When will we run out of time in education?

Ronin

Ronin

Recall my name, on your journey to hell.
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I got up absurdly early this morning to take my son to rifle practice, and since I come back home and go to bed for another hour and a half, I normally make small talk and let my mind wander.

This morning's wander was over into education, and at what point our current methodology - which is already notably deteriorated from when I was a boy, which in turn was lesser than when my father was young in his turn - would fail entirely. Not from sociopolitical or economic movements, which is usually the debate in this arena, but from the volume of "basic" knowledge we've accumulated being to great to impart over the course of 12 years. To fit in all the sciences, history, and social movements has required increasingly more intense sessions in an increasingly dense schedule, with a decreasing ability to examine details.

When I was 12 or so, I had several Disney books-on-tape. One of those I remember the story for was set in the future, and followed the family of a "retarded" boy, who had an IQ of 160, where the average had been boosted via genetics to 210. His father had opted to keep his son rather than euthanize him, and eventually the boy found his place on a world they'd crashed into in space. It went into a fair amount of speculation on how people were modified and educated and "enlightened" - yet still found new and exciting ways to create and discriminate against the "other." I've tried over the years to identify which book this was, to no avail.

But still, I go back to the question: when will we run out of time - literally - in education? Where is the point where the normal person can no longer learn about how we got to a given piece of knowledge, because there's so much "basic" knowledge to teach that there's no time to go into such detail?

Ok, I'm going back to bed now. Cheers all.
 
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Wow. This eerily reminded me of a vision I had about 2 years ago of humanity that as you said had genetically modified humans and the poor offspring were 2nd class citizens and considered lesser. Those with money would genetically modify their children. It's one of the last untapped markets for capitalism, and they will exploit it. It's not about right or wrong it's about increased profits. A natural born baby will be considered lesser and I believe that is a criminal injustice. I cried when u had that vision. I still get teary eyed thinking of it. It's truly heinous.

I also think you remembering it but can't finding it has to do with Mandela effect as people who are "tuned in" experience it more than others which I think hints at some mass deception of our perceptions.
 
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Ronin, I sympathize with your idea of running out of time for a complete education. But therein lies the problem. Teaching methods are different today. There is no time to give children a survey or exposure to what they need to know.

However if we went back to teaching Socratic reasoning, the great books, and ancient Greece and Rome, children would be set up to learn on their own. They would have a rigorous framework in which to view the world.
That is the beauty of a classical education.

I graduated from a Big 10 School in 1990 in the soft sciences. My mom graduated from a Catholic High School in 1964. One day we sat down and compared both programs. They were essentially equivalent.:( She learned the Arts of logic, grammar and rhetoric in high school.

In college I read silly trendy books, had to take sex ed based on that freak Kinsey*, and regurgitate political propaganda if I wanted to pass.
* don't look him up if you are eating.
 
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Having recently completed 3 years of High School with my nephew (now graduated YAY), I have to say I was not impressed in what is being taught or the way it is taught. Teachers don't actually talk much in the classroom anymore. The "lessons" were on the school issued Chrome books, and were completed without a lot of "teaching" going on. He came out unable to write a check, or understanding some basics that were once actually taught in school. Cursive? Not needed. They "type" but no typing classes. It's assumed they've picked up the skills from texting. Two finger typists are quite the thing these days.

I have 2 grandchildren being home schooled. They meet with a large group once a week, do major events together and even field trips as a group, but the core lessons they are learning are so far advanced I'm somewhat stunned. I do have a grandaughter who has a very, very high IQ and at the age of 9 is working at a very advanced level, but both kids are way above the average because of what and how they are being taught. (My DIL is qualified to be a teacher but is a stay at home mom.) She emphasizes the classics, they both understand and write Latin, and she pushes history so they have a working knowledge of the world.

Comparing the two "school" approaches, I think it's time we get back to basics.
 
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I'm enjoying this discussion about education. I care about it , value it, and I was good at it, and it ultimately disappointed me.:(
My friend was a Big Ten running back and homeschools his children. The oldest boy was just enrolled in high school as a freshman. He is taking advanced High School classes. He also made the varsity baseball team as a freshman.:) This is no surprise because aside from rigorous school work, my buddy make sure that the kids have two periods of PE everyday:p. The parents in the homeschooling network have created shop classes and home economics and what looks like the Boy Scouts.

Home Ec., shop, music, and PE are, around here, only offered as electives if the programs even exist.:(
These classes teach basic life skills that kids may otherwise not learn at home. At least it will save you money knowing how to change a tire and drive a nail and bake a cobbler. :) And at best it's becoming well-rounded and developing an appreciation for things, and stumble across a cool hobby.
 
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Paintman said:
I'm enjoying this discussion about education. I care about it , value it, and I was good at it, and it ultimately disappointed me.:(
My friend was a Big Ten running back and homeschools his children. The oldest boy was just enrolled in high school as a freshman. He is taking advanced High School classes. He also made the varsity baseball team as a freshman.:) This is no surprise because aside from rigorous school work, my buddy make sure that the kids have two periods of PE everyday:p. The parents in the homeschooling network have created shop classes and home economics and what looks like the Boy Scouts.

Home Ec., shop, music, and PE are, around here, only offered as electives if the programs even exist.:(
These classes teach basic life skills that kids may otherwise not learn at home. At least it will save you money knowing how to change a tire and drive a nail and bake a cobbler. :) And at best it's becoming well-rounded and developing an appreciation for things, and stumble across a cool hobby.
Click to expand...
Yes, the network they are in offers all of that as well, and REQUIRES the kids to have PE, home ec., etc. My grandson is in Boy Scouts with the group. They were studying metals, past history, and the kid decided to design a forge and learn how to blacksmith. They are having so many experiences it's just unbelievable.
 
There are some quality posts in here. Thanks to all of you for indulging me.
 
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