
As some of you may have guessed, my lack of posts has been due to a new career start in a local, private high school. This opportunity has "put me in the trenches" and allowed me to witness firsthand some of the issues in education that interest me.
With a month of school in the books and college recruitment days in full swing, the senior class has attracted (rightfully so) a fair share of my attention. Many students have used their time wisely in high school to craft a college application that few schools would ignore; full of athletics, extracurricular activities, and community service. Couple this with high scores on Regents achievement tests and what do you find? A testament to our "well-rounded, All-American student."
Now please don't mistake what I'm trying to say- I'm a strong supporter of athletics, extracurricular activities, music programs { :) } and community service. These activities aid tremendously in the growth and development of our young pupils.
But I think there is a large piece of the puzzle missing in education, being simply in the word WHY. There appears to be a general lack of the ability to formulate and support original opinion or thought in our high schools. It is my belief that ever-rising state standards which promote memorization over actual learning, are overshadowing the study of current events, independent reasoning, and researched debate practice.
And what do the students find when they arrive at the colleges they spent four years preparing for? That when asked to right an argumentative paper portraying two sides of a controversy, they don't know where to start or what to think.
Education is being associated more and more with business models promoting effective productivity and results. As American students leave school each June are we proud of the figurative stamp that such models are placing on the next generation of American citizens?
GREAT READ- Educating the "Right" Way by Professor Michael Apple