Half-Empty

The chapters for this weeks reading were interesting, but I particularly enjoyed reading Chapter 11, The Future of Middle Level Education:  Optimistic and Pessimistic Views.  I must say that I agree with glass half-empty outlook.  My outlook on a lot of issues is usually pessimistic, (it is something that I try to change) but, in this case it is certainly more realistic.  The two serious risks outlined in the text include the introduction of standards and the privatizing of public schools.  

I'll begin with standards.  In addition to unloading undue levels of stress onto students, they are causing severe headaches for teachers.  It will be a challenge for me to begin teaching and discover that I am unable to cover some very important curriculum.  Curriculum that may not directly lead to the child's development, but can develop some long term skills.  For instance, as a Social Studies teacher it is important for students to learn about the causes of the American Revolution (for the 2nd or 3rd time).  However, is it more important to forgo some of the social issues of the 1960s?  We have the technology to teach students about these issues.  Video footage from the period is priceless.  Not to mention the curriculum itself goes a long way in explaining some of the situations the nation finds itself in now.  I fear spending too much time on the "Disney" curriculum is only helpful if we are shooting for rote memorization, not critical thinking skills.

One, additional point that I have little evidence to support, but it is just my thought.  I have discovered that expert teachers hate teaching to the textbook, but with the introduction of standards, does that not almost force them to do so?  

The author also discusses commercialization.  If our government starts to sell off our public schools to corporate sponsored private schools, we will set out country back a  generation.  Can you imagine what going to (or teaching at) Rufus King High School, sponsored by Dow Chemical or Pfizer Pharmaceuticals would be like (I realize this wasn't mentioned in the reading, but being a pessimist, I fear the worst)?  It would be as if we were creating robots that are taught to be slaves for the great American dollar.  This would be absolutely counterproductive.  We now try to instill in our students the confidence that they can do great things by encouraging them to think outside the box and fight oppression.  If the corporate world grabbed ahold of schools and set their agendas, college for students would be shunned, rote skill development that only profited corporations would be allowed, and instead of fighting oppression, it would be imposed.