I think Seth Godin is on to a couple things here. Firstly, we can't test ourselves to a good education system, and secondly, we need parents to properly ally themselves with teachers to refuse our cooperation with the testing debacle.
With that, I have to also issue a challenge to people like Seth Godin who are not educators but are lending a hand from a distance to educators who are progressive. Guys like Dan Pink and Seth Godin need to be able to speak to specific alternatives to traditional grades, sit-and-get-spit-and-forget worksheets and standardized fill-in-the-bubble tests. They need to familiarize themselves with project-based learning, performance assessments and portfolios. They need to be able to verbalize viable alternatives to the instruments that are creating compliance.
They need to lend a hand by citing educators like Deborah Meier, Alfie Kohn, Monty Neil, Linda Darling-Hammond and Yong Zhao - they need to do this so that their following who is predominantly from the business sector can become aware of the real experts in education.
I so appreciate your posts. I will begin homeschooling my boys (ages 7 and 9) on Monday. (We pulled them out of public school this spring.) Your blog has helped me deprogram my thoughts about education, and see the public education rat race for what it is. (Basically, it's a game. Play it wisely.) I am so grateful that there are voices like yours out there shining light on something we've all been brainwashed to take for granted. I know I will be a better teacher - a more authentic teacher - because of the hard work you and others are doing. Keep up the good work! I am extraordinarily excited to embark on our family's learning journey. Sky's the limit. :)
ReplyDeletegood point...i'd honestly find them more palatable and relevant if they took your suggestion...on another front, it's a shame "experts" like these aren't invited to prominent discussions of "reform" (see, for example, NBC's week-long programming in September that amounts to an echo chamber of Duncan-type reformers)...following your suggestion would better equip them if ever asked to such a forum (Brian - @_teach4change)
ReplyDeletethank god people like seth godin and dan pink are unafraid to say our education system does not work. plain and simple. we can't save the system (teachers jobs, etc) and change the way we educate our children.
ReplyDeletein this video, godin says that "it wouldn't take that many parents to change the system." I agree. unfortunately, parents are continually shut up and when schools and teachers say they need more parental involvement, what they mean is that they need parents to follow and support their agenda at home.
I salute your voice, it's an important one but remember that you can't save the teaching business and reform education. it's just not going to happen. one family, one set of parents at a time (such as hi kooky above) refusing to send their kids to crappy schools is what will IMO eventually change the system.
thanks for all the great posts, amanda