Preparing 21st Century Students for a Global Society

[socialist]

This article is the opposite of what we need. we need to end this archaic style of thinking. Memorizing times tables do not develop math skills. This article made me vomit a bit.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11251221/Nine-year-olds-should-recite-times-tables-by-heart-says-Schools-Minister.html

[Mighty AC]

This article is the opposite of what we need. we need to end this archaic style of thinking. Memorizing times tables do not develop math skills.

I find it amusing that the minister associates memorizing some numbers with 'math fluency'. Education is always a big, expensive, politically sensitive portfolio and this is what happens when it is used for political gain. We all seem to have a fondness for the education process as we experienced it and like to believe our generation is superior to the next. Old people vote in greater numbers and statements like this get a positive response from the aged.

Speaking for Ontario, though the province is battling funding issues, at least the curriculum has generally followed fact based, educational research. Sure at times there have been problems implementing the strategies designed to achieve desired outcomes, but they eventually get worked out. However, the primarily right wing war on science and information has me worried about the future of education.

In the US, we have already witnessed several examples of science and history curricula and texts being altered for political and mythological reasons. In Canada, we have a federal government that has systematically shut down data gathering and research initiatives that clash with it's corporate led ideology. I think it's just a matter of time before provincial governments start altering the curriculum to suit their ideologies here as well.

Socialist, keep in mind that forcing your own egalitarian hidden curriculum on students is no different than Charlie Koch doing the same with his far right ideas. We have to stick to research based, best practices while developing young, creative, self teaching, critical thinkers and then let them assemble their own political identities.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Mighty AC

[Mighty AC]

The article is right about one thing; the mastery approach does make sense. However, equating memorization with mastery is inane.

The idea of teaching an entire class the same lessons at the same rate, despite each child being at differing levels is misguided. Currently, we spend some time on a topic, with a message that is essentially a waste of time for both the highest and lowest students. We then test them on this knowledge and move on to the next.

What about the students that didn't master the lesson? They now have to learn topic 2, that likely builds on topic 1, which they didn't understand in the first place. Meanwhile the top 10% could easily be on topic 5 already so they become bored and disinterested.

The real mastery approach (not the idea presented in the article) basically provides remediation for struggling students while simultaneously allowing the top students to explore topics to depths far beyond the curriculum requirements.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Mighty AC

[socialist]

I find it amusing that the minister associates memorizing some numbers with 'math fluency'. Education is always a big, expensive, politically sensitive portfolio and this is what happens when it is used for political gain. We all seem to have a fondness for the education process as we experienced it and like to believe our generation is superior to the next. Old people vote in greater numbers and statements like this get a positive response from the aged.

Speaking for Ontario, though the province is battling funding issues, at least the curriculum has generally followed fact based, educational research. Sure at times there have been problems implementing the strategies designed to achieve desired outcomes, but they eventually get worked out. However, the primarily right wing war on science and information has me worried about the future of education.

In the US, we have already witnessed several examples of science and history curricula and texts being altered for political and mythological reasons. In Canada, we have a federal government that has systematically shut down data gathering and research initiatives that clash with it's corporate led ideology. I think it's just a matter of time before provincial governments start altering the curriculum to suit their ideologies here as well.

Socialist, keep in mind that forcing your own egalitarian hidden curriculum on students is no different than Charlie Koch doing the same with his far right ideas. We have to stick to research based, best practices while developing young, creative, self teaching, critical thinkers and then let them assemble their own political identities.

I'm not forcing anything on anyone. I promote inclusiveness and diversity. If you are against that then you are the one with the problem, not me.

[Argus]

I argue because I have critical thinking skills. I don't get lost in the phony left/right paradigm that many ideologues on this forum do.

Really, SOCIALIST?

[Argus]

This article is the opposite of what we need. we need to end this archaic style of thinking. Memorizing times tables do not develop math skills. This article made me vomit a bit.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11251221/Nine-year-olds-should-recite-times-tables-by-heart-says-Schools-Minister.html

And yet, memorizing the times tables does lead to a firm foundation for math, and today's math students, with your type of teaching, continue to fall further and further behind the rest of the world.

[Argus]

IMighty AC, you said previously that you weren't a teacher? That's funny, because you sure talk like one.

This is sheer irony, Socialist, for you said you were a teacher, yet you sure don't talk like one.

[Argus]

Not yet. But I am currently working on it.

Nevertheless you don't have one, therefore you don't have an understanding of 21st century education.