Last July, I got an email from a friend who was in the process of finishing a Master’s degree in Special Education. She asked if I would complete a survey related to her research. I didn’t hesitate. A few days later she sent me a list of questions about my past experiences and my current thoughts about public school education. Listed below are some of my experiences, observations, and suggestions educators might want to consider.
Looking Back
- I had
a few teachers who were indifferent to the plight of poor kids and a few
who were outright hostile towards us.
- Classroom
hostility creates fear and anger, but indifference is much more damaging.
- Students
can tell when they aren’t a priority: it does something to them.
- Looking
back, some teachers were better than others when it came to hiding their
lack of attentiveness.
- Students,
not the faculty or parents, are the first to recognize when a teacher has
given up.
Opinions
- Public
education is one of the highest achievements of mankind.
- Privatizing
public education will cause more problems than it fixes.
- Market
sensibilities force educators to ask how profitable something is instead
of how much value it adds.
- The
ability of a nation to advance rests squarely on the shoulders of its
youth.
- Education
is the process of self actualization.
Looking Forward
- The
three R’s are essential, but critical thinking is just as important.
- There
has to be more focus on the humanities.
- Teachers,
regardless of the subjects they teach, should use as much technology as
possible in their classes.
- Students
should be required to write in every subject.
- All
students should have an apprentice level skill set in one service industry
trade.
“Thoughts On Education” @Thoughtwrestler https://medium.com/@Thoughtwrestler/thoughts-on-education-e090accd3c40
