What a wonderful rendition.

Thank the inkhornists for this erudition.

now if we could only remove the b from debt and the d from adventure...

Changing Education - It's Not About Money!

Each day, we hear of new reasons to reform public education. Opposing voices offer proof that we already have an excellent public education system. Others suggest a low risk approach; try some incremental improvements and ask for more funding. Amid all the reasons for change, we can easily forget the major reason public education must change. It’s not about money!

Public schools were created to match the needs of an agricultural economy. Then changes were made to meet the needs of an industrial economy. There is new reality. Brain power, information and knowledge -- rather than muscles, now moves a global economy; an economy that runs on a 24/7 clock. Jobs and information move at the speed of light. Meanwhile, public schools are still running on an agricultural calendar, closing for a summer vacation. Classrooms are open less than eight hours a day -- running at the pace of a factory time clock. Public school policies at local, state and national levels have grown into a interlocking web, limiting creative changes and binding us to a set of outdated expectations.

A new global economy and free access to information are only some of the obvious reasons to seek a new vision for public education. Opposing factions and hidden agendas seem to be preventing public schools from seeing a new vision. If we continue to collectively deny and ignore these realities; future generations will suffer from our self-deceptions.

Educational policies must be changed. Classroom schedules, calendars and expectations must be changed; linking traditions of the past, with new realities of a knowledge based economy. Public schools have challenged many generations of students to develop higher order thinking skills. I’m certain that this generation still has enough higher order thinking skills to create a new vision for public education.

Mr. Owen, thank you for your comments, and I do agree that it's not about the money.

Unfortunately, your criticism of "traditional" schooling is point-for-point the party line of progressive educators. It sounds all well and good, but in unfortunately, reforming education to serve a knowledge-based economy has in practice meant that less knowledge is taught, because of the core philosophical concept of "you can always look it up."

This view is fatally flawed, because it doesn't respect a fundamental truth: knowledge builds on knowledge. It is only by teaching children as broad and as deep a knowledge and skill base as possible, that you enable them to truly become productive members of our new knowledge-based economy.

But too many Progressive reformers hold their noses at "dry, boring, disconnected facts" and "tedious, old-fashioned" skils such as times tables or arithmetic. But while the big push for "communication and problem solving" sounds like a noble cause, students end up not knowing anything!

chett:
Thanks so much for your concise comments. I've reviewed the list of eleven points, from this web site, comparing traditional versus progressive viewpoints for educational reform. Strangely enough, I can't find many so called "Progressive" ideas" that I like. I'm in 100% agreement with all of the traditional viewpoints, except the following...

5. Classroom structure and control are good. We may wish that students had more of it -- but I'm not sure that students sitting in neat rows will bring more structure and order to any classroom.
6. Respect for a teacher is good, good teachers inspire respect. I do not agree with the idea that teachers are best described as a "Sage on the stage."
7. Corrections must be made for learning. Marking a paper with red ink is concise. However, a positive comment is often a more powerful insight for learning.
8. Expelling a disruptive student is an ultimate form of control, however I'm not sure how the time spent during suspension or while expelled, will help a student gain any new life-changing skills.
9. I agree 100% -- students should be "promoted", based on specific standards. Experts have written many books about this one issue. I'll state my feelings by asking a two questions. Why do we use the word "promote"? And, why do we expect all students to move forward on the same time schedule -- aquiring simple facts, gaining knowledge, and mental skills needed to wrestle with complex or even opposing ideas?...

In summary, I guess I'm really be a traditionalist or maybe even a progressive idealist. While the world moves toward more choices and heaven forbid the word, 'diversity' -- why do we need simple labels to define an issue? I could be wrong on all my views, I'm not an expert. Talk about traditional. I can only boast of an education gained in a one-room country school and four years at public high school. Other than that -- I've managed to gain a diploma from the 'school of hard knocks' and retire, at age 55. I've been blessed with help and support of a loving family and the wisdom gained from many others along the way, During the journey, I've gained some higher order thinking skills and try to use the best ideas, no matter which side of any issue. Thanks again for taking the time to help me test my thinking skills.
Phil Owen