Feb 26 2009
Thieving Thursday: More on Education
Ah, education. I was telling this story to someone on IM yesterday, so that’s what I’m stealing.
So, my teenager comes to me last night wanting help with her oratory speech. Now, my speech and debate years are, literally, decades behind me. “Mom, I just need help getting it started. Do you know what an oratory speech is?”
Me: “Not really but I can look it up. I know for most speeches, you start out with your premise, than describe the reasons why that premise is valid then do a summation in the end. You’ll need a topic.”
Her: “I have one. We have to do child abuse.”
Me: “Then you’ll need a premise, something you want to convince people to do, and research.”
Her: “I’ve got all the research I need. I just need a joke or a hook for the beginning.”
Me: “Didn’t your teacher explain it?”
Her: “No she just showed us a video and gave us a paper. Like we can figure it out from a paper.”
Me: “Get me the paper.”
She brings back eight pages of step by step instructions on how to write an oratory speech. “You didn’t read this?”
Her: “Oh, I read it but I can’t understand it.” It’s painfully obvious and exact and my daughter is brilliant. I don’t think so. “I just need something to get it started.”
Me: “First, you need to have a premise. What is it you want to persuade people to do about child abuse?”
Her: “I don’t know. What can you do?”
I give her an example (which she didn’t agree with). “You can’t pick a hook until you decide what you want to be saying. The meat of it determines the hook.”
Me: “I can’t do research on child abuse. Privacy laws means there’s no data on it.” Horse manure. “There are only three website with data at all.” Un-hunh. Found statistical data in five minutes.
So, my daughter wanted me to write her speech for her, do her research, come up with a clever beginning so she wouldn’t have to and tell her what to do on the remaining bits. Kind of reminiscent of my previous education post . The goal is for her to learn how to devise and deliver speeches. I don’t need to learn that; I give speeches now.
I was thinking about this when I stumbled upon an article about an institute in the US complaining about using the European student assessment test (Programme for International Student Assessment or PISA, I think) as a comparison because ours are based on curriculum and theirs is all about how well the students applied their knowledge in a real world setting. Unfortunately, the link I cut and pasted is some sort of resolving set of news and I can’t find it now, mostly because I can’t remember the name of the US institute (it started with a D) or the US tests the spokesperson compared it to. These “flaws” of the International tests (as well as a non-graded section asking moral and political opinions from the children), the spokesman argued, meant that we should not rush to embrace this internationally accepted standard.
In this same article (which I can no longer find), it was also noted that this individual was deeply involved with the development of at least one of the US tests he compared the PISA to. Folks, in my world, people with a vested interest in their own baby might not be entirely objective when addressing someone else’s, especially when it reflects poorly on one’s own.
Here’s my question. Isn’t being able to apply what one learns in the real world what education is all about? If our education experts in this country think that’s a “flaw,” what does that say about education in this country?
I think you are entirely too logical
Joking….
if you can’t apply it, what the heck good is it?
See, the problem is, these kids are going to have to WORK one day. And if they can’t figure out how to apply what they’ve learned, they’ll lose jobs, lose opportunities for advancement, find themselves in jobs they simply aren’t prepared to do, etc.
In work, there are very few “grades.” Very often, the “grade” is the decision to keep an employee or terminate the position entirely. Workers need to be, above all, competent. And what shows competence? The ability to figure out and do the job without a lot of assistance. And to do it right the first time.
As far as I’m concerned, EVERYTHING needs to be applied, or it’s wasted.
Isn’t being able to apply what one learns in the real world what education is all about? If our education experts in this country think that’s a “flaw,” what does that say about education in this country?
It says we’re up the creek without a paddle. It’s no wonder we’re falling behind everybody else in the sciences (and everything else, I suspect). And of course you should also keep in mind that the engineers of the failure of our banking system all got their MBAs from those “experts” and in the system those experts are pushing.
When I was in school in the ’60s and into the early ’70s, rote memorization as an educational method was phasing out. Now I understand it’s all the rage again. And of course all the testing is based on it. But memorization of words on a page or a blackboard doesn’t teach you how to think; it doesn’t teach you the process of thought. And memorized knowledge soon fades away, whereas knowledge gained through a process of integration burns pathways in the brain and stays. That’s common knowledge in the field of educational psychology, so it’s beyond me why the focus has gone back to rote. It just doesn’t make sense!
I’m reminded of the first time I taught prep for the CSET-SS Science (basically a test for teachers who want to teach science at the middle to high school level). My student was, if you’ll forgive the pun, a bit testy about the material. So much to learn! But we pointed out one thing that sets the CSET apart from a lot of what’s out there; it isn’t just looking for knowledge, but for quick thinking, knowing how to reason out the likeliest answer. Process, if you will. Sort of a simulation of that smart-aleck kid in the back row asking the question you never saw coming.
The problem with tests these days is, as royster said, that they’re teaching us to memorize and not to think–and worse, that everyone is so busy teaching to the test they’re not teaching the material. Even most of the test prep out there is busily telling everyone “The Test is out to get you!” rather than pointing out what it is the test really wants them to do. (I like to think we’re the exception.)
But I do agree with you; it’s depressing how many people are in school to learn how to foist the work off on someone else or fake knowledge for as long as possible than to actually learn the things they need to know. I wonder what it would take to turn things around….
I agree that application is essential in education. That’s when you really exercise your brain. We SHOULD rush to embrace this internationally accepted standard.
Davida
This is an interesting question, which again makes me afraid for the future of this country. It seems to becoming more clear that we are going to be left behind in the dust of our European and Pacific Rim brethren.
I was just reading ChicagoDad’s post, and he also touches lightly on this subject. He talked about the methodology of teaching in a private vs. public school setting, but I think his overall gist is on target with were you were going.
Anyway, what I really enjoyed about this article was even the Rocket Scientist’s daughter tries to pull the ole wool of Mommy/Daddy’s eyes. Perhaps you can credit your extensive education with recognizing her attempt, and point out to her that all things are cyclical when it comes to parenting, and her education will pay off exponentially when her child brings home their homework.