Posted by Hoax? That depends! on November 12, 2003 at 14:25:30:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: How can i make my parents realize....... posted by Bill on November 12, 2003 at 10:06:17:
Snopes doesn't claim that the test is a modern invention. Actually they don't comment on whether the claim that the test was for 1895 8th graders is authentic or not. Snopes only rants against the notion that the email demonstrates that the quality of education has diminished. Which it clearly has.
There is no question, my kids learn certain technical skills at school that I did not; but that's really not something peculiar to the current day. All that test content about bushels, squares, acres, etc. was important in its day, and (for the average youth) not so important today. Every generation must learn to use the terminology and tools of its day.
BUT -- that's not education. That's training. Training's fine, mind you; but for humanity to excel, we have to surpass mere training. Mary Ann spoke of the need to teach critical thinking, and she's right. I'd add to that the ability to learn something, and find new ways to apply it. At a minimum, it means that once you've learned proper spelling and grammar, you use them in science class, math class, and internet chat. It means that when you read a book, you are able to understand the historical context within which it was written. It means that math word problems should not have to use specific 'key' words to tip young people off to which formula to use. And having watched my kids -- one presently in college, two in high school -- I guarantee you that the expectations are much, much lower than they were when I was young.
Lest any youngster think I am deriding them, let me be clear: it is not the younger generation that is at fault, but my own. It is my generation that is setting the expectations so low, that places a higher value on phony self-esteem than on confidence that results from accomplishment. When we were young, we lived up to what was expected of us. Young people today are living up to what is expected of them. If we want to improve the education of young people, it has to start with us raising our expectations.
I read an old proverb once that has really stuck with me:
Do not treat a man as he is; treat him as you wish him to become.
In other words, if we will expect every kid (other than the rare kid who really is unable to perform) to have every homework assignment done, and actually insist that the answers be correct, our kids will learn more. If we don't do that, they will fail; but we will have failed first.
Joe Baker, who is looking around, wondering what he's doing on top of this -- what is this, a soapbox?