The Future of Education – Happy Teachers Day

Thank you to all of the Teachers around the world, who have the most difficult job and one of the most under-appreciated jobs.

There is so much research on education, it’s difficult to think we will ever have the right answer.  And maybe that is the answer, that there isn’t a RIGHT answer.

For one, I don’t believe there is a magic formula to achieve universal learning.  People are so different, with strengths and weaknesses, now evaluated by 24 different characteristics, with at least three different learning styles, etc.  But to know where we are going in education, we have to at least know where we are now.

Right now the education system outlines specific goals for each age group, independent of ability, socioeconomic background, support from home, etc.  We then test students on these limited goals which may evaluate knowledge more than intelligence or understanding.

I’m reading How Children Succeed… by Paul Tough.  One underlying idea, briefly mentioned, is not that the school environment is not only a place of instruction.  Rather, it’s a place for therapy, where children are improving the obstacles that prevent them from achieving their goals.  Okay, this idea is also forming from a TED Talk discussion I just listened to on the TED Radio Hour by NPR.  Specifically the talk by Rita Pierson who shows how human relationships are mechanisms for learning.  That’s why some teachers are better for students to learn from, because they are able to develop such strong relationships with the students.  Although it wasn’t discussed in depth, she gives an example of the relationships which address the child’s individual need which allows the child to achieve more in their education.  I think we all sort of knew this, and we know of many great teachers accomplishing this with their students, such as Mr. Foteah who is also a fantastic blogger.

So we go to school for therapy, to address the issues and behavioral problems that interfere with learning.  Now thinking about the future of learning…

In that same collection of TED Talks from the NPR radio show, listen to the bits by Suguta Mitra.  He did some experiments which show how children can teach themselves difficult material.  Even very poor children who have no idea what a computer is or how to speak English.  If you have heard about the Khan Academy, and if you have ever taken an online course, we can see a shift coming in the education system.  People choose what they want to learn, and how they want to learn it.  Salman Khan talks about how his online courses allow students to prep for classroom lectures in advance and teachers now use class time to help students master the skill.  This will allow students to learn at their own pace, and hopefully as the students identifies their best method of learning, they can become more efficient in the learning process.  So the teachers role as an instructor might be reduced even further.  There will be more time to deal with the “therapy work” for students, to help them stay motivated, and help them develop “character” (discussed in the book How Children Succeed).

Not that this is an easy task.  How does one person identify the specific needs of 120 students, and find positive ways to address each of those issues?   But in a way, it’s part of their task now, along with the instructive tasks.

What if education can be a “learn at your own pace” with the instructor meant to get to know you to help you identify challenges and develop methods of overcoming them.  And to help evaluate your learning achievement.  Is that the system we can expect?

Teachings Knowledge or Teaching Skills

I distinctly remember my 6t grade social studies assignment to write a research paper on Ancient Egyptian history.  We got to choose our own topic, and I was interested in the Queen Nefertiti who is now more famous than her Pharaoh husband.  Those of you who read my blog, have probably noticed that story telling is not my one of my strengths.  It doesn’t come natural, and it’s only once in a while that I think of a good story to include in my posts.  6th grade was the start of this lifelong battle with writing.  My research involved writing down quotes of important information from various sources, and combining them into the final paper.  I do not recall what preparation and training was provided for this task, but I do remember the note on my graded paper to redo the work and this time write the paper in my own words.  There is a lot I don’t remember about childhood, but this embarrassment, although not public, has seared this experience into my memory.  And although I cannot say I have mastered the skill, at least I’m conscientious not to plagiarize.

I think growing up, my view of education was that we were taught knowledge.  My view of that particular assignment at the time was that I was supposed to learn facts about Ancient Egyptian history, but now I see how the class was teaching me a skill to be used throughout the rest of my life.  Would I have performed better, had I been focused on the development of the skill rather than the accumulation of knowledge, maybe?

Each grade level and class type during K-12 education will vary in it’s focus.  Math and Science I think are more weighted on teaching knowledge with some skills learned as well, but history and social studies  have the opposite distribution.  Maybe this distinction doesn’t make a difference to students, or educators.  Maybe the educators are completely aware of this and subtly build it into their curriculum so that students have no idea.  But I think I might have learned more, if I realized the necessity of learning skills.

My boyfriend used to teach at the graduate level, thinks that higher education is more focused on the learning of knowledge.  If this were true, then we might expect it could be possible to test through an undergraduate degree.  But to my knowledge, you have to complete equivalent coursework to be eligible for a diploma.   Does this suggest we are more concerned about people learning skills?

Ways to help the World

Reblogged from Life Is Too Short:

There are many ways to donate to the world.  Financially, or Time, depending on your schedule and preference.  As the world expands in population, and more distance is created between people, we are losing our community support systems.  I suggest you review all charities and groups in advance of supporting them.  If you're like me and you have no idea how to do this on your own, see if they have asked…

Read more… 186 more words

I love this collection of ways to improve the world and our local communities.

The Fight against Bullying

Raise your hand if you have been bullied at some point in your life.  If you can read this, I expect you are raising your hand.  It doesn’t matter what age, gender, skin color, native language, etc.  It’s a natural reaction when we are not taught to behave otherwise.  Typically bullying is a reaction to stress (www.bullying.org).  And who is not stressed at some point in their life?

The number of groups and news reports about bullying gives me hope that we will soon have the tools to stop the bullying behavior.   Dateline even did an episode secretly watching kids to see if they will participate in bullying.  Ways people are stopping Bullying behavior:

• Strategies for Success includes statistics on improvements for kids using these strategies.
• Review the Challenge at thebullyproject.startempathy.org
• Maisie Miller, a high school student in Massachusetts, teamed up with students to stop the bullying behavior.  And asks that people do not retaliate as that would just continue the cycle.
• StopBullying.gov
• Southern Poverty Law Center organizes their discussions around the topic of the bullying.
• WebMD discusses ideas to stop bullying for boys and girls.
• Kids have created ideas such as this website for Comic Strips to stop bullying.
• Or review these 8 Kid Power skills
• More ideas from kids at Pacer’s site National Bullying Prevention Center

What if your child is the bully?

• Warning Signs to look for that your child might be a bully.
• Why kids bully on Education.com
• Signs that your child is being bullies, or is a bully on GreatSchools.org

Thanks to RaisingAwareness for your post and reminding me to complete this post.

Teaching Fairly

As we learn about psychology, we are discovering the subconscious behavior for a person to favor someone who is similar to them.  We all do it, you, me, everyone; without thinking or realizing.  It’s very natural to share camaraderie with people of our same background, from fraternity or sorority members to people who share  the same background and interests that we share.  People who both like football, golf, nascar, jazz music, any commonality to bind us together. It’s a basic human instinct to try and understand the people we are interacting with.  We want to know if someone is male or female, what is their age, their ethnicity, their upbringing.  Whether this makes sense or not, we will assume we better understand someone who grew up in the same area and shares the same ethnic identity compared to people who differ from us in these characteristics.

Now that we understand this idea, we see many examples in our social world of how this concept subtly rules our behavior.  From corporate executives bonding and promoting with people of similar characteristics, gender, and ethnicity to teachers, who tend to be female, showing more leniency toward female students in their grading and evaluations which is helping girls excel in academics and is hurting their male peers.  This can be crucial at every level of education, since there are certain windows we have to learn certain skills.  Even as early as preschool, studies show that kids who learn the soft skills will have more successful lives long term.  And we are discovering the extent of a teacher’s expectations can affect the student’s achievement.  Although being lenient on girls in school may help to reverse the unintentional bias against women in the workplace, it’s

as of July 2012, http://wexpo.biz/women_ceos

not a fair treatment of boys to help them achieve their potential.  Both genders need equally supportive leaders, family, and educators to set high expectations that encourage the kids to achieve.

So how can we combat this subconscious bias?  As G.I. Joe reminds us each episode, “Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.”  As a Caucasian female, who grew up in California but now resides in Massachusetts, I might never fully understand the circumstances and point of view of an Asian male who grew up in South Korea and now resides and works in Ohio.  We will always have different points of views with people around us, even with people of similar backgrounds.   In order to treat people fairly, and give the same support and benefits to people of equal standing, we need to better understand those different points of view.

And by including more people with varying points of view, we will improve our networks and knowledge centers.  By focusing our interactions with people of similar backgrounds, we are less likely to tap into a resource we are not already connected to.  So in order to improve our businesses, we should increase diversity in our workplace, which goes against our natural tendency.  We naturally feel better in a group of our peers, who can understand and accept us without much effort.

The more extreme version of this tendency is to think of people as “Us” vs. “Them.”  Sociologists are learning the depths that people will categorize other people to be part of their group, or to consider them as an outsider, and the residual effects of thinking that way.  Which is way beyond my level of understanding, but I find fascinating.  A few professors at the University of Michigan discuss this idea of Us vs. Them in a paper.

How To Stop the Bad Guys?

armed guard (Photo credit: micmol )

So the Executive VP of the NRA, Wayne LaPierre thinks we can stop guy violence with guns? “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”

First, this would not prevent killings, but it might reduce then. Of course we must consider the impact this environment would have on children, learning each day in a prison instead of a school. And how do we protect the area around the school where kids play, enter and leave the school, and get onto buses? What about libraries, parks, swimming pools, basketball courts, and shopping malls where kids play and congregate?

I know, he thinks we should build a bubble in each town and arm the 1 entrance to protect the children. Kids can leave only at night to stay with their family.

We need to address the problems because trying to control the impact of problems is an eternal game of cat and mouse.

But if we decide that armed guards will help, I’m all for taxing gun sales to cover the cost of this measure. Violence begets violence. And I would prefer to move away from violent actions and solutions.

25 Things I’d Like My Sons To Know

http://www.huffingtonpost.com

by Tom Matlack for The Good Men Project

This is a great list for all those parents out there.

I plan on checking out more of the Good Man Project.

Deeper Meaning of the Hunger Games story

Cover of The Hunger Games

Wow! As interesting as the Hunger Games trilogy is on it’s own, having just completed the book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide brings a stabbing realization to the underlying message of the Hunger Games.  (Spoiler alert if you have not read through book 3, Mockingjay).

Throughout the trilogy, Katniss struggles to understand the complacency of the capital’s citizens and the citizens of District 13, in their acceptance of inhumane treatment of citizens in the other 12 districts.  She wonders how can they be so concerned with fashion and the supply of food delicacies, when so many people of the country suffer malnourishment and mistreatment?  How can they watch the hunger games event each year, watch innocent children be killed and kill each other, as if it’s entertainment?

The same message rings true throughout Half the Sky, in it’s disturbing, yet realistic depiction of inhumane treatment of girls and women, in a multitude of actions, in many developing countries (although also found in more developed and western cultures too).  In the Hunger Games trilogy the capital’s citizens are portrayed as a sophisticated elite class, without acknowledging the sacrifices of others to bring them such luxury.  Can’t we say the same for the USA regarding mines for gold and precious stones in Africa, sweat shops throughout Asia, and sex slaves.

It’s impossible to ignore the message that we are able to block out the pain of others, suffering at the hands of other conscientious beings, while we enjoy a life of relative leisure.  As if we  earned this quality of life, rather than been born into it privilege.  Why do we think that?  Because we have a few “difficulties” to deal with?

What I love about the way Half the Sky was written, it gives an analysis of various aid programs; commenting on their flaws while highlighting the positive impact in spite of these flaws.  At the same time, the authors acknowledge the need for rigorous analysis of these programs, to determine the most effective method; while recognizing that the optimal programs will vary according to region and cultural norms for that region.  Some of the most successful programs are those that give the women and local communities the tools to make the necessary changes for improvement.  Finally, the book ends with a few suggestions of how we can help, starting with the most simple of steps.

The symbol of the revolution. The Mockingjay. (Photo credit: damnyeahnich)

Maybe the authors of Half the Sky will also make this connection, if they can use the lesson of the Hunger Games trilogy, to find their own Mockingjay.  Similar to celebrities who try to advocate equal human rights around the world, but instead find a captivating character that we each identify with, that relate to as ourselves, recognizing our own power to stop the torture.  And our own silence as an accessory to all these crimes.

In early October, the PBS documentary show Independent Lens will air a 4 hour special on the same topic as the book Half the Sky.  And here is the Half the Sky website for more information on the effort to bring equal rights and protection to women.

Reading posts by others suggests that each person can take away their own meaning for these books, based on thier personal experiences and priorities.  Sometimes the main point to people is a deep love story, which I did not get at all from reading the books and listening to Katniss’s thoughts.  Some see the good vs. evil, but maybe they haven’t completed the whole trilogy.  I’m curious what other points of discussion people have after reading this series.

Should Everyone go to College?

Barnard College, 1913 (LOC) (Photo credit: The Library of Congress)

Sadly, some people blindly believe that a college degree is the recipe for success.  We hear about people who get one or more degrees that they never even use, which can be a significant problem for anyone without the financial independence to pay for it..  Even for students who will benefit from a college education, the cost of that education should be considered compared to the future salary.  Graduating with large debt can delay many life decisions and put off potential life partners.

This high demand for a college education has caused the dramatic increase in education costs, because of natural laws of economics of supply and demand.  Now there are growing problems with the expectation of going to college, for-profit colleges are abusing this assumption to make money off of hard working people, students (including some PHD’s) are still not able to find a job because of oversupply, and even regular people accumulate a debt load that takes a lifetime to repay when students do not analyze college costs to future salary.

1) not all jobs require a college education, although every person can improve their work performance with more education.  Especially for low income jobs, if everyone gets a decent education they will not be happy working these positions.  So we should identify people with the personality to perform well in these positions (such as those who would not do well in school and enjoy the low responsibility lifestyle) and provide them skills training for these types of jobs.  I believe these jobs should allow people to earn a minimum standard of living for that locale.

2) Not all people require college to achieve a good education, some people have the self motivation, curiosity, and tenacity to educate themselves.  So when Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates, and others say college is not required for success, they are right; for some people.

We should not blindly believe that a college degree is a guarantee for success, or long term financial security.  Its the right thing for many people, who carefully choose the university and the topic of study.  I believe education is the most important thing in the world, but I don’t believe that a college program is the only way to be educated, nor do I think it’s the most economical way.

I think part of the problem is that people want more, we believe we’re entitled to more, and we spend money on items that are not necessary instead of focusing on the items that provide that minimum standard of living.  How many people purchase more clothing than they actually need, expensive jewelry or forms of entertainment instead of healthy food or educational items to improve our own survival?  Because that is our standard in Western Society to enjoy a life of luxury.

Why do we Ignore what we Believe is Right?

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” ~Edmund Burke

There can be a lot of disagreement over what is right and wrong, it’s not my intent here to discuss what actions fall into each category.  I am curious about situations where people clearly, and knowingly, do something against what they believe to be right.  For example: Someone may think it’s a good idea to follow the speed limit, but they choose not to on occasion.  Or people who thinking that smoking is bad, but they are now addicted to smoking and have trouble quitting.  Given the current child abuse scandal, how did the adults at Penn State turn a blind eye on the horrible actions of “Jerry” Sandusky and let more children fall victim???

What really intrigues me are the situations where people do something they believe to be wrong, just because are likely to get away with it.  Again, the Sandusky situation which repeated itself because he felt protected in that environment.  What occurs in our way of thinking to make us choose the action we think is wrong?

• Biological abnormalities aside, some people’s brains are just wired incorrectly.  The more we learn about identifying those abnormalities the better.
• Do we believe it will help us more than hurting others, so there is a net benefit?
• Are we operating based on a biological instinct to do anything that helps us as individuals, even if it hurts the group.  Do our actions have to be mutually exclusive?
• Do we believe someone else is doing it, and so we are entitled to help ourselves in the same way?
• I recently came across a scientist researching the brain and talking about why we lie, including how the brain lies to ourselves without us know.
• I suspect it’s a combination of the biological, for each of us is susceptible to certain behavior just like some people become an alcoholic while others can drink every day and not become addicted, we all have a biological disposition to be affected by certain things.  And its laziness, it’s so easy for us to enjoy the comfort we are given (I did not fight in the revolution) and to continue to want more rather than use what we have to help everyone achieve a minimum quality of life.

If I go back to school, this is probably what I would study.