Ted Sizer's Speech
Ted Sizer seems to have a very simplistic view on how schools should be, things should be done according to the people in school (students and teachers), and not as much by the book. The students and teachers should have the freedom to do what they need to to fit their roles, and the curriculum should be able to fit for the teacher and the student. The set up seems to be planned out there's no room for uncertainties, "How do I teach toward deep understanding-the application of knowledge to an unfamiliar situation- when the syllabus allows no time for plumbing the unfamiliar?" What I found interesting was that he also says the students and teachers should "Get the incentives right," that the teachers and students should want to be in school for the right reason. Essentially, according to Sizer, the main reason student's learn and go to school, is to learn to think and ask questions.
Hirsch's Article
Sizer has a imminent view on how schools should be, Hirsch has a transcendent view. Hirsch believes school curriculums should be aimed towards what the students will face in their lives such as literature (newspapers and books) and standardized tests (SATs), "Students who possess this knowledge are prepared to participate in civic life, move up career ladders, succeed in college, converse confidently with a wide variety of Americans with whom they work or socialize, and generally have the esteem that comes with being regarded as an educated person." Basically that in order to fit in with the American culture as an adult, there are things that one must be educated about, and they are educated about this in school with the curriculum provided.
1. Do these theories contradict each other? Intellectually, emotionally, practically? In what ways do they? Could they be adapted to work together?
Intellectually, they just have different ideas on what students should know. Sizer has a view which allows students to be on different levels of knowledge as long as there is progression in their development of thinking skills whereas Hirsch's view of a student's intellect should be based on the expectations of society. I believe that generally, in both views, the emotional state of the student would be similar, regardless of the curriculum there is still pressure from parents, peers, and society that should be accounted for. Hirsch's view of school seems to be more practical than Sizer's because Hirsch's goes along with society's view whereas Sizer's is a little more independent to that. Expectations of fitting the American culture is a norm that is difficult to avoid thus, Sizer's theory less practical. I think it would be very difficult for the two theories to be adapted to work together because they have different goals. Hirsch's goal is to get to the next level whereas Sizer's goal is to learn and improve.
2. Which of the two theories do you find more resonant in your own experience? Has your education at one of Sizer's schools (he not only inspired SOF, he also came and visited) taught you to use your mind well, to be intellectually alert, to be able to think about important aspects of your life and society? Have you had any teachers that seemed inspired, now that you know about it, by Hirsch? For instance, would you say that the chemistry class's focus on molarity and ions and the periodic table of elements create an emphasis on knowledge?
I belive that Sizer's theory is resonant in my experience, School of the Future has a unique way of progressive learning with a different curriculum than most high schools. But recently, Hirsch's theory is becoming more resonant looking forward to college in the future. The competition between other schools that are more like Hirsch's theory are at a higher advantage because the students are easier to sort than students following Sizer's theory who are on different levels.
3. What additional points does reading these theorists make you think of, about your own education and philosophy?
It makes me think about my own incentives for school. I belive it is kind of hard to put your own reasoning for being in school when most of it is decided for you at such a young age. In addition there is the incentive of the teacher that matters as well. If the teacher has a good reason to teach aside from the money and going through the motions, the student follows and has a good reason to learn as well. If the teacher in interested, it allows the student to be too.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Hw 44 Big Expectations for School
Liberal Arts Education:
This website says that liberal arts colleges "provide an exceptionally effective learning environment for developing the kind of intellectual power and propensity for action that the world needs to tackle the daunting challenges we face." Basically, that liberal arts colleges are benficial because they allow students to solve problems, this is the mindset that is expected of students in this type of education.
In addition, liberal arts has "an obligation to help our students find a way to translate what they have learned into a potential career direction." The transcendant way of teaching, that education will lead to higher levels and lead to overall success, the ladder of education. But solving the problem at hand is iminant, dealing with the present situation. It seems as though liberal arts college has aspects of both transcendent (ladder) and iminant (current situation) education although arguably, the balance may not be evenly distributed I would guess that it is more transcendent than iminant because the main reasons people go to college to begin with are for the opportunities it provides for the future.
Obama's School Speech:
He talks about how no matter what you want to do in life, it requires an education "And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers." In some ways I agree, people do need to have a good background of knowledge in order to get into different work forces but I feel that many of requirements for education are exaggerated, maybe not everything we learn is absolutely necessary and there may be things left out in the curriculum.
He also says, "You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it" This seems like a very justified view on how people get into careers, that everybody works for their job, so they deserve the job they have which I do not necessarily agree with. Obviously a job is not going to fall into your lap without any effort at all. There has to be some sort of effort to obtain a career. But competition and connections I believe go hand in hand, if you have connections, you have a higher advantage when competeing for jobs so not every job necessarily requires the same amount of effort and 'hard work' from everyone if you know the right people.
Institutions:
This website talks about the benefits of institutions..."Institutions provide procedures through which human conduct is patterned, compelled to go, in grooves deemed desirable by society. And this trick is performed by making these grooves appear to the individual as the only possible ones." Basically that institutions allow for everyone to think the same way so that everyone has common knowledge. IT seems to me a form of manipulation for people to understand each other and cooperate to keep society running through institutions.
This website says that liberal arts colleges "provide an exceptionally effective learning environment for developing the kind of intellectual power and propensity for action that the world needs to tackle the daunting challenges we face." Basically, that liberal arts colleges are benficial because they allow students to solve problems, this is the mindset that is expected of students in this type of education.
In addition, liberal arts has "an obligation to help our students find a way to translate what they have learned into a potential career direction." The transcendant way of teaching, that education will lead to higher levels and lead to overall success, the ladder of education. But solving the problem at hand is iminant, dealing with the present situation. It seems as though liberal arts college has aspects of both transcendent (ladder) and iminant (current situation) education although arguably, the balance may not be evenly distributed I would guess that it is more transcendent than iminant because the main reasons people go to college to begin with are for the opportunities it provides for the future.
Obama's School Speech:
He talks about how no matter what you want to do in life, it requires an education "And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers." In some ways I agree, people do need to have a good background of knowledge in order to get into different work forces but I feel that many of requirements for education are exaggerated, maybe not everything we learn is absolutely necessary and there may be things left out in the curriculum.
He also says, "You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it" This seems like a very justified view on how people get into careers, that everybody works for their job, so they deserve the job they have which I do not necessarily agree with. Obviously a job is not going to fall into your lap without any effort at all. There has to be some sort of effort to obtain a career. But competition and connections I believe go hand in hand, if you have connections, you have a higher advantage when competeing for jobs so not every job necessarily requires the same amount of effort and 'hard work' from everyone if you know the right people.
Institutions:
This website talks about the benefits of institutions..."Institutions provide procedures through which human conduct is patterned, compelled to go, in grooves deemed desirable by society. And this trick is performed by making these grooves appear to the individual as the only possible ones." Basically that institutions allow for everyone to think the same way so that everyone has common knowledge. IT seems to me a form of manipulation for people to understand each other and cooperate to keep society running through institutions.
Monday, March 1, 2010
More Research More Thinking- 42
My focus for research was on how college has developed over the years. The differences in the amount of people going to college and how necessary it is now than it was before. Now there is much more competition to get a good education in society than before.
Why does it matter to you personally given the experiences you've had in your life - in terms of your feelings, hopes, memories, daily life?
This topic matters to me personally because I feel that for my generation, there is so much pressure to go to a good college and get a good education and the idea of a good education seems as though it disreguards the career path and the drawbacks of going to college. It is so hyped up in society so it makes me wonder, does it actually live up to the hype? And how does it compare to previous generations where it was accepted that not everyone went to college? How have the values in American culture changed in terms of education? It definitely affects my own daily life, schools seems to shape my mindset into just following the steps to get to the next level without even questioning the next level. School as a sorter, wants the students to just go by the system for what it is without questioning it.
Thinking about college a lot, I have hopes for enjoying my college experience socially and academically so it will help me with my career path. I want to feel accomplished by the time I finish college I want to feel confident in the career that I choose. These are hope that society and colleges seem to promise for students. While I have all these hopes for college, I feel like college is just another delay from the 'real world'. I feel like (from my own experience) society does not have too much respect teenagers so it feels like they are just keeping us away from the working force until they feel that we have matured enough to get into the work force. In addition, college is a possible delay for students to decide what they want to do for a good amount of their lives because as I have noticed from my own experience, teenagers can be very indecisive.
How does your topic matter existentially - in terms of the meaning of your life, of knowing who you are, of whether you live well before you die?
The image that I have in my head of living a 'well' life before dying is, seeing different cultures, going around the world, learning new things becaues you want to and not because it is a requirement in society, and you just leading your own life on your own standards. I believe that society's expecations of more education hinders our lives existentially for the majority, we only go to school high school because we have to, now that we have the choice of going to college or going to straight to work, the majority will choose college in this generation I'm guessing because it is expected of us by our parents and the society. People are looked down upon if they do not make something of themselves and people are convinced that after high school, college is the number one way to go.
Why does it matter to you personally given the experiences you've had in your life - in terms of your feelings, hopes, memories, daily life?
This topic matters to me personally because I feel that for my generation, there is so much pressure to go to a good college and get a good education and the idea of a good education seems as though it disreguards the career path and the drawbacks of going to college. It is so hyped up in society so it makes me wonder, does it actually live up to the hype? And how does it compare to previous generations where it was accepted that not everyone went to college? How have the values in American culture changed in terms of education? It definitely affects my own daily life, schools seems to shape my mindset into just following the steps to get to the next level without even questioning the next level. School as a sorter, wants the students to just go by the system for what it is without questioning it.
Thinking about college a lot, I have hopes for enjoying my college experience socially and academically so it will help me with my career path. I want to feel accomplished by the time I finish college I want to feel confident in the career that I choose. These are hope that society and colleges seem to promise for students. While I have all these hopes for college, I feel like college is just another delay from the 'real world'. I feel like (from my own experience) society does not have too much respect teenagers so it feels like they are just keeping us away from the working force until they feel that we have matured enough to get into the work force. In addition, college is a possible delay for students to decide what they want to do for a good amount of their lives because as I have noticed from my own experience, teenagers can be very indecisive.
How does your topic matter existentially - in terms of the meaning of your life, of knowing who you are, of whether you live well before you die?
The image that I have in my head of living a 'well' life before dying is, seeing different cultures, going around the world, learning new things becaues you want to and not because it is a requirement in society, and you just leading your own life on your own standards. I believe that society's expecations of more education hinders our lives existentially for the majority, we only go to school high school because we have to, now that we have the choice of going to college or going to straight to work, the majority will choose college in this generation I'm guessing because it is expected of us by our parents and the society. People are looked down upon if they do not make something of themselves and people are convinced that after high school, college is the number one way to go.
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