How would you redesign it?

A few weeks back, a friend posted a link to a blog article which I found interesting. The author, Erica Goldson, displays her valedictorian speech given earlier this year (one assumes). In her speech, Erica questions the method in which our current education system evaluates whether students have learned enough to move on. I encourage you to read her speech first:

http://americaviaerica.blogspot.com/

“But now I have successfully shown that I was the best slave.” What a line. I agree with the sentiment of the speech. We should be taught and encouraged to think beyond the facts and rote memorization. One of my friends once told me that educational systems are mostly an experiment. There is little science or testing which shows that one way of teaching is better than another. Mostly this is because you can't truly tell until at least ten years later.

I believe that we as a society need to encourage life-long learning. No matter our degree or profession, we are all capable of learning new things. We should strive to build that desire within ourselves and the youth. In today’s economic climate, this idea is more than just a suggestion, it is required. Many people are finding that they are faced with learning new skills, techniques, and entire vocations in order to survive.

Coming back to schools and education – Erica suggests for students go beyond what is required for testing and not worry about grades. How does that work? I agree - metrics stink. But how do we, as a society, evaluate which schools need support, which are 'succeeding'?

Malcolm Gladwell, in his book ‘Outliers’, examines commonly used stats showing reading comprehension between students of different socio-economic status across several years in school. Looking at the numbers, it appears that the schools are failing at helping the students from low income backgrounds keep up with their middle and high income classmates. But then Gladwell has the reader look closer. The low-income are not falling behind in school. They are falling behind during summer. It comes back to a difference in what happens at home. When a family is struggling to make ends meet, there is less time to encourage summer learning. On the flip-side, the middle and high income families create more incentives for summer education. It comes through required reading, trips, summer camps, and similar activities.

I believe that our attitudes towards education are impacted by the school, the teachers, and our classmates. But they are so much more affected by our family, relatives, and friends. In essences, it comes back to association. Be careful who you spend time with.

In Erica’s final sentences, she directs her thoughts to her classmates and instructors. She challenges them to change, to grow, to learn. We all should listen and try to learn, grow, and change.

Thanks for reading!
~J^3