"The premise of the recent Time Magazine article, 'How To Build a Student For The 21st Century,' (December 18) is largely false, and frankly, sickening.
...
And what are the wares of education schools? Theories. Of course educrats will say that knowledge is not important because content - history, math, science, literature etcera - is outside their area of theories. More often than not, student-centered, group work is inefficient and less effective in helping students attain the kind of education that is going to help them succeed. Constructivist education is in the end absurd. There has been a proliforation of Kaplan study centers and the like, because the recent upsurge of progressive education practices over the last 15 years has forced students to get direct, teacher-centered instruction elsewhere."(sic)
Go read the rest.
The ed blog world is really turning into a vital, dynamic force. Hopefully one to be reckoned with. I was digging around the Trenches blog you linked to and found a great discussion http://publiceducationdefender.blogspot.com/2007/02/discussing-education-with-non-teachers.html about non-teachers criticizing teachers. A total of 69 comments!
ReplyDeleteI agree that non-teachers can be very sharp-eyed regarding curriculum and instruction, ed school nonsense and fads and all that, but non-teachers cannot appreciate what it is like to be an actual teacher, especially of the disadvantaged, unless they try it. It's beyond the imagination.
Boy, no kidding!
ReplyDeleteThat was a fantastic post!
So glad you found it.
I agree that non-teachers can be very sharp-eyed regarding curriculum and instruction, ed school nonsense and fads and all that, but non-teachers cannot appreciate what it is like to be an actual teacher, especially of the disadvantaged, unless they try it. It's beyond the imagination.
ReplyDeleteThis is why it's so critical to be able to hear from real teachers.
Incredibly helpful.