It is the busiest time of the year (Veritas Academy opens on Tuesday), but I can not help answering this interesting article. I think that it says a lot good and positive, but there are some places where I think it is very shortsighted. Here is the article:

Rethink US Educational System
The first question I have is about the method. The author, Tammy Erickson, says that she interviewed 13 to 15 year olds concerning their opinions. Having taught these ages for years, I would simply mention that this is the worst method possible. We start to work with 15 year olds concerning their goals and aspirations. Most often they change (often radically) before they graduate. If you would ask most of these kids what they should eat, the answer would consist of pizza and candy...no vegetables.

Here is the worst of the article. First, the article talks about how students reject traditional authority structures.This might be true. The problem is that the far off authority structures (governments, blogs, etc.,) are just as fallible and less caring toward the student. My advice: trust your parents; they love you. In a broader sense, accepting authority and learning from it (and learning to questions it effectively and well if it is a good and loving authority) is more of what the kids need.

Second, and most tellingly, the whole interest in pragmatic job skills proves that the students should not have been consulted. The biggest problem is that we do not know the jobs of the future. Students need--NOT a job training education--but an education that provides for them transferable skills (thinking critically and clearly and writing persuasively and winsomely). that will prepare them for any jobs.

It does, however, get some things right (but partially). It says that students want to take classes that are not boring. This is not a surprise, but it should be instructive. None of us want this. There is no excuse for teachers who make classes and learning boring. We must not give teachers tenure that insulates them from reality--if you don't teach well, you have to go!

Finally, it says that students have a sense of foreboding concerning global competition. Good. We need to be scared and motivated to change. I think that this might not be the whole story. Schools in other countries who are beating us might be training toward tests instead of giving transferable skills. Foreign students want to come here. We must, however, do better. We must improve our education if we want to continue to lead.

thanks for the article. I enjoyed it.