Thursday, April 14, 2011

Progressive education model

We are reading about a world education culture in my class. While I don't think that there should be the same education around the world, or the same teaching styles, I do believe in one of the teaching models presented in my class readings that is competing against a world education culture, the progressive education world model. I believe that a classroom that is more focused on the students instead of content is on that is going to be the most beneficial to students. In an article I found called, "Doors wide open," it talks a little bit about how students would learn through a progressive classroom. It states,"Most progressive educational programs have common qualities, like an emphasis on learning by doing with hands-on activities, problem solving, critical thinking and questioning. Differentiated instruction is an important aspect of progressive education, which paces instruction to the different abilities of students in the classroom (Ghimire, 2001)." Students need hands on experiences in order to actually learn how to do something. For example, if a student in a non-progressive classroom was just taught the facts about how to change a tire, there is no guarantee that they will know how to actually change a tire if they needed to physically change one. I know I couldn't if I just read about it. That is why I also don't agree with test taking making the big decisions involving students. Progressive education also benefits the whole child and not just to prepare them for a economic career. The "Doors wide open" article also states that, "Progressive education focuses on the whole child so that each child’s social, emotional, physical and intellectual needs are addressed (Ghimire, 2001)." All those needs need to be met in order for a student to be successful in the future. America and other countries need to stop trying to compete with everyone else to be the best. We need to start focusing more on the well being of the children and less on trying to be number one. There is more to life then just preparing for the future. Education should be a time for a person to grow in their interests and enjoy the time that they are in school. It should not be surrounded by tests and textbooks.

Source:Ghimire, H.L. (2001). Doors wide open. Retrieved from www.ekantipur.com

Progressive education model

We are reading about a world education culture in my class. While I don't think that there should be the same education around the world, or the same teaching styles, I do believe in one of the teaching models presented in my class readings that is competing against a world education culture, the progressive education world model. I believe that a classroom that is more focused on the students instead of content is on that is going to be the most beneficial to students. In an article I found called, "Doors wide open," it talks a little bit about how students would learn through a progressive classroom. It states,"Most progressive educational programs have common qualities, like an emphasis on learning by doing with hands-on activities, problem solving, critical thinking and questioning. Differentiated instruction is an important aspect of progressive education, which paces instruction to the different abilities of students in the classroom (Ghimire, 2001)." Students need hands on experiences in order to actually learn how to do something. For example, if a student in a non-progressive classroom was just taught the facts about how to change a tire, there is no guarantee that they will know how to actually change a tire if they needed to physically change one. I know I couldn't if I just read about it. That is why I also don't agree with test taking making the big decisions involving students. Progressive education also benefits the whole child and not just to prepare them for a economic career. The "Doors wide open" article also states that, "Progressive education focuses on the whole child so that each child’s social, emotional, physical and intellectual needs are addressed (Ghimire, 2001)." All those needs need to be met in order for a student to be successful in the future. America and other countries need to stop trying to compete with everyone else to be the best. We need to start focusing more on the well being of the children and less on trying to be number one. There is more to life then just preparing for the future. Education should be a time for a person to grow in their interests and enjoy the time that they are in school. It should not be surrounded by tests and textbooks.

Source:Ghimire, H.L. (2001). Doors wide open. Retrieved from www.ekantipur.com

Thursday, April 7, 2011

PISA exams

Before reading about the PISA exam, I had no idea that was how we determined what place we are with other countries. Now after reading about them, I think that it is good to know how we rank compared to other countries, but I don't think that these test scores done by 15 year old students should determine major decisions regarding education in America. I believe that it shows that are education system needs to be better, but did we really need to look to other countries test scores for America's education system to realize that? We don't need test scores to raise for a better education, but a better way of doing things in schools around the United States. In an article I found from the New York Times, it talked about how students from Shanghai surprised America by how well they did on the PISA exams. The thing about this article that surprised me was how much America liked the fact that Shanghai spent more time on school, but less on socially beneficial things like sports or clubs. It stated that, "The results also appeared to reflect the culture of education there, including greater emphasis on teacher training and more time spent on studying rather than extracurricular activities like sports (Dillon,2010)." That sounds like the most boring school in the planet. There is nothing that could benefit less then doing something like that in the schools. You only have one life to live and the lives of those students are always going to be focused on getting more and more successful in the world. Preparing for jobs is only half of what schooling should be about. Teenagers especially need to interact with other students in more ways then just having school in common. The article also stated that the students where basically threatened saying if they don't do well on these tests it will give China a bad reputation, meaning that they will be a disappointment not only to themselves but to China. When PISA exams are putting this much pressure on its students I believe that it is wrong and should be stopped.

Source:
Dillon, Sam. (2010). Top test scores from shanghai stun
educators. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/education/07education.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1