It's interesting that (so far) no one has commented on the intended point of my commentary: that changing perspective can be a VERY powerful tool in problem solving...
Consent of the governed is the ideal which the framers sought to achieve through a written compact at an historical moment when rule in the hands of a ruler had proven to empower the common flaws of human nature to generally disasterous effect for the individual so ruled.
The research provided by E.D. Hirsch, as argued by cognitive scientists, suggests that critical thinking is domain specific, and that generalized strategies to teach critical thinking are not effective and that too much time is wasted on them. He argues that if you want to engage in critical thinking on social issues, for example one has to master core content in that field to be a critical thinker. in that subject domain. Each subject has its own core content whose mastery is essential to being an effective critical thinker. Progressive education skips or marginalizes this important step, just as it does to learning what it dismisses as "facts," or "rote memorization." But to my way of thinking, you need a head full of facts, theories, names, dates, events, and on and on, which your brain can instantaneously summon and analyze as part of the critical thinking process. You cannot just "Google" these, as some claim. What are your thoughts?
Redirect a per capital dollar education expenditure to legal guardian of pupil to be spent on school of choice. Of course that entails a political battle and that takes time.
In the meantime for parents who wish to act there is home schooling and personal school loans.
And finally the presidential vote is the best avenue for timely relief from miseducation.
It's interesting that (so far) no one has commented on the intended point of my commentary: that changing perspective can be a VERY powerful tool in problem solving...
Consent of the governed is the ideal which the framers sought to achieve through a written compact at an historical moment when rule in the hands of a ruler had proven to empower the common flaws of human nature to generally disasterous effect for the individual so ruled.
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”
-- Upton Sinclair
Here's the design for education in America (except maybe in Florida):
1. Preschool is to prepare for Kindergarten.
2. Kindergarten is to prepare for elementary school.
3. Elementary school is to prepare for middle school.
4. Middle school is to prepare for high school.
5. High school is to prepare for undergraduate college study.
6. Undergraduate college study is to prepare for graduate study.
7. Graduate study is to prepare good communist professors.
The research provided by E.D. Hirsch, as argued by cognitive scientists, suggests that critical thinking is domain specific, and that generalized strategies to teach critical thinking are not effective and that too much time is wasted on them. He argues that if you want to engage in critical thinking on social issues, for example one has to master core content in that field to be a critical thinker. in that subject domain. Each subject has its own core content whose mastery is essential to being an effective critical thinker. Progressive education skips or marginalizes this important step, just as it does to learning what it dismisses as "facts," or "rote memorization." But to my way of thinking, you need a head full of facts, theories, names, dates, events, and on and on, which your brain can instantaneously summon and analyze as part of the critical thinking process. You cannot just "Google" these, as some claim. What are your thoughts?
Redirect a per capital dollar education expenditure to legal guardian of pupil to be spent on school of choice. Of course that entails a political battle and that takes time.
In the meantime for parents who wish to act there is home schooling and personal school loans.
And finally the presidential vote is the best avenue for timely relief from miseducation.