Love what you say. I feel the same thoughts could be applied to education.
In that arena, the biggest measure of growth is test scores - i.e. grades and academic skills. What if all of those other areas you listed are also counted as indicators of growth. Not easy to measure like the scores, but I would argue even more valuable in the bigger picture of how do we create better lives for all.
How many times did you used trigonometry last week? How many times would a skill like managing a conflict in a healthy way have been useful? Trigonometry is not a bad thing (or chemistry etc), but does everybody have to learn them? Are these essential skills everyone must have? Critical thinking can be taught through many vehicles.
What if the very purpose of school - of this 12 (or more) year mandated subsidized training program we all go through, were to create a better (i.e. more peaceful, more joyful, more sustainable) life for all? What would we teach?
On Feb 10, 2012 Maria wrote:
Love what you say. I feel the same thoughts could be applied to education.
In that arena, the biggest measure of growth is test scores - i.e. grades and academic skills. What if all of those other areas you listed are also counted as indicators of growth. Not easy to measure like the scores, but I would argue even more valuable in the bigger picture of how do we create better lives for all.
How many times did you used trigonometry last week? How many times would a skill like managing a conflict in a healthy way have been useful? Trigonometry is not a bad thing (or chemistry etc), but does everybody have to learn them? Are these essential skills everyone must have? Critical thinking can be taught through many vehicles.
What if the very purpose of school - of this 12 (or more) year mandated subsidized training program we all go through, were to create a better (i.e. more peaceful, more joyful, more sustainable) life for all? What would we teach?