up the question. What can be done to revive the life of schools, and whose responsibility is it?
- John Searfoss
I would also like to respond to the valedictorian speech. I, like many of my classmates, have also pondered on why I am in school and what the ultimate purpose is of "learning" what I learn. I truly forget most of what I am taught anyways. I am a good student and I have a very high GPA but like Erica says in her speech, I earned this by being a good test taker and memorizing information that I soon forgot. I would guess I am not as intelligent as many of the people who get much lower grades than me. My grades, with some exceptions, really only reflect my ability to follow rules and procedures.
ReplyDeleteI have also wondered: how much of what we learn in schools is actually what we should be learning? For example, why is it so important to know a date in history? What can we really learn from a date that we can apply to our personal growth or the growth of society? Rather than focus on historical dates, we should be learning why the event in history happened and what we can learn from it in terms of bettering ourselves and communities. This should be the case for all learning. While some facts are important, we need to understand how everything we are learning can be applied in authentic ways.
I have talked to my brother about this before. We both agreed that college isn't about acquiring true knowledge but rather learning how to jump through the bureaucratic hoops of our society. Education should be something that sticks with you and changes you for the better. If you can't remember anything you learned from a class (which happens to me often) it is like you never took the class and is a total waste of time.
When I truly feel I have learned is when a teacher has sparked an interest or passion in me and then I pursue knowledge on my own because it is interesting to me. I think the key to a good education is getting students to be intrinsically motivated to learn for themselves. That is when true learning happens.
The valedictorian’s speech really made me reflect on my time in high school. I do remember teachers referring a lot to what would be on the test, and only paying attention to those things. However, I do remember teachers telling us that “everything” would be on the test, and that we should just learn it all. At the time I found this to be extremely obnoxious and it made me dislike the teachers. However, now I see that they were just trying to make us learn more. I think that it is important to know what will be on a test, but teachers should do things like this to make students feel like they need to learn more. When I was in high school I did literally as little as possible with still getting by. This is a habit I sometimes find myself falling back into now that I’m in college, but I am more aware of it now, and I try to do more than is expected. I know that not many people get the opportunity to go to college, and I need to get as much out of it as I can. I agree with the valedictorian when he says, “our motivational force out to be passion”. I have taken this into account when choosing my classes and picking a minor. I think that it is really important for people to study what they are interested in. I can see how in high school people may not be as interested in their classes or school in general, because they do not have the options and freedom to choose like we do in college.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with the message of the valedictorian speech. This system of education that we find ourselves in is making students stressed, obsessed with grades, focused on achievement based on a number, and making money. Due to this system students minds are limited and their passions are suppressed. Goldson points out that human beings are thinkers and dreamers and we are free to do all that if we are in an educational system that allows us to do so, but right now it holds us down. She points out that our system is driven towards grades and towards getting a job that will make us money. Goldson believes it should be driven by passion. I agree with this statement, everything is about money, when it should be about what we love to do based on our talents and passions. The way we teach should be geared more toward learning and lighting passions in the lives of our students rather than just getting the grades on projects and standardized tests. I believe this is the most important issue that we need to address in order to improve our education systems.
ReplyDelete-Megan Conway
I personally thought that the Rocha article applied to many of the same concepts that we have been talking about, particularly in the Dewey and Garrison readings. For me, the concept of "education" is becoming more and more of a difficult topic to explain and discuss. While reading the article, I started to think of my own experience in school. I always feel like information is being shoved down my throat, but not a lot of room to think for myself and find how I can relate the subject matter to myself and my career. I agree with Rocha when he talks about teachers and the ones that are becoming devalued. How is teaching supposed to be thought of as a noble profession when the rules and curriculum are becoming so strict that teachers don't feel like they have the room or time to be creative with their class so that everyone actually LEARNS the material instead of memorizing it for a test and then forgetting about it. Teachers are becoming books, people that simply spit out text and stand in front of a classroom without actually engaging the students. Even in college, I feel like information is being thrown at me in certain subjects so that I can fulfill some requirement for my major. Why am I getting a college degree when in some classes, particularly GECs, I'm not even thinking, learning, or understanding. I am just memorizing information to get a decent grade on the midterm and final. American society needs to wake up and realize that our once very strong and powerful empire is now on the decline. I truly believe that this could change with a better educational system. We need people that can think and be creative and find solutions to our problems. We don't need people that can spit out information and memorize data. We have access to computers and books that can tell us that.
ReplyDeleteThe Valedictorian speech by Erica Goldson stuck out to me the most of the two readings this week. The speech helped me remembered how I was in High School and how I still am in College here at the Ohio State University. I strive constantly to get the good marks because I feel as though this is what is expected of me so I can move onto the next higher point in education. In High School higher grades allowed students to get into better colleges than who do not get higher GPA's and those who scored higher in College moved on to getting into the best Higher Education Programs. I agree with Erica in saying all students are focused on one specific goal, and when focused on this goal how are we learning whats truely important in life.
ReplyDeleteIts true now adays teachers teach to the test, telling students what is important and what is not. Why should this matter because truthfully everything is important? Not just the specific things that are going to be tested on a silly one time test. She spoke about how we as students have become robots regurettating what is expected of us. Why can't school systems focus on bigger objectives rather than allowing their students to focus on getting high marks and graduating? Those two things are important but there are more important things that students should focus on. My big question for this week is how do we change the focus for grades back on the focus of learning and not memorzing and taking the most out of every class I can and others can?
Larry Taylor....
ReplyDeleteI found myself reflecting on my own educational experience while reading the Valedictorian article. I do think that most of the time students do act like "robots" because they believe that is all they have to do to get the A. I felt as if I should have tried a little bit harder in high school, despite getting good enough grades to make Honor Roll each year. I feel that if I would have tried harder, or if the content taught was taught in a way that showed relevance to my life, I would have gained a lot more from those classes. Teachers shouldn't teach students in a way that has the students regergitating the information back from memorization. When content is taught in this manner, students do act like robots and regergitate the information the best they can from their short-term memory.
I found that I have taken a different approach in college and enjoy the content in my classes because they are more relevant to what I want to become (a teacher). Teachers must find the ways of teaching in which students are engaged and really learn the information. If we do not, then we are setting our students up for a difficult time in college and in the career field.
I would argue that Miss Goldson’s own perception of the education system has lead to much of her insecurity. Although it is required by law to attend school, it is not required to excel, or even to obtain a diploma. It was her choice to spend her time as she did – and maybe the lesson being presented in this speech is what she took away from the current education system. The truth is, people are constantly changing. Our goals, our “passions” are constantly evolving. If the author was once passionate about getting good grades, why is that being discounted simply because academic excellence didn’t seem as important in retrospect?
ReplyDeleteI think the author is experiencing a taste of real life – and yes, it is scary. To me, “schooling” is only one aspect of that life. While some teachers are better at inspiring than others, I do not think anyone in the schools has the power to “suppress uniqueness.” It’s about creating balance between what you learn in school and what you learn away from school, and appreciating both. If you rely on the public education system to teach you everything you need to know about life – obviously there will be a problem. Yes, there are rewards and accolades for excelling academically, but there are rewards and accolades for a lot of things – and it is impossible to win them all. This young valedictorian should be proud of herself and take her own advice by embracing the excitement that comes when there is no easy answer.
I found both articles to be really interesting and making very valid points. Lately I have been considering what makes a "good student." Much like the argument made by Goldson, I have criticized the students who work very hard and dedicate the majority of their time to studying the exact ideas and facts that are required to get high grades. Further, I am not an avid studier, and end up with average grades and therefore may not make it into the masters program necessary for me to become a teacher through Ohio State's system. However, these grades do not reflect my creativity, ability to question, explore, and my passion for working with children. Yet, our education doesn't value these things, such was the point of both articles. From this, I really liked Goldson's closing points. Though throughout her speech she was heavily critical of modern education, she makes suggestions and encouraging remarks about how we can change the direction of education by being critical and finding our own perspectives.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of us are in this class because we wish to be teachers. Some of us may want to teach because we want to make a difference among the youth, some of us may want to teach because we are so entrapped in the school system it seems like a safe bet. Both articles sparked a thought, not necessarily one that is new to me, but one I try not to think about much. I feel like I'm on this educational marry-go-round. I excelled in high school because my parents stressed the importance of academia, I immediately went to college because it is what was expected of me, I plan to graduate from Ohio State and start my masters directly after, once I've obtained my masters I would like to teach in a school and simultaneously work on my PhD in education. My family says I have big goals, that I am a hard worker and I want to be the best. I say I'm afraid to be done with school because it is the only thing I've known. Think about it, most of us have been in school since we were at least 6 or 7, if you went to preschool take that down to 4 or 5. My ENTIRE life has been school. My future plans are school. I have this idea that education equals success. If I'm in school for 20+ years (even if it is totally unnecessary) then I'll be successful in life, how couldn't I be? I'll have a PhD for goodness sake!?!
ReplyDeleteErica Goldson said "While others sat inclass and doodled to later become great artists, I saw in class to take notes and become a great test-taker. While others would come to class without their homework done because they were reading about an interest of theirs, I never missed an assigment. While others were creating music and writing lyrics, I decided to do extra credit, even though I never needed it." A friend of mine barely graduated high school, currently works a dead end job, but is absolutely phenomenal at the guitar. Instead of studying for school, he spent all his time locked in his room playing his instrument. I found myself pushing him to apply to a music school. Why let that talent go to waste? He would get frustrated and say, "Why do I need to go to school to succeed?" To me, that answer was obvious; because that is just how it is. Now, I'm starting to think he was the smart one. He has this amazing talent and what do I have? Knowledge? Half of the stuff I've learned I forgot immediately after the test.
So now I'm thinking with my own mind, I'm not letting my parents or society tell me what I should or should not do, and I can't help but wonder, what is the point of school? To build 'responsible moral agents' for our society? People who will contribute something worthwhile? How is memorizing the presidents or the steps in photosynthesis enabling us to contribute to society? What is the point of modern education?
It may seem a little cliché, but the quote “if you love what you do, you won’t work a day in your life” comes to my mind after reading the Rocha article. In my observations of teachers and in past teachers I’ve had it is sometimes questionable what that teacher’s motives are to do what they do, based on their lack of interest in students, salty demeanor, lack of enthusiasm, etc. You then wonder, why is this person teaching? They’re supposed to inspire their students? Where did their passion go? An educator cannot simply just “show up to work” every day and just work for the paycheck. There is so much more substance and depth to educating others simply because there is much at stake in the growth of students. This led me to the Athens Speech which naturally felt like someone speaking my own language and conveying my own thoughts. Another quote that I will never forget, “Excellence does not require perfection.” A simple mantra that I constantly hear from a great mentor who continues to push me academically, emotionally, intellectually, and intelligibly, but also who still assures me that things do not need to be perfect and therefore do not deserve my stress and anxiety. I am so fortunate as a music major and music educator that I both enjoy and have a passion for what I do and I have a purely creative outlet to feed my soul. Musical interpretation, significance of text and language, cultural folk music, etc. gives way to fostering creativity, humanistic ideas, flexibility, and more in the classroom. It is through the fine arts, and creative arts being fused with the more academic subjects that will help the system. If students begin to bridge the gap between their mindless memorization and test-taking, and nourish their creative side will they be able to achieve this high level of thinking and intellectualism?
ReplyDelete-Matt Zabiegala
I really enjoyed reading these articles. Their ideas are spot on. Schools today are treat students like robots. We are given information then told to regurgitate it back on a test. Rarely, was I asked to think critically. There were probably 6 teachers I had in high school that actually made me learn and think critically. For the most part those 6 teachers were by far my favorite. Unfortunately, I was in the minority in regards to this. Many students absolutely hated these teachers, because their classes required more work and thinking. Many students really like the robotic style of education, because it is easier.
ReplyDeleteI feel that more classes should put emphasis on critical thinking and applying what they have learned. Learning how to apply what they are learning will greatly benefit students later in their lives, whereas passive memorization will not. I feel that History is one of the worst subjects for this very topic. Most teachers treat history as the study of facts, names, and dates. Personally, I feel history should be much more than this. Students should look at how people lived, what they believed in, why they believed it. Then they can trace all of this over time and see where some of their beliefs originated. Critical thinking is important and needs to be used more in the classroom.
The articles for this week had a focus on a narrow definition of the purpose of education taking over the school. The act of making the educational experience as a vocational one seems to be a complete 180 away from the initial purpose of public schooling. Education in the social sense was more of an at home event. Now the lines are blurred between what the parent as a teacher is responsible for and what the government is responsible to teach. Perhaps this begins with the idea that educated people began to out due the at home instructors. These articles seem to put a lot of definition of the school as a vocational institution that is responsible for preparing the nation's children for the working lives they are headed for. There is little focus on preparing them to become more than people that produce a number value. The articles place value on the unquantifiable benefits a school should provide its students. To avoid creating a mindless and unmotivated mob of test takers the articles support people from all walks of life working together to become passionate learners, rather than mere test takers. I feel that use of grading at the end of a book, journals or whatever else to discover the overall comprehension and growth patterns of the students is a wonderful idea. By having a log of the lessons I have used and the benefits they have produced I can develop the classroom routine around a range of different individuals. This has the potential to create an atmosphere that effectively engages the student in learning and avoids creating a memorize and recite environment.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed all three readings this week, but the one that I can really concur with is Erica Goldson's graduation speech. I was salutatorian of my high school and was a good student, but all I learned was how to "memorize names, places, and dates to later on forget".
ReplyDeleteI found myself agreeing with every point that Goldson made in her speech. She really opened my eyes to my past education experiences. I am getting ready to graduate in a month, but I find myself questing what I learned the last sixteens years of schooling that I went through? I really feel that I did not even learn a third of what I could have and should have. I cram for tests and then immediately forget the information after the test is over with. I think that this is exactly what Erica is explaining in her speech. This method is probably what many students use because it works (pretty good) and no one tries to fix or change it. I just wish that I would have known early on that I would not take away as much information from classes as I should have by doing this. I think that the curriculum needs to be adjusted to make it impossible, or at least harder, for students to just cram information and then not have to recall it again after being tested on it. Teachers really need to work hard to motivate and challenge the students and instill to them the idea that the focus of education is more on learning rather than just getting good grades. Grades are pretty much the only thing that students are taught to care about, and this is where educational systems go wrong.
I thought that Goldson made really good point when she made recommendations to current and future students. "You still have the opportunity to stand up, ask questions, be critical, and create you own perspective. Demand a setting that will provide you with the intellectual capabilities that allow you to expand your mind instead of directing it. Demand that you be interested in class. Demand that the excuse, "You have to learn this for the test" is not good enough for you." These recommendations could be the start of an attempt at fixing the educational system, but will students actually ever take her advice?
....I do not believe so.
"The Death of Education" article was interesting yet confusing. What I can take from this article, is that when teaching I must go beyond just the lesson plan. I need to make all learning experiences memorable, applicable, and relevant for students. Rather than just solely teaching a lesson plan, I need to engage students into activities by using multisensory tools like drama. For example, in my "drama in the classroom" course I learned that children retain so much more information when they are acting as characters from a book rather than just discussing major inquiry questions within a book.
ReplyDeleteAlso, technology allows students to be more lazy in school. Children have calculators, spell check, grammar check, google, and other technologies at their fingertips at all times. This allows students to come to correct answers without actually having to do any cognitive processing. I think that students need to be self sufficient and independent thinkers. Therefore, forcing them to be active learners instead of passive learners is imperative. Although the article had a roundabout way of getting to the point, I believe that it is suggesting students will not only not learn as much but also teachers will be less appreciated and needed in the long run.
I enjoyed reading Goldson's graduation speech because like a lot of other people, the realizations she made during her high school career are similar to things we've reflected about ourselves at some point in time. This 'system' that is too often brought up as a problem in education really does affect the way teachers teach and the way students learn. Most of us have found ourselves studying for tests in high school, and even in college, thinking, 'how is this material at all relevant to my life?' Goldson's reflections are not new and ingenious realizations. Once a person gets wrapped up in the system and it becomes natural, they will eventually have a similar reflection. This issue with this speech (as well as with many articles on education, i.e. Dewey, Rocha) is that intellects and scholars continue to focus on the 'problem' of modern education and the controlling system that stifles creativity of teachers and turns students into robots. These same articles have been written for a hundred years. I agree with the points made by each, but find it strange that there is little written about HOW to make this change in education. I don't necessarily think the teacher is always to blame for teaching to the test or limiting the creativity in the classroom. Sometimes in rigid autocratic school systems the teachers have to do the best with what they're given. Like we discussed in class, I would like to find written works on the positives of teaching. How can teachers rise above the system? Who are the exceptional teachers of the country and what can we learn from them?
ReplyDeleteThe valedictorian's speech reminds me of the valedictorian at my own high school. She worked the system and had little time for everything else. I found out that when she was not at school or extracurricular activities she was studying. The speaker points out many of the flaws of the education system mainly being that it teaches to the test and stifles creativity and self exploration. What she doesn't answer is the question of how do we fix it?
ReplyDeleteI found the graduation speech to be interesting and enlightening. The point that she addressed about us being slaves throughout life to get the jobs that we strive to attain is a very valid point. We are told that we need to be critical thinkers and while thinking about this idea, how are we not always critically thinking? Throughout our education teachers constantly push us to do our best and exceed expectations to simply gain the jobs and careers that we want. Taking this into account the most important thing that we should get out of our education is that we are well rounded education citizens. What should be most important is that we gain knowledge from our education and we should not simply strive for what kind of jobs we can all attain. Don't get me wrong it is crucial to ensure that we all get the jobs that we want however education does not always meet the needs that we as students need. We are not able to study the things that we really take interest in because we are told that we need to meet the certain standards in order to graduate and make something of ourselves. Education goals need to be shifted to make sure that our students are really gaining what they should be out of their education.
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In the valedictorian speech that we needed to read I was very impressed by the strong words that the student used. The things that were said made a lot of sense, and are usually the sentiment shared with many high school students in the country. I wish that I could have been at the ceremony so that I would have heard the words being spoken; I feel that they would have had a deeper meaning if heard in person. There was one part of the speech that really stuck out to me, “For those of you that work within the system that I am condemning, I do not mean to insult; I intend to motivate. You have the power to change the incompetencies of this system. I know that you did not become a teacher or administrator to see your students bored.” My question is who wants their students to be bored in class? I hope no one. I really hope that my students don’t get bored in my class. I remember being the student that was bored in class, and I don’t want to subject my students to the same thing. I plan to work to make sure that my class is the one that students think about in years to come because it was so good. I want my students to come back and thank me for the education that they received. If I fail to do this with my students I hope that one of them will tell me so that I may fix this problem.
ReplyDeleteI was really impressed by the Valedictorian Speech by Erica Goldson. I was extremely surprised that this was written for a high school graduation because of the critical thinking she brings up in her speech.“We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating as first in the class. However, in this way, we do not really learn. We do whatever it takes to achieve our original objective.” This statement sums up exactly how I feel about the education system, somehow we have gotten to this point where teachers are not teaching students how to learn but are teaching them to get through the cracks and pass the tests and achieve goals without a lot of work done. When I think back to the best teachers I had through high school, they were not the teachers who taught me how to ‘just get by’ but the ones who made me struggle and push to get good grades and achieve my goals. These teachers who made me work to achieve were the ones who I really respect and look back and really appreciate and this is the type of teacher I want to be. These teachers taught me so much more than just the content from their class, I learned skills that have made me a better person.
ReplyDeleteI thought both of these articles were very good reads. The information that was presented in both of these articles, I couldn't agree more with. Students do the same routine over and over again. Put yourself in their shoes, would you like to do the same thing over and over? I think most of us would say they wouldn't want to do that. That is why it is important to make are lesson plans diverse and creative as teachers. It is our responsiblity to make the kids have fun while they are learning. The children wil not only have fun, but they will remember and learn more from doing so. I remember when we created the scene of D-Day with waterballoons in 6th grade. It was not only a blast at the time, but we all remember how that battle took place. If I went in and just took notes over and over each day, I wouldn't remember it as well and my attention would probably last a few minutes.
ReplyDeleteThe question that I have from this article is how do you know how many notes a child should take a certain day? College seems like notes, notes, and more notes. However, I think taching younger children, notes shouldn't be stressed as much. Maybe they should for future practice though?
I really liked the valedictorian's speech. I know that in high school, and even some classes in college, I did very little and obtained an A. In my high school it was very easy to do nothing and still get the good grades. I know my senior year was nothing but a joke. I had completely checked out and although my councilors said to not take the easy way out and to still challenge myself, I was not challenged. I took hard classes, but for the most part most of my homework was graded on completion and not correction.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to college things are different, slightly. There are some classes that I have been challenging, but some haven't been. I have had classes that all I had to do was memorize facts and definitions. There was no need to know how to apply the concepts or what they really mean. With some classes it is all about being able to spit out the information on a test and the teachers do not really care if you actually learned and know the information they are "teaching". And it seems like those are the teachers who take attendance and use that as part of your grade. Like they make you come to their class, the class the prof. posts all of the notes online and read them word for word during class. And they expect you to be there for the words most boring classes but when it comes time to test you they don't test you on the concepts/theories because they can't because they never taught concepts, they taught facts and definitions.
These two articles brought up very significant points about our education system. I have pondered these same ideas, as I am sure many others have as well, but what can we do? As a society we are forced into this educational intuition and therefore do not know anything different. Sure we can talk about these negatives of our education and point out what is wrong, but at the end of the day, I am taking this class because I have to in order to get my degree saying that I am qualified to teach. Not that I have not enjoyed this class and, in fact, the reading for this class has been the most influential I have had yet, but I otherwise would probably not read these articles if is was not required. In the end we need grades to be deemed successful in western society. It is not right at all and much is being lost in the process, but nothing can be done unless we stop talking and start doing. I am by no means taking an negative outlook on the future of education, but rather becoming inspired to teach how to think, not how to learn canned information. Too often we hear of teachers becoming burnt out from these problems that the speech and article both addressed. Making teachers aware of these flaws before they begin teaching in the hopes of preventing this is the first step in change.
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