Column 2017-10 (3/27/17)
New ideas don't instantly catch on. Many
people reject new ideas without even considering their merit.
New equals bad is an old formula. Some of the most vocal
opponent's of the new are individuals who have a vested interest
in the old.
The opponents of twenty-first century learning
do have vested interests in our antiquated school system. Many
of them are living well off the old system. They fear that a
real step forward for learning would leave them behind. They are
willing to sacrifice the children to sustain the obsolete
district schools.
This was on full display in Detroit last year
as the Luddites of our times fought to force escaped students
back into the failed district schools. More than half of the
students living in Detroit have left the district schools.
Schools should serve the students, not consume
them to sustain the failed schools a bit longer. I doubt that
"sacrifice the children to save the district schools" will ever
be a popular rallying cry.
Defenders of district schools whine that
charter schools aren't accountable. This is a garbage claim. The
accountability of charter schools could be improved. Still, they
are far more accountable than district schools.
The real complaint on behalf of district
schools is that charter schools provide another choice. That
choice makes district schools more accountable to those whom
they serve.
All service providers should be accountable to
those they serve. Then they must serve their customers well, or
close up shop. Being ruled by unaccountable bureaucrats, who
often don't know or care what consumers want, is fake
accountability.
It takes extra effort for parents to have
their children in charter schools. If the charter school doesn't
deliver, it will lose its customers. That is real
accountability. No bureaucrats needed. Of course bureaucrats
hate it.
Our present school system has its roots in the
nineteenth century. It was embellished a bit during the
twentieth century. Now Common Core seeks to preserve the fossil
forever. The system is based on dividing students in to herds by
age. Those herds are then driven through the system for 13
years. It is all about the herd, not the individual.
Inevitably the system aims for mediocrity, and
usually falls short. One size fits all doesn't fit anybody. The
faster students are held back and bored. Commonly the lack of
any challenge leads to bad study habits.
The slower students are trampled by the herd
and left behind. Not everyone has the same ability in all
subjects. They may be bored in some classes while being left
behind in others. Not all students need the same body of
knowledge as others. The system doesn't care. In fifth grade,
learn fifth grade stuff because you are in fifth grade.
It is long past time to lay grade numbers to
rest and build curriculum to fit students. Forget about forcing
students to march through a curriculum that probably doesn't fit
anyone. Cyber learning can liberate students from slavery to the
rigidity of grade numbers and one size fits all lesson plans.
All we need do is let it happen.
Computers can continuously measure where the
student is at and lead him to the next step. When the student
masters a segment he can move on to the next one, instead of
marking time with busy work. It won't matter that others are
progressing at different paces. What matters is that all will be
progressing. What the student learns is far more important than
how fast he learns it.
Not all students will be suited
to full scale cyber learning. Most will benefit greatly from it.
Next time I will endeavor to provide a thumbnail sketch of of
some of the advantages of cyber learning.
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Copyright
2017
Albert D. McCallum
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