So this scenario should be familiar to you: you're surfing the edblogs or blogosphere or blogomultiverse or whatever they're calling it these days and you come across a post written by someone who supports alternatives to the current "normal" path of education in this society (read: go to public school, graduate, go to college, go into the work force). It more than likely includes a lengthy personal story that details injustices (real or perceived) that the poster or his/her child received at the hands of the public school system. This personal story informs the writer's opinion that we as a people need to support other paths to learning and below the last sentence are several comments that include multiple uses of the word "inspiring."
The topic of said post could be about several things. All you need to do is fill in the blank of this phrase: "___________ is not for everybody." It's almost a mantra, or at least it makes for a good slogan or talking point: "School is not for everybody." "Public school is not for everybody." "The system is not for everybody." "College is not for everybody."
Now, the idea behind those last few sentences makes perfect sense. There are plenty of people in this world who have gone to a private school or been homeschooled, or who have decided not to go to college and have thrived. Being a teacher has taught me much about that last thing, which is something I would have never even thought of when I was a student--then again, I had a naive view of the world typical for students like me. I have seen students graduate my high schools and choose all sorts of different paths; I'm not sure that all of them were 100% successful at everything, but I know that those who have been didn't all follow the same exact path I did in life. What gets me, however, is how vehement the tone of the posts I mentioned in the first paragraph of this post. There is a very, well, black and white view of things presented and most of the time it all seems so ... well, this sounds nasty, but it sounds so selfish. Like, good for you but what about the 100 faces I see each day? Are you going to "save" them too? I mean, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one, right?
And, as a matter of fact, aren't there students who thrive within the current "normal" path of education in this society?
I'm probably coming into the middle of this "fight" as it is, but I'd like to know where it started and where any conversation we were having about education in this public forum became all about proving that you're right. You know what I mean: this is the way it happened to ME and therefore THIS IS THE SOLUTION AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS WRONG! Even I fall into that trap from time to time, because it's so easy to argue and sometimes it's even fun. But where does it get us?
It makes for a great book title or a slogan or what have you, but is it really a solution? Or should I just stop getting all worked up about what I read online?
5 comments:
"the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one, right?"
In a word, no. It is not right to sacrifice or scapegoat one for the good of the rest.
A sounder argument would be that resources are limited, and that you can't possibly meet everyone's needs, so you end up trying to split things fairly and not everyone ends up satisfied with their share.
Most of the home schoolers that I have met do not argue that home schooling is for everyone—many came to it quite reluctantly after difficulties in the school system, which did not work (for one reason or another) for their children.
Several of the home schooled kids in the home school umbrella school my son is part of (run by the school district as a public school) have siblings in standard public schools.
The mantras I see most often are
"every child is different", "who the teacher is matters more than what school," and "choose the least bad option".
There are some who rant about the public school system, but around here anyway, schooling choices seem to seen as one of constrained optimization—what is the best fit you can find for your child, given constraints of time, money, and available options? For most people in the community, public schools are the best choice, but it is good to have other options when that one doesn't work well.
Last week, when I read the post (was it from you?) about unschooling and the links provided, I also got very upset. It might be easier to not care what people on the internet say, but I still think it's important to put the counter-argument out there. I wrote this post on my blog in response:
http://experimentsofapostgradtwentysomething.blogspot.com/2011/11/best-idea-ive-ever-heard.html
Just wanted to let you know that I agree with you, public school (or anything for that matter) isn't for everyone but that doesn't mean it's not for anyone.
@gasstationwithoutpumps: Wait a second, wait a minute! That wasn't in the script! You're supposed to call me a Nazi! You're supposed to scream about testing and killing creativity and my not being fit to guide children, then plug your book! HOW DARE YOU PRESENT A RATIONAL ARGUMENT?!
@Christine: I went and read your post and thought it was excellent. I promise to leave a comment when I get the chance but right now I have a 4-year-old tugging at me and asking me to play Spider-Man. :)
I go through phases where I want to pull my hair out with the articles and the attacks in them. Other times, I try to be calm and not become offended at the lack of simple compassion and understanding of how an actual classroom works separate from what our idea of a classroom should look like.
I get just as upset when I hear about chilren being mistreated, but it is the same problem that affects all news, good news isn't news, only the bad stories make it and so they permeat our brain and take hold instead of any good things we hear.
Like you I'm pretty sure the main purpose is to sell their idea and book/method/etc in a package. Here is the problem, here is how I can fix it for you, just read this book and buy these things.
I liked the post written by Christine, it says many of the same thing I would say, especially the points about it will basically cause larger rifts between classes of people who have and have not. Of people who work hard to ensure their children are being educated and learning and those who aren't very interested. There is talk of community centers and libraries that meet all these needs, but in my area, no thing could even exsist that students could get to each day unless someone could take them there because its 10 miles to the nearest library from my house and 20 to a YMCA, that isn't going to work.
I also dislike how certain blogs refuse to hear what teachers are experiencing, but consistantly state that from THEIR point of view things don't work that way, so we need to accept what they see, but won't accept what I see. The teachers who never have problems allowing food in classes, sorry but I did. The ones who say online education is great, students are involved and want to get to know you, sorry not mine, they never answer their phone or attend sessions or even read any feedback given to them.
My main problem is that they want you to fully embrace their version of reality and of events, but refuse to accept yours and vilify anyone who disagrees and make generalized statements about what teachers do.
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