Re: Re: In Defense of HS Teachers


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Posted by Dan Clouse on September 06, 2002 at 09:47:01:

In Reply to: Re: In Defense of HS Teachers posted by Rick Denney on September 04, 2002 at 13:37:39:

I'm reading more and more technical analyis of education, and I really like that approach.

I started college aiming for an Ed degree, but got fed up with the useless hoops just to get the degree, then the certification, then to get a job and keep my certification. I switched to performance, and graduated with a job in web development, and have now moved into full-fledged programming. I understand now why I was getting so frustrated with the process in college, AND in high school: my goals and the goals of my educational institution didn't align (as noted in Rick's outline). The experience I've gained as a programmer and developer give me insight I lacked as a student, and I recognize the need for sweeping change.

Rick's outline is very brief, but points out a LOT of flaws in the current system. However, it also lacks any real alternative. What we have now is the "Henry Ford" method of education: assembly line and process-oriented. What we need is a "village" approach to education. A lot of bleeding heart liberals have added some negative connotative meaning to that term, but if you consider that most people end up living within a few miles of where they were raised, it would be within a community's best interest to educate/train/socialize it's children to contribute in a meaningful way. Not only for society as a whole, but for the school system itself. It is possible for a school to actively engage it's students in the learning process without standardizing all curriculum, and relying on tests to spell the outcome.

The process of doing this is beyond the scope of my post, and I don't profess to be an expert on educational methodry. I have read research and case studies, however, that confirm these ideas. I would love to participate as a teacher and mentor for a school system that tries this, but without a teaching cert I can't even get my foot in the door.

Dan "Loves to be the Devil's Advocate" Clouse

P.S. Just because I love to be the Devil's Advocate, doesn't mean that Rick is the Devil ;)


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