First Post of the New Year
Living in Colorado and New York has given me a unique opportunity to see two vastly different educational systems. The private prep schools of the east coast are undoubtedly the finest examples of pedagogy, while many schools in America's Midwest are mediocre at best.
Now an article in the Grey Lady reports on a new trend of Uber students termed "Zoomers" (I know, what a gay-ass name) that enter the nation's elite colleges at levels of preparedness well beyond what anyone I know ever came close to having.
The sad part is the section of students I see the most of are on the other end of the brainiac scale. Sure some of them are smart, but many are academic weaklings who, when faced with serious, real-life job competition, stand no chance.
The extended play of this little story is witnessed when these people grow up and become mediocre adults. I'm sure you know the type, the coulda'beens, the almost was's, the 32-year-old high school English teachers writing pathetic blogs for no one in particular. You may even be one yourself. Don't be ashamed, circumstances beyond your control were set long before you even knew what a prep school was. And this brings me to the point of my diatribe; (what? you thought I didn't have a point - shame on you) the current educational system is not designed to produce intelligent, free-thinking humans. No, not by a long shot, public schools are here to produce mediocre automatons designed specifically to buy things that are wholly unnecessary to real life. The disparity that exists between rich schools and poor school is negligible. That fact remains that the Dalton's and the Exeter's of the world can only educate a handful of the world's school aged kids, the rest are left to fend for themselves. Perhaps the next Bill Gates will invent something that will let them bust in to the Good'ol Boys' club, but more likely they will go on to work retail, tend bar, file paperwork, and even teach others.
Not to be totally negative, I have some brilliant students who could literally go on to be anything they want to be. There are some students who have sheer talent in such magnitude that they will blow anyone else out of the proverbial water. But you're missing the point if you think I'm just badmouthing public education. The bigger picture is America's future. The bigger picture is the outsourcing of freedom. The bigger picture is the unsustainable growth of population, excess, waste, and greed.
More later.
Now an article in the Grey Lady reports on a new trend of Uber students termed "Zoomers" (I know, what a gay-ass name) that enter the nation's elite colleges at levels of preparedness well beyond what anyone I know ever came close to having.
The sad part is the section of students I see the most of are on the other end of the brainiac scale. Sure some of them are smart, but many are academic weaklings who, when faced with serious, real-life job competition, stand no chance.
The extended play of this little story is witnessed when these people grow up and become mediocre adults. I'm sure you know the type, the coulda'beens, the almost was's, the 32-year-old high school English teachers writing pathetic blogs for no one in particular. You may even be one yourself. Don't be ashamed, circumstances beyond your control were set long before you even knew what a prep school was. And this brings me to the point of my diatribe; (what? you thought I didn't have a point - shame on you) the current educational system is not designed to produce intelligent, free-thinking humans. No, not by a long shot, public schools are here to produce mediocre automatons designed specifically to buy things that are wholly unnecessary to real life. The disparity that exists between rich schools and poor school is negligible. That fact remains that the Dalton's and the Exeter's of the world can only educate a handful of the world's school aged kids, the rest are left to fend for themselves. Perhaps the next Bill Gates will invent something that will let them bust in to the Good'ol Boys' club, but more likely they will go on to work retail, tend bar, file paperwork, and even teach others.
Not to be totally negative, I have some brilliant students who could literally go on to be anything they want to be. There are some students who have sheer talent in such magnitude that they will blow anyone else out of the proverbial water. But you're missing the point if you think I'm just badmouthing public education. The bigger picture is America's future. The bigger picture is the outsourcing of freedom. The bigger picture is the unsustainable growth of population, excess, waste, and greed.
More later.
Yup.
ReplyDeleteWhen you say students could literally go on to be anything, and suppose one wanted to become a carnivorous earthworm jazz pianist, could s/he then, actually, become a carnivorous earthworm jazz pianist?
ReplyDelete