Re: The Horrors of Public Education
Posted: 08 Dec 2010, 04:19
Ok, so I decided to actually watch the first video (at least it was short). Sure, in a very superficial manner, school is like prison: there are rules, there is a hierarchy, it is mandatory to go, the kids have very little say. Ok, all when and good. But it's a skin deep comparison.
First of all, kids need some kind of structure. They do not have the mental maturity to make decisions on their own. And so when they are at home parents must direct them, and when they are at school, teachers must direct them. No matter where they are, they will be directed. Yes there is a lot of memorization in school: it is because there is a lot of basic knowledge that children need to learn in a complex world. But they don't just learn to memorize: they learn how to think, they learn how to compare different points of view, they learn how to do research, and they also learn to be creative. I learned how to play an instrument in school. I took an extensive interest in creative writing even writng a "novel" when I was in grade 6.
A good school will strike a balance between ordered learning, and fostering imagination.
The youtuber provides no evidence that children in school are taught nothing but to obey, and not how to think critically. He simply declares it. He offers no solutions. Perhaps he is implying that there should be no school, that kids should do -what? Explore the forest like Rousseau advocated? We live in a conplex world requiring a certain amount of sophistication. Are we just going to let kids stay home and watch tv? What will they learn? What wil happen when they grow up?
The video flashes an anarchy synbol at one point, hinting that that is his prefered system. Is there any evidence whatsover, whether practical or experimental, that shows that Anarchy is a good philosophy for a society?
And school differs from prison in many ways. It's entire premise is different. Prison is a place of punishment, with some learning. School is a place for learning, with some punishment.
If the youtuber has a better system in mind, let's hear it. That's not to say there isn't room for improvement, and in some cases vast room for improvement. But this video is light on substantive and high on hyperbole. It is manipulative and immature.
First of all, kids need some kind of structure. They do not have the mental maturity to make decisions on their own. And so when they are at home parents must direct them, and when they are at school, teachers must direct them. No matter where they are, they will be directed. Yes there is a lot of memorization in school: it is because there is a lot of basic knowledge that children need to learn in a complex world. But they don't just learn to memorize: they learn how to think, they learn how to compare different points of view, they learn how to do research, and they also learn to be creative. I learned how to play an instrument in school. I took an extensive interest in creative writing even writng a "novel" when I was in grade 6.
A good school will strike a balance between ordered learning, and fostering imagination.
The youtuber provides no evidence that children in school are taught nothing but to obey, and not how to think critically. He simply declares it. He offers no solutions. Perhaps he is implying that there should be no school, that kids should do -what? Explore the forest like Rousseau advocated? We live in a conplex world requiring a certain amount of sophistication. Are we just going to let kids stay home and watch tv? What will they learn? What wil happen when they grow up?
The video flashes an anarchy synbol at one point, hinting that that is his prefered system. Is there any evidence whatsover, whether practical or experimental, that shows that Anarchy is a good philosophy for a society?
And school differs from prison in many ways. It's entire premise is different. Prison is a place of punishment, with some learning. School is a place for learning, with some punishment.
If the youtuber has a better system in mind, let's hear it. That's not to say there isn't room for improvement, and in some cases vast room for improvement. But this video is light on substantive and high on hyperbole. It is manipulative and immature.