The current state of education

Of course, teachers are the worlds best resource for molding the minds of our young adults but it is fairly common knowledge that some of the education systems are broken. Not enough teachers teaching too many kids, disparity between districts in urban, sub-urban and rural areas. Teaching children with the same methods that were set up by our grand parents -- an emphasis on the 3 R's with a slightly modern twist of teaching towards standardized tests.

From what I see most of the things my kids had to learn are still based upon all students completing and turning the same set of materials. If the kid completes the material he gets a good grade and if not he fails. However, many kids are not inspired to complete required work even when the disincentive of bad grades is at hand.

I have been attending a Masters program where the methods of learning are more based on conversation, reading of varied materials and the writing of an occasional paper so there is something on which to base a grade. I think this is a classroom model that can work with children in the early teen years and throughout the rest of their lives. The concept of teaching children the same way that masters students are taught could be insane or it could be an idea whose time has come. More to follow.

Everything Goes in the Box

"Everything goes in the box!" Mostly the old adage is to think out of the box but the converse of this is to put everything in the box. To me, this is philosophy, first and foremost, followed by music, literature, history, science and bounded, as we all are, by the universe as understood through astronomy. But do we understand? Can everything go in the box? Are the minds of each and every one of us, especially the minds of our young adults, a box just waiting to have things put in. Do we, as adults, parents, teachers have a responsibility to focus our attention on ... The Box.