I am a teacher (college level) who has never taken any classes in how to teach. I am consistantly frustrated that my students want a single right answer to questions I raise and are very frustrated when I tell them that in design there are millions of right answers and it depends. 17 weeks into the current course and they (or the ones that survived this far) are finally getting it (and getting that the rational behind the design choice can make the choice right or wrong). For me to teach quickly and efficiently I need students who konw how to think, who know how to analyze a situation and find a better way. I don't know how (if) I was taught these skills formally,but somewhere along the line I picked them up. We need a nation of creative articulate people if we are going to survive ecconomically. Drones to not come up with new ideas. If that means the government is teetering on anarchy frequently, I think it is OK (the government needs to be a little scared of its people if it is to serve their interests)
So much emphasis and focus goes into and onto STUFF that kids should know that there's not much time left to let 'em figure out and/or guide 'em towards DEALING WITH all or DISCOVERING some of the stuff (e.g., THINKING). And several weeks of each May is taken up by assessments, reducing further the time for teaching/learning and resulting in kids, CHILDREN, w/severe test anxiety. I feel for you in your position. My mom's been teaching at CSUs for over 30 years now and she reports things heading downhill over that time prep-wise for incoming students. Glad that some start to get it near the end of the semester: that's promising. Mebbe if'n it's a 2-part class they'll start the 2nd one w/a headstart. The Single Right Answer preference may stem from the multitude of T/F and muliple choice tests they've had to take, where One True Answer is desired. Mebbe start off the course w/some talk and/or discussion EXPLICITLY addressing the issue of of No Single Right answer, explaining the holistic approach to design (lots of factors must align for the star (the show) to be born...or some other reference that they'd get, ideally). The idea of the gov't serving the interests of the people could get you tossed into jail in less enlightened times, climes, places...showing that you're right on target w/this one!
raped by those who didn't bother to read the whole book (not the readers of this board but the person who wrote that website.) "In the third place, it is the office of the school environment to balance the various elements of the social environment, and to see to it that each individual gets an opportunity to escape from the limitatios of the social group in which he was born, and to come into living contact with a broader enviroment." John Dewey, Democracy and Education,
I'm sure Dewey has his sins but using education to create classes of sheep was not one of them. Now that second Rockerfeller quote, that does appear to be evil at work.
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timeasmymeasure
Well that's the problem
Date: 2006-05-13 01:59 pm (UTC)Re: Well that's the problem
Date: 2006-05-13 04:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-13 03:03 pm (UTC)This describes my allery to education pretty well, I think.
Poor John Dewey...
Date: 2006-05-13 06:39 pm (UTC)"In the third place, it is the office of the school environment to balance the various elements of the social environment, and to see to it that each individual gets an opportunity to escape from the limitatios of the social group in which he was born, and to come into living contact with a broader enviroment." John Dewey, Democracy and Education,
I'm sure Dewey has his sins but using education to create classes of sheep was not one of them. Now that second Rockerfeller quote, that does appear to be evil at work.
--Tass
Re: Poor John Dewey...
Date: 2006-05-13 06:47 pm (UTC)