In Morgan Bayda's post, An Open Letter to Educators, she directs you to the video above by Dan Brown. Dan is a recent college student who dropped out because he was frustrated with the college education he was receiving. He was upset that he had to sit in a classroom and listen to a professor spit out information that he would later have to memorize and regurgitate for a test. He felt, that with information now being "free" and "liberated" on the internet, these types of classes hindered his learning as opposed to increasing it as college is supposed to.
Personally I feel for this young man. I have dropped out of school twice for much the same reason. In the past I often felt that classrooms and professors had nothing to offer me, because they were giving me information that I either already knew or could find without spending so much on a college education. However, I realized quickly that all the knowledge in the world can't help you get a job when most employers that could benefit from that knowledge will not hire someone that does not have a degree. Hence why I am now back in school.
I value being introduced to this avenue of thought immensely though. As a future teacher I will strive to make my students aware of the value of being able to find information as opposed to just memorize facts for a test just to forget them at the end of the semester, or worse, immediately after the test. In this new technological age we are afforded an opportunity that no other generation before us has been able to benefit. We are able to find anything and everything we could want to know a the touch of a button. We as teachers are responsible for keeping kids interested, and with technology we can help them learn more than just the information they need for our class we can also help the find answers to every other question they have for the rest of their lives.
In Mr. Spencer's post, Don't Let Them Take Pencils Home, he tells a story about a teacher who lets his children take home their pencils. The teacher is confronted by a colleague who is worried that if the children take home the pencils they will just play with them instead of use them for what they are supposed to. The post is honestly funny and I think everyone should read it.
I like how Mr. Spencer uses this blog. I may be stating the obvious, but he is using pencils in place of computers. With this post he attempts to answer the question of whether or not teachers should give students homework assignments that use their "pencils." The teacher says he teaches the parents basic uses for the "pencil" so they can be help for their children with their assignments. I love how this post uses sarcasm to prove a point that, yeah kids may use the "pencils" for games, but they may be learning while playing those games. If we give our students assignments that make using "pencils" fun, and their parents are there to help them they will be able to learn more.
"However, I realized quickly that all the knowledge in the world can't help you get a job when most employers that could benefit from that knowledge will not hire someone that does not have a degree." How true!
ReplyDeleteDoes a degree really prove that you are competent and intelligent? We act like it does. But I would argue that it is not proof at all. I once made a speech in which I suggested that it would be better if all colleges and universities (and maybe even high schools were stripped of their degree granting powers so that we could concentrate on learning. Since I was speaking to educators I was lucky to get out of the auditorium alive. But it is an interesting thought! You are correct though that a degree is a requirement to get a job. But should it be? Draw bridge operators in New Jersey have to have a college degree. Why? Duke Power, in the 1960's, adopted a rule that janitors had to have a degree, the Supreme Court threw out the rule on the grounds that it was racially discriminatory (which it was). What do degrees really mean? That you have sat in a seat and been nice to the professor for four years?
"I may be stating the obvious, but he is using pencils in place of computers." You did not state the obvious. You are one of only 6 students (out of 129) who identified the post as a metaphor in which pencils were computers. Well done! Congratulations.
I too have found myself sitting in classroom where the professor doesn't attempt to make material interesting or to learn any of their students. I too plan on teaching my students to learn information and continue learning information; not just memorize notes for a test then forget the material as soon as the test is complete. Also,great job on getting the metaphor from "don't take the pencils home"!
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