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A review by kennielibby
The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money by Bryan Caplan
2.0
Based on the summaries and reviews, I agree with Caplan's view that education does not deliver as it promises. Ask most school board members and they probably will say sciences, history, social studies, language arts are the first priority of schools, and skills building is the second. I know that is incorrect. Teachers and the other adults of a school building have their first concerns in managing the classrooms, socializing the children and pushing them all into conformity. This is part of what Caplan says.
Those adults also celebrate the students who meet and exceed expectations. That coincides with Caplan's thesis about brains and good work ethics. Those adults also can unconsciously discriminate against students who do not meet their expectations, expectations for appearances, hygiene, paying attention, race, language, grammar, etc.
Instead of taking the easy way out of this situation, defunding educational systems, I wonder if Caplan's intellect could offer us ideas for turning the systems around? What if teachers and other adults modeled innovation and self-confidence for the students to challenge the order of education today?? What if we taught students about understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and how they can discipline themselves to reach for greater knowledge and understanding? How do we identify the different roles in team and be more productive as a team rather than as individuals? What if schools all converted over to project learning, so classroom learning could better imitate productive work environments where working creatively proved better than working hard? As another idea, what if we admitted to paradigms and biased thinking as early as middle school rather than waiting until graduate school?
To really remake education into a better support for our next generation, I believe Individual Education Plans are necessary for every student and every student should be involved in developing ones own plan. This means that self-awareness has to be a first priority, not simply left to chance. And socialization needs to be the lowest priority for educating professionals. Then the sciences, art and self-expression, history and critical thinking become the tools that students develop for their own advancement, applying the learning that they can master.
I do reject Caplan's decision to pick up his marbles or his tax money and just go home. He should stick around to see how exciting real education reform and rejuvenation can be!! . . . for everyone!!
Those adults also celebrate the students who meet and exceed expectations. That coincides with Caplan's thesis about brains and good work ethics. Those adults also can unconsciously discriminate against students who do not meet their expectations, expectations for appearances, hygiene, paying attention, race, language, grammar, etc.
Instead of taking the easy way out of this situation, defunding educational systems, I wonder if Caplan's intellect could offer us ideas for turning the systems around? What if teachers and other adults modeled innovation and self-confidence for the students to challenge the order of education today?? What if we taught students about understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and how they can discipline themselves to reach for greater knowledge and understanding? How do we identify the different roles in team and be more productive as a team rather than as individuals? What if schools all converted over to project learning, so classroom learning could better imitate productive work environments where working creatively proved better than working hard? As another idea, what if we admitted to paradigms and biased thinking as early as middle school rather than waiting until graduate school?
To really remake education into a better support for our next generation, I believe Individual Education Plans are necessary for every student and every student should be involved in developing ones own plan. This means that self-awareness has to be a first priority, not simply left to chance. And socialization needs to be the lowest priority for educating professionals. Then the sciences, art and self-expression, history and critical thinking become the tools that students develop for their own advancement, applying the learning that they can master.
I do reject Caplan's decision to pick up his marbles or his tax money and just go home. He should stick around to see how exciting real education reform and rejuvenation can be!! . . . for everyone!!