What is Missing in Education Today?
Books. I know that sounds odd but I believe that it is true. As I have done research on different methods on education I seem to hear a resounding theme. Whether you are classical or unschooling, everyone wants to go beyond boxed curriculum. NerdDad had told me a while ago about reading something from John Gatto (an award winning teacher). It was that kids weren't reading books but "exerpts". Because of this I hear people saying that it is better to not use curriculum and just surround your children with quality books and their natural curiousity will take over. So I begain reflecting on my own educational past. I was a voracious reader and would read just about anything. I loved biographies and they inspired me to study what I would need to learn (math and science) in order to acheive. I was inspired to learn about history by reading historical novels. One particular example of that was anything by Bodie and Brock Thoene. I would check the facts that were in their many series. I went on to learn about the facts of World War II but also the social issues that were behind it. I was inspired by Science Fiction to find out about real science and how far we had already come. The area reading probably influenced the most was religion. I loved reading the Bible but also books by authors sharing their own experience.
So why doesn't traditional schooling have just reading as a major component to education? I really don't have any idea. I think it could be fear. Fear that the kids will go beyond their prescribed areas of reading. Fear that kids won't like reading. Fear that they will not be able to measure a child's growth. But, I think you can pair curriculm with a love a reading. I hope to be able to tailor an education program to whatever crazy thing it is the kids are currently enjoying reading about. The nice thing about a small "class" is that I will have that freedom. Don't get me wrong, there will be some school books but in limited areas. I think when we study history and other social sciences there is no reason to abandon the rich literature we have available to us. Perhaps this will teach more than dates and times but also logic. I suppose what I hope the most is that it will inspire my children to be brilliant and all that they could ever dream for themselves.
So why doesn't traditional schooling have just reading as a major component to education? I really don't have any idea. I think it could be fear. Fear that the kids will go beyond their prescribed areas of reading. Fear that kids won't like reading. Fear that they will not be able to measure a child's growth. But, I think you can pair curriculm with a love a reading. I hope to be able to tailor an education program to whatever crazy thing it is the kids are currently enjoying reading about. The nice thing about a small "class" is that I will have that freedom. Don't get me wrong, there will be some school books but in limited areas. I think when we study history and other social sciences there is no reason to abandon the rich literature we have available to us. Perhaps this will teach more than dates and times but also logic. I suppose what I hope the most is that it will inspire my children to be brilliant and all that they could ever dream for themselves.
posted by NerdMom at
9:58 AM
5 Comments:
Here on the college front, I am amazed at how much students do NOT want to read. I also taught an "Intro to Health" class - all different levels and majors. I thought of this brilliant assignment - a "health-related book review." I gave them a choice of so many of my favorites and tied each choice into one of the chapters in the text. The chapter on nutrition? Fast Food Nation, of course. The chapter on sexually transmitted infections? And the Band Played On. The chapter on birth control? Devices and Desires. The chapter on drinking/alcohol? Drinking: A Love Story. The chapter on personal safety? The Gift of Fear. And on and on. As I waded through the papers (mostly poorly written) at the end of the semester, I noticed almost all the students (male and female) had chosen Drinking: A Love Story. This surprised me - most college students think binge drinking is a rite of passage and I was especially confused about why or how the men would relate to the author - a waspy white woman. Then I realized my big faux pas: In the packet I gave them, describing the books from which they could choose, I had used Amazon.com reviews, which included page numbers. Drinking: A Love Story? Had the fewest pages.
By
Teacher lady, at 4:59 PM
I'm wondering if there is a book gene. I know perfectly wonderful people who don't read books.
I have three children. One reads voraciously, the other does not and one is dyslexic so he's his own special case.
By
Anonymous, at 7:06 PM
Ever since the Whole Language cult of teaching reading took hold in America's schools of education where new teachers are produced, the reading ability of our students has dropped significantly from days past.
I wouldn't want to read either if I had to guess every word on the page, and that is exactly what Whole Language expects a reader to do.
Once Phonics was put out to pasture, so was the love of reading for many people.
By
W.R. Chandler, at 10:16 PM
I think Chanman is right.
The way reading is taught in public schools turns what can be a pleasure into a chore.
By
Henry Cate, at 1:56 PM
I always hated that in school. They would have you read passages and try to analyze them. I could never figure out how I was supposed to know what was going on when I only read a paragraph or two from an entire book. The whole thing puzzled me.
I was excited when my college history class had us read a book a week and discuss it in our weekly discussion sections. I still have so many books i want to read, but I remember that I never understood anything at any depth until I finally read about it in some nice book.
You don't get depth from a history textbook. That's for sure!
By
silvermine, at 5:01 PM
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