Today I sat with ten other doctoral students and pondered, challenged, and speculated on this title question. We made some brilliant points and unexpected connections, but, by far, the best observation came from a colleague who said, "If all of the people here in this room can't agree on the purpose of school, is it any wonder it is such a mess? If Obama came to me and asked me what he could do to fix school, I wouldn't have a clue what to tell him!"
It is a sad state and also a great explanation for the difficulties and challenges we face as educators. Learning isn't black and white, and often can't be encapsulated in a number or something we can put our finger on. However, when we can't find a way to measure what we value, then we end up valuing what we measure. If you're interested in reading more of my ideas and research, then check this out.
It is a sad state and also a great explanation for the difficulties and challenges we face as educators. Learning isn't black and white, and often can't be encapsulated in a number or something we can put our finger on. However, when we can't find a way to measure what we value, then we end up valuing what we measure. If you're interested in reading more of my ideas and research, then check this out.
American schools serve a wide variety of purposes. Looking across our past empirical research, as well as the perspectives of educational philosophers past and present, U.S. case law, state constitutions, business/industry, and the general public, we typically find the following elements listed as major purposes of K-12 schools in the United States:
ReplyDeleteCivic development
Emotional development
Cognitive development
Vocational development
Social development
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