Comments on: And we’re preparing them for…. http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/ Discussions on education and learning Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:15:24 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Miss Profe http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/comment-page-1/#comment-2194 Miss Profe Mon, 11 Jun 2007 13:34:00 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/#comment-2194 As much as I resist sometimes, I am a progressive teacher deep-down. Which is to say, that education should prepare students to be who they are. The drive for K-12 schools to be feeder for corporations is driven by the perceived need to maintain the power and status of the United States. What we really need are artists, writers, revolutionaries, teachers - people who have the ability to change their world, and who can actually draw a direct line between colonialsim and the atrocities occuring in Africa, just to name one issue. As much as I resist sometimes, I am a progressive teacher deep-down. Which is to say, that education should prepare students to be who they are. The drive for K-12 schools to be feeder for corporations is driven by the perceived need to maintain the power and status of the United States. What we really need are artists, writers, revolutionaries, teachers – people who have the ability to change their world, and who can actually draw a direct line between colonialsim and the atrocities occuring in Africa, just to name one issue.

]]> By: kwhobbes http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/comment-page-1/#comment-2186 kwhobbes Sun, 10 Jun 2007 05:49:37 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/#comment-2186 We continue to hear that schools are not preparing our students for what is to come. Yet we continue to try get new and different results using the same old methods. It's like people are trying to deny that all these changes are happening and just keep doing what they've been doing although it's not working. They keep hoping that it will all go away or they can convince everyone that if we just test enough things will get better or that these new things are just for kids and real education involves "experts" that can't be found on the internet. We continue to hear that schools are not preparing our students for what is to come. Yet we continue to try get new and different results using the same old methods. It’s like people are trying to deny that all these changes are happening and just keep doing what they’ve been doing although it’s not working. They keep hoping that it will all go away or they can convince everyone that if we just test enough things will get better or that these new things are just for kids and real education involves “experts” that can’t be found on the internet.

]]> By: Karen Janowski http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/comment-page-1/#comment-2185 Karen Janowski Sun, 10 Jun 2007 00:25:34 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/#comment-2185 I don't know what we are preparing them for anymore but it is time for change. When else in our lives are we segregated by age, into 48 minute units of time? What does that prepare anyone for? Where what happens within the four walls of (high) school is so disconnected from what occurs in student's real world? Where rubrics dictate what is expected? (Have you ever seen a rubric outside of school?) This system may have worked for previous generations but the 21st century requires new ways of looking at learning and engagement. I don’t know what we are preparing them for anymore but it is time for change.
When else in our lives are we segregated by age, into 48 minute units of time? What does that prepare anyone for? Where what happens within the four walls of (high) school is so disconnected from what occurs in student’s real world? Where rubrics dictate what is expected? (Have you ever seen a rubric outside of school?)
This system may have worked for previous generations but the 21st century requires new ways of looking at learning and engagement.

]]> By: kwhobbes http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/comment-page-1/#comment-2179 kwhobbes Thu, 07 Jun 2007 04:28:38 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/#comment-2179 David, I agree that is what we should be doing but I don't think that we are doing that as well as we could be. Most educational systems do not allow for students to push their own understanding into a new level. We are looking for them to master particular knowledge and skills but not necessarily asking them to create and demonstrate understanding. They can demonstrate that they know particular facts and pieces of knowledge but there is not enough being done to have them go that next step. Oh, and glad to have you commenting! David, I agree that is what we should be doing but I don’t think that we are doing that as well as we could be. Most educational systems do not allow for students to push their own understanding into a new level. We are looking for them to master particular knowledge and skills but not necessarily asking them to create and demonstrate understanding. They can demonstrate that they know particular facts and pieces of knowledge but there is not enough being done to have them go that next step. Oh, and glad to have you commenting!

]]> By: Carolyn Foote http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/comment-page-1/#comment-2176 Carolyn Foote Wed, 06 Jun 2007 02:57:35 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/#comment-2176 David, Good point! And glad to see you commenting here ;) David,

Good point! And glad to see you commenting here ;)

]]> By: Dfarhie http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/comment-page-1/#comment-2172 Dfarhie Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:50:16 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/#comment-2172 There is a danger in tailoring education in the public schools to meet the needs of business. For the past year, I have attended workshops that indicate that business expects graduates to posess this skill or that set of skills, and I always take anything that business expects with a grain of salt, actually, more like several pounds of it. Business is not the be-all-end-all destination of graduates, and to tailor courses to that end is myopic.Business is just one destination for our graduates. Medicine, the arts, science all have a stake in the graduating class. We therefore should prepare our students to achieve a variety of successes, not just one. Preparing high-schoolers to be able to make logical, life enriching choices is the key, not trying to pidgeon hole them into one specific career. We should be educating versatilists, those able to cope with a variety of career situations. There is a danger in tailoring education in the public schools to meet the needs of business. For the past year, I have attended workshops that indicate that business expects graduates to posess this skill or that set of skills, and I always take anything that business expects with a grain of salt, actually, more like several pounds of it. Business is not the be-all-end-all destination of graduates, and to tailor courses to that end is myopic.Business is just one destination for our graduates. Medicine, the arts, science all have a stake in the graduating class. We therefore should prepare our students to achieve a variety of successes, not just one. Preparing high-schoolers to be able to make logical, life enriching choices is the key, not trying to pidgeon hole them into one specific career. We should be educating versatilists, those able to cope with a variety of career situations.

]]> By: Not So Distant Future » Thinking we will need? http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/comment-page-1/#comment-2167 Not So Distant Future » Thinking we will need? Sun, 03 Jun 2007 14:09:20 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/#comment-2167 [...] Access   ”Looking Differently”Chalkdust    “To My Children”Educational Discourse  ”And We’re Preparing them For?” Thinking Aloud   “Choice or [...] [...] Access   ”Looking Differently”Chalkdust    “To My Children”Educational Discourse  ”And We’re Preparing them For?” Thinking Aloud   “Choice or [...]

]]> By: Susan http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/comment-page-1/#comment-2157 Susan Thu, 31 May 2007 19:32:04 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/#comment-2157 I am very leary of the prepare for business theme. I have many wonders about the future and I see among the posibilities, the chance that my children or grandchildren's life will look more like that of my grandparents than it does mine. So in a world where your food is eked from the ground in your own backyard and the comforts you get are the ones that you can imagine and create with that which is in your local much-threatened biozone, what will bring you joy? I have this feeling that teaching needs to be about teaching for a contentment which comes from within. I am not sure how the digital world and this other possible one will intersect as I expect they will or might but I believe that teaching for joy and contentment beyond that which you can buy will be a part of it. I am very leary of the prepare for business theme. I have many wonders about the future and I see among the posibilities, the chance that my children or grandchildren’s life will look more like that of my grandparents than it does mine. So in a world where your food is eked from the ground in your own backyard and the comforts you get are the ones that you can imagine and create with that which is in your local much-threatened biozone, what will bring you joy? I have this feeling that teaching needs to be about teaching for a contentment which comes from within. I am not sure how the digital world and this other possible one will intersect as I expect they will or might but I believe that teaching for joy and contentment beyond that which you can buy will be a part of it.

]]> By: kwhobbes http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/comment-page-1/#comment-2156 kwhobbes Thu, 31 May 2007 16:33:20 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/#comment-2156 I'm leary too! That's why I think that this is so much different. We have educators saying we need to change. We need to look at what we are doing in a different way. We need to revamp the system. And, the message is different from the whole testing mentality. Accountability is only part of the equation - we're seeing that. We need to give students the freedom to create and respond to what we are asking them to learn. We are beginning to really look at options for response beyond the traditional paper answer or poster picture. There still needs to be parameters, definitely, but, truthfully, business doesn't really know what they want because they're in a constant stage of flux and change and what is good now may not be in the near future. So, if we prepare them, as you state, to be creators for a business world that has yet to be created, then maybe we are doing what needs to be done. I’m leary too! That’s why I think that this is so much different. We have educators saying we need to change. We need to look at what we are doing in a different way. We need to revamp the system. And, the message is different from the whole testing mentality. Accountability is only part of the equation – we’re seeing that. We need to give students the freedom to create and respond to what we are asking them to learn. We are beginning to really look at options for response beyond the traditional paper answer or poster picture. There still needs to be parameters, definitely, but, truthfully, business doesn’t really know what they want because they’re in a constant stage of flux and change and what is good now may not be in the near future. So, if we prepare them, as you state, to be creators for a business world that has yet to be created, then maybe we are doing what needs to be done.

]]> By: Tim http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/comment-page-1/#comment-2155 Tim Thu, 31 May 2007 16:10:08 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/05/30/and-were-preparing-them-for/#comment-2155 I agree. BUT..all this crap we are currently going through is a direct response to what the"outside world" ie. business, wanted us to do. So now, after all these years, and all the teeth gnashing, we are left with what business wanted. Accountability and testing was all a part of the business world telling education what to do. That is why I am leary of business now saying "Change your ways" I agree. BUT..all this crap we are currently going through is a direct response to what the”outside world” ie. business, wanted us to do. So now, after all these years, and all the teeth gnashing, we are left with what business wanted. Accountability and testing was all a part of the business world telling education what to do. That is why I am leary of business now saying “Change your ways”

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