March 23, 2010 by chronicpainhero

I’m confused. So many changes have been made to school curriculum in an effort to accomplish what really? I seem to remember when schools focused on reading, writing, arithmetic and they included classes like gym, health, art and music. Schools opened and closed about the same time that they do today and we managed to somehow squeeze in all the classes and activities needed to turn out some fairly well educated folks. I mean, look at what has been accomplished and some of the people who were educated in that “outdated” school curriculum.

 If the curriculum was so “ineffective” then how did we get a Barack Obama? A Bill Gates and Steve Jobs? You know them, right? Microsoft and Apple ring a bell? What about the scientist who developed the space program during the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s? These folks are responsible for the technology and gadgets that we are “educating” our children to keep up with in today’s school environment. So why such a drastic shift in school curriculum? What is this emphasis on teaching to “pass a test” that is supposed to validate whether or not our children are getting an education? What is the difference today from when we went through school?

When you look at the people who were educated in that “old school curriculum” you should begin to wonder how they ever had the ability to do what they have done. If the curriculum needed such an overhaul, what happened with us? What made us intelligent, driven, motivated to achieve what we have? If the curriculum was so suspect that folks feel compelled to overhaul it, then maybe it was the way we were taught or better yet, WHO taught us. Dare I say, it was the teachers that made the difference.

 Teachers who were in the profession to teach, not so much to earn a paycheck. It couldn’t have been the paycheck because teachers have notoriously been underpaid for DECADES, yet there they were each and everyday standing in front of the classroom pouring out all of their knowledge so that we could soak it up. They worked hard to impart the education and experience they had gained on us. They had time to answer questions and review tests. I don’t remember them ever “leaving any child behind” when I was in school. They would tutor at recess and even stay after school to help IF you asked.

 I believe that it was the teachers that made all of the difference. Oh, I’m not saying there aren’t good teachers today. On the contrary, there are some excellent teachers out there but there’s also a group of teachers that chose teaching as a JOB not a profession. They are in it for the paycheck and it was the path of least resistance. Teachers in our day communicated with parents. They didn’t take any gruff in the classroom. They gave and demanded respect. Dropout rates weren’t near as high as they are today and students had many teachers they looked up to with respect and even wanted to become a teacher like them. So, is it the curriculum or the way the curriculum has been imparted onto the students?

 I guess this is all my opinion and since I have a right to an opinion, I felt like writing it down. I just can’t help but wonder about the old Mi-Ne proverb: if the leaves on the tree are sickly, look at the roots.

 V.Holland

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