The Purpose of Education (K-16) is to teach the mind to think so that life-long learning can continuously be obtained.
What is Life-Long Learning? I say it is the ability to seek/learn any new knowledge each day that adds to the well being of an individual and society.
Who, What, Where, When, Why and How are excellent questions to ask throughout one’s life-long knowledge experience. The 5 Ws and 1H are most critical to establish a solid learning foundation at the earliest stages (grades) of one’s educational career.
That is why I am so disappointed that State (i.e., MEAP) and Federal (i.e., NCLB) testing instruments concentrate only on the “What” and another ‘W’ not found above “Write.”
What is the answer to ____? (Too Many Facts)
Write the meaning of the story. (No Creativity)
There are to few Who’s, Where’s and When’s in Rote Learning (there is a place for it) and Testing and most importantly there hardly any Why’s and How’s. I can think of no other questions/statements as crucial that cause the brain to think as Why and How.
In other words asking “Why” something Is, Was or Will Be and by what Method (HOW) the theory or conclusion can be made are the vital elements to life-long learning and creativity.
An example; I had a Math Teacher who explained the reasons Why math was so important with analogies of practical application (How). Sure we had to memorize the basic tables but it was so much easier when it was explained where it fit in the purpose (aim).
The problem with Why and How are the difficulties the so-called educators in the Educational System have with testing, grading, labeling, ranking and rating students with regards to memorizing and comparing student to student and one school system to another. Frankly, they (Administrators) are taking the easy way out with ramifications (too many to mention here) that now are so integrated within or educational system they know of no other means than to keep adjusting (i.e., Tampering) the system with more testing and raking to prove their point of incompetence.
Other recent Educational posts by qualityg can be found at:
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2007/06/us-supre-court-did-not-challenge.html
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2006/11/quality-education-nclb-state-data.html
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/2007/06/merit-pay-for-teachers-in-minnesota-so.html
Updated 7/10/07 - How About China for an Example of Importance
How about a recent example on the importance of "Education" from a man who really knows - Mr. Tom Watkins
Please read article by Carol Cain of the Detroit Free Press @ http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070710/COL24/707100314/1002/BUSINESS
For more qg posts on Education Click on the word Education at the LABEL at the end of any post.
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