This guy is a genius. He knows how to describe everything wrong with education today. Divergent thinking??? Does that even exist in the minds of our children today? I would have to say I do not see much of it in my classroom.
Besides making me very dizzy, the biggest impact from the video for me was the discussion of doing what was done in previously in education and how it can alienate kids. Our current educational system was created in the era of enlightenment & the industrial revolution. Our schools were modeled in part after factories. How many businesses that sold a product with a high proportion of unsatisfactory products would continue to manufacture the exact same product? If they wanted to stay in business, none of them would continue without making changes. I think this thought has an impact on me because I feel that most of the debate in improving education is centered around cleaning up the current structure without a long term focus on what kids are being exposed to and how they could learn in new more efficient ways.
I enjoyed the part towards the end that discussed divergent thinking. The stats he gave on the deterioration of a child's divergent thinking capacity were interesting. I have never thought about the idea of that happening. I think I was most interested in this part because I love to talk and meet creative people. I would like to say that I am one, but that's not always true. I would love to foster creativity in the classroom with my students, but it makes sense that traditional education as it stands now tends to limit divergent thinking.
All the "divergent thinkers" in politics should realize that we are destroying our kids by the way we are standardizing them to death. It might be easier to do it this way, but where are we going to realize that these kids are reacting to the old way of teaching and motivation?
The divergent thinking is what caught me as well. I think we as educators like the idea of divergent thinking but on a a,b,c, or d test there's only one right answer and the ability to pick that one right answer is how a school, and teacher are judged. Right now in my IPC class we are studying heat transfer (radiation, convection, conduction) and I've tried to support divergent thinking by having kids analyze an example and see if they could explain how all three types of heat transfer are taking place. But then I have to follow that up with, "But if you see a pot on a stove on the TAKS test, the answer is convection".
Liked the part about divergent thinking. I don't think that schools allow the children to really express their ideas. They are just being taught what is mandated by the government. If the children were allowed to think on their own like the 98% of the kindergarten kids.
But I also believe the economic factor plays in as well... Look at the situation we are in at this very moment. How does that motivate teachers to want to motivate students with programs being shut down and higher student:teacher ratios. I believe we have waited to long to revolutionize education.
I thought his comments on aesthetic experience were right on. Creativity is so important and really brings out who you really are and so many children are never challenged with this open door. They are set to rigid guidelines and not allowed to venture out and use the creative gifts they have been given. This genius has all the answers and unbelievable artistic talent to match! Enjoyed it.
@ Bruce: No prob. I just sent again. If it doesn't work this time just open up our slides from the shared document (in which you entered them originally).
His focus on the human capacity. For example, he said everyone has the capacity for having divergent thinking ability. He sheds hope and light for there to be a revolutionary way of learning.
Our kids are stimulated by technology every waking hour and when they get to school and we try to teach them the way we were taught during the dark ages, we lose them. I think his comment on this note is so true.
Agree about the economic aspects Brant. I think that people including legeslators want to improve education, but now that we are in economic crisis they dont want to spend the money to implement new practices. I.E. Considering to delay the implementation of the STARR test.
I have to agree with Brant about the situation were in but I do think we could start making changes especially if its going to benefit future generations.
We need a lot more "doing" and a lot less "planning." If teachers were given more academic freedom, we would we a whole lot better off. That might include no standardized testing for a while... Ooooh... Don't say that!
The biggest impact in my opinion was when he compared the industrial age to the conceptual age that we live now. I was raised knowing that when we go to school we certainly will have a job. I don’t know anymore. Sometimes I wonder how I am going to motivate my kids (or my students) that education will guarantee them a job. I am sure I will face this discussion in the future with my students as well.
It would be nice if there was a retrospective assesment of shcools. Example judge a school by how many its former students are happy, succesfull, and benificial members of society.
The system of standerized testing is fine in subjects such as math where their is only one right answer. However, we need to encourage abstract thinking in subjects such as science, arts, and even history. Why did we fight in Vietnam, it wasn't about the protection of Democracy, it was to secure oil supplies. We need to let our kids know all the facts and then let them come to their own conclusions. I think there is never only one solution to a problem. Lay the facts out and let them come to their own conclusion/ share and find the best answer. We are not giving them enough leyway to think for themselves.We are producing robots, not independent thinkers!
I am going to try this again. I wrote two whole paragraphs of wisdom, then pushed Post and it disappeared... This is crazy!
I believe his thoughs about ADHD are right on. I raised a step son who some teachers wanted to just drug, because he got bored easily with the lesson plan. Sitting endlessly listening to lecture. He is brilliant in math and sciences, but responded better to action based teaching, and tactile assignments. A couple of the teachers (young)wanted him to set in the back of class, listen to a year of lecture, and up the dose!
Secondly, I think schools are changing to some degree, in that they are trying different strategies. Schools are trying Magnet programs for vocations for the health field, law enforcement, the trades and getting away from the only way to succeed is through more and more academics. They are realizing that this model does not fit everyone.
I just finished up my presentation Dr. Coulter. How can we make sure everyone has it?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I still have not received the e-mail with the pdf for the other slides...
ReplyDeleteI'll add it to next week's slides.
ReplyDelete@ Brant: I just re-sent the slides to you.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big believer in the power of prayer.
ReplyDeleteThis guy is a genius. He knows how to describe everything wrong with education today. Divergent thinking??? Does that even exist in the minds of our children today? I would have to say I do not see much of it in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteBesides making me very dizzy, the biggest impact from the video for me was the discussion of doing what was done in previously in education and how it can alienate kids. Our current educational system was created in the era of enlightenment & the industrial revolution. Our schools were modeled in part after factories. How many businesses that sold a product with a high proportion of unsatisfactory products would continue to manufacture the exact same product? If they wanted to stay in business, none of them would continue without making changes. I think this thought has an impact on me because I feel that most of the debate in improving education is centered around cleaning up the current structure without a long term focus on what kids are being exposed to and how they could learn in new more efficient ways.
ReplyDeleteI loved that video! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the part towards the end that discussed divergent thinking. The stats he gave on the deterioration of a child's divergent thinking capacity were interesting. I have never thought about the idea of that happening. I think I was most interested in this part because I love to talk and meet creative people. I would like to say that I am one, but that's not always true. I would love to foster creativity in the classroom with my students, but it makes sense that traditional education as it stands now tends to limit divergent thinking.
All the "divergent thinkers" in politics should realize that we are destroying our kids by the way we are standardizing them to death. It might be easier to do it this way, but where are we going to realize that these kids are reacting to the old way of teaching and motivation?
ReplyDeleteCorrection... are not reacting to the old way
ReplyDeleteThe divergent thinking is what caught me as well. I think we as educators like the idea of divergent thinking but on a a,b,c, or d test there's only one right answer and the ability to pick that one right answer is how a school, and teacher are judged. Right now in my IPC class we are studying heat transfer (radiation, convection, conduction) and I've tried to support divergent thinking by having kids analyze an example and see if they could explain how all three types of heat transfer are taking place. But then I have to follow that up with, "But if you see a pot on a stove on the TAKS test, the answer is convection".
ReplyDeleteI am sorry, but the pdf email came through and I saved it but it said there was a fatal error and could not be saved.
ReplyDeleteLiked the part about divergent thinking. I don't think that schools allow the children to really express their ideas. They are just being taught what is mandated by the government. If the children were allowed to think on their own like the 98% of the kindergarten kids.
ReplyDeleteBut I also believe the economic factor plays in as well... Look at the situation we are in at this very moment. How does that motivate teachers to want to motivate students with programs being shut down and higher student:teacher ratios. I believe we have waited to long to revolutionize education.
ReplyDeleteI thought his comments on aesthetic experience were right on. Creativity is so important and really brings out who you really are and so many children are never challenged with this open door. They are set to rigid guidelines and not allowed to venture out and use the creative gifts they have been given. This genius has all the answers and unbelievable artistic talent to match! Enjoyed it.
ReplyDelete@ Bruce: No prob. I just sent again. If it doesn't work this time just open up our slides from the shared document (in which you entered them originally).
ReplyDeletePrompt #2 coming up soon.
ReplyDeleteHis focus on the human capacity. For example, he said everyone has the capacity for having divergent thinking ability. He sheds hope and light for there to be a revolutionary way of learning.
ReplyDeleteOur kids are stimulated by technology every waking hour and when they get to school and we try to teach them the way we were taught during the dark ages, we lose them. I think his comment on this note is so true.
ReplyDeleteAgree about the economic aspects Brant. I think that people including legeslators want to improve education, but now that we are in economic crisis they dont want to spend the money to implement new practices. I.E. Considering to delay the implementation of the STARR test.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Brant about the situation were in but I do think we could start making changes especially if its going to benefit future generations.
ReplyDeletePlus it's not something that can happen overnight. It will take time AND money. Not sure people are motivated to use either one at this point.
ReplyDeleteWe need a lot more "doing" and a lot less "planning." If teachers were given more academic freedom, we would we a whole lot better off. That might include no standardized testing for a while... Ooooh... Don't say that!
ReplyDeleteThe biggest impact in my opinion was when he compared the industrial age to the conceptual age that we live now. I was raised knowing that when we go to school we certainly will have a job. I don’t know anymore. Sometimes I wonder how I am going to motivate my kids (or my students) that education will guarantee them a job. I am sure I will face this discussion in the future with my students as well.
ReplyDeleteWe need to use divergent thinking to solve this problem...any ideas?
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice if there was a retrospective assesment of shcools. Example judge a school by how many its former students are happy, succesfull, and benificial members of society.
ReplyDeleteThe system of standerized testing is fine in subjects such as math where their is only one right answer. However, we need to encourage abstract thinking in subjects such as science, arts, and even history. Why did we fight in Vietnam, it wasn't about the protection of Democracy, it was to secure oil supplies. We need to let our kids know all the facts and then let them come to their own conclusions. I think there is never only one solution to a problem. Lay the facts out and let them come to their own conclusion/ share and find the best answer. We are not giving them enough leyway to think for themselves.We are producing robots, not independent thinkers!
ReplyDeleteI am going to try this again. I wrote two whole paragraphs of wisdom, then pushed Post and it disappeared... This is crazy!
ReplyDeleteI believe his thoughs about ADHD are right on. I raised a step son who some teachers wanted to just drug, because he got bored easily with the lesson plan. Sitting endlessly listening to lecture. He is brilliant in math and sciences, but responded better to action based teaching, and tactile assignments. A couple of the teachers (young)wanted him to set in the back of class, listen to a year of lecture, and up the dose!
@ Bruce: We got robbed. Only one paragraph of wisdom instead of two! (sorry it happened - our loss)
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I think schools are changing to some degree, in that they are trying different strategies. Schools are trying Magnet programs for vocations for the health field, law enforcement, the trades and getting away from the only way to succeed is through more and more academics. They are realizing that this model does not fit everyone.
ReplyDeleteI have to push preview first, then post or it will lock up for some reason. It might be the Internet Explorer problem.
ReplyDelete