Perhaps this is cheating since I already wrote a post on the pain, however much has changed since then. My goal for this course from the beginning has been to create an educational system that is truly unique; one that challenges all our current assumptions and ways of doing things, then keeps those that are working and changes those that aren't. I was afraid that was too lofty a goal for this course, but David agrees that that's what I should have been doing from the beginning. So, here goes!
What causes the problem?
What doesn't cause the problem may be an easier question to answer! What I have seen is that school is painful for too many kids. Children intrinsically love to learn, as evidenced by their insatiable curiosity. However, too often our schools work against this natural curiosity and turn learning into something other people want us to do, not something we want to do. As a result, too many children grow up thinking they don't like to learn when that is far from the case. We all like to learn about things that are interesting to us and spend our time outside of school following those interests. I believe putting the focus back on learning and children could alleviate many of these pain points within schools.
What are people with the problem currently doing, or willing to do, to solve it?
Many are willing to try doing it themselves with a firm conviction that they'll be able to produce better results than neighborhood schools. Some do this by home schooling their children. Others open charter schools. However, having worked in several charter schools, I've found that while their goal is usually to do things differently, most look and feel a lot like other public schools.
What are all of the current solutions to the problem?
In addition to home schooling and charter schools, another current solution is online schooling. A few things worry me about this solution in regards to elementary school children. One is that building relationships with trusted adults outside one's family seems to be important for children. Perhaps this can still be accomplished at a distance, but I question whether the results could be as helpful as building a face-to-face relationship. Two, children need to learn how to relate to peers both similar and very different from them. Again, perhaps this can be accomplished remotely, but can these kinds of relationships prepare students for the face-to-face relationships they will one day form with colleagues? Three, I have yet to come across online instruction that focuses on decreasing seat time and children need more than ever to be up and moving.
Why aren't the current solutions good enough?
To me, all the current solutions still rely heavily on the status quo which has long existed in education which, as has been pointed out by Sir Ken Robinson and others, was based on the ideas surrounding the industrial revolution. Such a system is not well equipped to prepare learners for the information age in which they live.
How long has it been a problem?
Ever since our society emerged from the industrial revolution and perhaps even before that. While sending children to school and attempting to fill their heads with exactly the same knowledge may have seemed like a worthy and plausible goal at some point, the fact is that educated children are not like other substances that can be successfully produced in factories. Each one is undeniably unique, a fact that is both an incredible opportunity and an awesome responsibility.
How easily could something change to make the problem go away?
Change is never easy. Especially the kind of change being talked about here, which involves systemic change. It requires questioning and challenging everything surrounding school, both the things we dislike and the things we feel quite comfortable with. It also depends on the scope. My current goal is to create one system that responds to the needs and challenges of today's learners. That will change things for a few learners, but I think the rewards far outweigh the costs. However, changing this for learners across America and the world would be quite a different matter and undertaking. While I would love to tackle that, I have realized more important than conquering the world is starting somewhere and making a difference for someone.
What causes the problem?
What doesn't cause the problem may be an easier question to answer! What I have seen is that school is painful for too many kids. Children intrinsically love to learn, as evidenced by their insatiable curiosity. However, too often our schools work against this natural curiosity and turn learning into something other people want us to do, not something we want to do. As a result, too many children grow up thinking they don't like to learn when that is far from the case. We all like to learn about things that are interesting to us and spend our time outside of school following those interests. I believe putting the focus back on learning and children could alleviate many of these pain points within schools.
What are people with the problem currently doing, or willing to do, to solve it?
Many are willing to try doing it themselves with a firm conviction that they'll be able to produce better results than neighborhood schools. Some do this by home schooling their children. Others open charter schools. However, having worked in several charter schools, I've found that while their goal is usually to do things differently, most look and feel a lot like other public schools.
What are all of the current solutions to the problem?
In addition to home schooling and charter schools, another current solution is online schooling. A few things worry me about this solution in regards to elementary school children. One is that building relationships with trusted adults outside one's family seems to be important for children. Perhaps this can still be accomplished at a distance, but I question whether the results could be as helpful as building a face-to-face relationship. Two, children need to learn how to relate to peers both similar and very different from them. Again, perhaps this can be accomplished remotely, but can these kinds of relationships prepare students for the face-to-face relationships they will one day form with colleagues? Three, I have yet to come across online instruction that focuses on decreasing seat time and children need more than ever to be up and moving.
Why aren't the current solutions good enough?
To me, all the current solutions still rely heavily on the status quo which has long existed in education which, as has been pointed out by Sir Ken Robinson and others, was based on the ideas surrounding the industrial revolution. Such a system is not well equipped to prepare learners for the information age in which they live.
How long has it been a problem?
Ever since our society emerged from the industrial revolution and perhaps even before that. While sending children to school and attempting to fill their heads with exactly the same knowledge may have seemed like a worthy and plausible goal at some point, the fact is that educated children are not like other substances that can be successfully produced in factories. Each one is undeniably unique, a fact that is both an incredible opportunity and an awesome responsibility.
How easily could something change to make the problem go away?
Change is never easy. Especially the kind of change being talked about here, which involves systemic change. It requires questioning and challenging everything surrounding school, both the things we dislike and the things we feel quite comfortable with. It also depends on the scope. My current goal is to create one system that responds to the needs and challenges of today's learners. That will change things for a few learners, but I think the rewards far outweigh the costs. However, changing this for learners across America and the world would be quite a different matter and undertaking. While I would love to tackle that, I have realized more important than conquering the world is starting somewhere and making a difference for someone.
@Pam, it sounds like we need to talk about our ideas! Take a look at http://tcedstartup101.wordpress.com (especially the Pain Test posts); I'd love to know your thoughts.
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