Interesting article

[Audrey]

This article really got me thinking about the experimental nature of public education. I remember when they introduced "new math" back in the 70's. I didn't know about some of the other experiments in my parent's time, or even before them. Not having a child in public school, I didn't know about some of the recent trends either -- only heard of them peripherally.

 

Anyway... this may not be news to some of you, but I thought the author ending up making a good supportive argument for homeschooling, even though homeschooling is never mentioned in the article.

[yslek]

Thanks for sharing that. Kind of makes me wonder about the CT workbook I just started having my boys work through...

 

Oh, and about the "co-operative learning" thing mentioned in the article, this is a current trend in some college situations, too, unfortunately. Dh came across this a few times while completing his Bachelor's degree. He found the group learning situations to be utterly frustrating. Generally, one or two people do all the work while the rest slack off. :glare: After a couple of classes with this experience, he came to scan any available course syllabi very carefully before registering, as he wanted to avoid more such experiences at all costs. :tongue_smilie:

[Colleen in NS]

This article really got me thinking about the experimental nature of public education. I remember when they introduced "new math" back in the 70's. I didn't know about some of the other experiments in my parent's time, or even before them. Not having a child in public school, I didn't know about some of the recent trends either -- only heard of them peripherally.

 

Anyway... this may not be news to some of you, but I thought the author ending up making a good supportive argument for homeschooling, even though homeschooling is never mentioned in the article.

 

Interesting. I like that author - I read (skimmed) one of her other books.

 

When I was in 5th grade (late 70s) my class built a small greenhouse on another school property (our class was in a church rental). We spent a lot of time on that project. Very group oriented, and we also sold "shares" to family and friends, in hopes of paying them back with profit after our year end plant sale. We figured out what materials to buy, we measured things, we helped build, we started plants, we maintained plants. Fun project, and I was one of four chosen to go to our state capital and participate in some kind of solar energy meeting.

 

But I don't remember anything else I learned that year, except for sentence diagraming, and even with that, we were never told what we were supposed to *do* with this skill. Oh, and I remember that our teacher quit teaching several times that year, we had many substitutes, most of whom were scared away by a few terribly behaved boys (we were the only class in the church rental), until my MOM took over for the last two weeks of school. She whipped them into shape and they called her Sargeant by the end of the year, but oh it was hard having my mother for a teacher - I had to be perfect in class.

 

So, nope, no skills and knowledge learned that year, except for the occasional opportunity to measure something myself, if someone else didn't beat me to it. And our shares? Our shareholders lost their investments.

 

LOL

[Truscifi]

This article sounds like a great argument for classical education in general - isn't the point of teaching differently in grammar stage than logic stage that kids need to absorb the information before they can do anything (like think critically) with it?

[Scarlett]

This article really got me thinking about the experimental nature of public education. I remember when they introduced "new math" back in the 70's. I didn't know about some of the other experiments in my parent's time, or even before them. Not having a child in public school, I didn't know about some of the recent trends either -- only heard of them peripherally.

 

Anyway... this may not be news to some of you, but I thought the author ending up making a good supportive argument for homeschooling, even though homeschooling is never mentioned in the article.

 

Thank you. Very interesting article.

[Audrey]

This article sounds like a great argument for classical education in general - isn't the point of teaching differently in grammar stage than logic stage that kids need to absorb the information before they can do anything (like think critically) with it?

 

 

Yes, exactly!

[johnandtinagilbert]

:iagree:

This article sounds like a great argument for classical education in general - isn't the point of teaching differently in grammar stage than logic stage that kids need to absorb the information before they can do anything (like think critically) with it?

 

The thing is, I think a good teacher uses all of the things mentioned...general knowledge, cooperative learning, projects, critical thinking...all of which only work with a solid foundation of the basics of the subject matter.

 

This article brought me back to the "reasons for a liberal arts education" thread last week. Thanks for the peek :)

Just continues to make me pleased to home school and not have to deal with the ever changing views of the "professionals."

[elw_miller]

Excellent article, Audrey! I'm sending it on to friends of mine with little ones. Maybe they'll decide homeschooling is the best route!

[Frontier Mom]

Thanks for the article link. Gives me a boost because I'm a stickler for the three R's. Lately, it seems the ps children are doing lots of new things by getting rid of the basics. Seems we were the most literate nation when we just taught the basics and I still claim that today.

 

Now, don't get me wrong. We do lots of other projects for 4-H and other club type activities but not in lieu of the basics. We also do some cool computer graphic type activities and are currently keeping our Timeline on a computer program so we aren't too traditional. However, I build upon the basics, not instead of them.

 

I think this argument is exactly the reasoning behind SWB's method for writing. How can one write what one hasn't learned? Start by reading and copying the masters!!

 

Thanks for the reminder.

[iquilt]

Very good article - I enjoyed the look at the last 100 years of ps education and the experiments that keep coming back, over and over again - another good reason to homeschool

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Thanks for the link. I forwarded it to dh to reinforce my reasons for wanting to do a classical education with my kids.

[abreakfromlife]

I haven't even read the article yet but I just wanted to say I LOVE Diane Ravitch. She has two books out that are excellent. They're about public schools but they just confirm why I homeschool and why I will neverever put my kids in p.s.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Thanks for sharing that. Kind of makes me wonder about the CT workbook I just started having my boys work through...

 

Oh, and about the "co-operative learning" thing mentioned in the article, this is a current trend in some college situations, too, unfortunately. Dh came across this a few times while completing his Bachelor's degree. He found the group learning situations to be utterly frustrating. Generally, one or two people do all the work while the rest slack off. :glare: After a couple of classes with this experience, he came to scan any available course syllabi very carefully before registering, as he wanted to avoid more such experiences at all costs. :tongue_smilie:

 

I found group learning to be like that as well. I do think it is nice to brainstorm with others but I think it is better to projects on your own:).

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Great article:) I definitely believe in the classics.

[LunaLee]

He found the group learning situations to be utterly frustrating. Generally, one or two people do all the work while the rest slack off. :glare:

 

My dd has had this happen to her a lot in school and she would come home sooooo upset. Two good things came out of it though...1. she learned what the job force is like. 2. She learned how to deal/talk to people to get things done.

[Sara R]

1. she learned what the job force is like. 2. She learned how to deal/talk to people to get things done.

 

The schools say they do this to teach people what the job force is like, but I think group work in schools is fundamentally unlike school group work. Slackers at work tend to (hopefully) get fired. Not so at school.

 

I had exactly one group project in school that worked the way it was supposed to. That was in a small college honors class. All of us were competent and hard workers. We divvied up the work equally, did it, then came together to fit it all together at the end. That was the only time I have seen it work in a school setting. One slacker and it doesn't work right, and usually the school provides no motivation for the slacker to work.

[Laura Corin]

The local schools here are doing something called 'curriculum for excellence' which is (I believe) about learning all subjects through one topic. It seems pretty incoherent. A quote from the former head of a local private school says a lot:

 

“The lack of emphasis on knowledge, and on the very basics of the curriculum is frightening.”

 

Laura

[Peela]

For the 2nd time lately, this afternoon my dd15 said to me, mum, they just don't teach kids history in school. My friends don't know any history. Dont they realise how important it is to know history? She is genuinely concerned and I am actually thrilled that she actually values at least some of the education I have tried to give her.

I loved the article and I agree- and she makes such a simple point, that one needs knowledge to think about before one can actually think- yet that point is so lost on our education system creators.