Reflection on Cycle 2

“What should schools teach?” It sounds so simple. But this is the question I have been asking myself every time I enter the classrooms to meet my students, some of whom may be anticipating something inspiring or just wanting to pass another boring time. Since I’m working with high school students who are spending a myriad of time sitting at desks to prepare for the college entrance exam (for example, senior students are supposed to be at school at 7:30 in the morning and go home at 10 p.m), Geoff Mulgan’s 2011 TED talk was an eye-opener to me. Can the idea of “Studio School” be combined with current educating system in my school? The answer would be a no to me. This is not to say that Studio School is not an appropriate idea here. It will contrast too sharply with the current traditional “boring” education practices. Students will get confused and lost between the two I suppose. I think it cannot stand in one place because of the extremes of two different concepts, but in separate settings it would be perfect for students who want to pursue their interests and needs. Interesting thing is that the idea of Studio School doesn’t seem to be new or progressive, but it comes from “apprenticeship”, the idea of Renaissance and Dewey’s “learn by doing” idea. The students of that school do look happy and engaging. (How envious! Mulgan’s ideal, “What kind of school would have the teenagers fighting to get in, not fighting to stay out?”, appears to come true.) It gave me the idea that schools should be the place where students want to stay and learn something desirable. What should schools teach? What students want to learn.

While I was reading about “Quest to Learn”, I thought it can be a hot issue among those who suggest the detrimental effect of video games especially for children. But there are some opinions about the benefit of the video game such as Scott Steinberg and Mark Griffiths. Of course the Quest to Learn explains that children aren’t playing the games just for fun but designing and building games through discussion. In the article, the children seem to be so engaging and enthusiastic about making their own games. They do have interactions, active participation and problem-solving process but it seems like they don’t have full verbal interactions but only simple reactions – it’s not fair enough to judge only by the small portion of article though. This school may give another answer to the question of Cycle 3 – What should schools teach? 21^st-century skills through contemporary media and technology. I was a bit surprised to know that how clear I have my opinion about education and curriculum. I thought I’m quite open to every possibility and diversity of education when it comes to curriculum and method. But I felt slight resistance to the process and the idea of Video Game School. I may think that kind of school has a limited possibility of educating well-rounded individuals.

How about E.D. Hirsch? What would he think about this? I imagine that he would emphasize the balance between “facts” and “skills”. As Hirsch pointed out, “facts and skills are inseparable” (p.133). He claims that “facts” do not deaden the minds of young children, but incoherence does. “Nobody remembers information unless it is embedded in interesting material.” (p.130) In that perspective, the ideas of Studio Schools and Quest to Learn are not heresy that traditional value and humanities are neglected, because students should be learning “facts” by practicing “skills”. The facts are just implicit and hidden in the process of explicit curriculum. I noted that Hirsch persistently claims the importance of integrating the contents of the subject. “English compositions should not be conceived as a skill in isolation from subject matter.” (p.117) “The greatest human individuality is developed in response to a tradition, not in response to disorderly, uncertain, and fragmented education.” (p. 126) According to Hirsch, What should schools teach? The common knowledge shared with people throughout the history. In Hirsch’s words, “a curriculum that is traditional in content but diverse in its emphases, that is pluralistic in its materials and modes of teaching but nonetheless provides our children with a common core of cultural information”. (pp.126-127)

We’ve heard so often that the world has never been more diverse and fast-paced (I absolutely agree with that.) and pluralistic than now. But still I don’t think that the world in the past was simple, slow-changing (maybe so) and unitary. I believe that the world has shared common traits that human beings have throughout the history, and that the world has only changed its clothes named as system and cultural code. It may sound so vast, but I think it could give significant implications on curriculum and accountability of schools. It would be impossible to think of perfect way and best curriculum for individuals. That’s why so many educators and policy makers have been trying to figure out the best of “what” and “how”. Greenwalt suggests that “we might now be entering a time where the pendulum of American education starts to swing back away from mass standardization”. Reflecting on the history of education policy, and that sounds so right; swinging back and forth between formalism and realism, traditional value and contemporary one, and so on. I think schools teach that and provide with both views so that students can have balanced learning and choose what they want. There comes the important role of accountability system, because it will make it possible to give consistency and stability on implementing curriculum. That might be the trickiest part to stay balanced continuously. It was interesting to know that teachers of untested subjects such as music or fine arts are not considered as “real” teachers same as in Korea. (We usually call them teachers of “outside curriculum”. It is unofficial and unfair of course.) What should schools teach? I conclude that what we want and need and what the world we belong to needs. 

Reference sites:
The Young Foundation by Geoff Mulgan
Quest to Learn - Institute of Play
A Brief History of Education in America (PDF)