Tags for "Critical Thinking And Analysis"
Aren’t Facts Important?
In a word... yes.
But I'm not going to stop after one word. Yes, there are absolutely things that people need to know in order to thrive in the world, but we will never be able to teach people everything that they will need to know for their life. And people, depending on the life path that they choose, will need to know different facts at different times. So rather than filling our young people's heads with facts, we should teach them how to find the information they need and give them the skills to analyze and interpret that information for themselves.
If our schools... Skinner Box to Freedom
"Stop doing that and apologize."
"What? She doesn't care."
"She's not going to tell you she cares, but I do.... To Create Change, Understand Your Opposition
For example, within democratic education circles, we know what we believe and why it makes sense. However, we don't necessarily know what others believe about education, and why it makes sense to them to believe those things.
I listen to a lot of Republican talk... Education Everywhere: How Video Games Can Teach You
I believe that intelligence is three things: thoughtfulness, education, and experience. It is possible to be very strong in one category and be very intelligent because of that strength, but have room for improvement and further intellectual growth in another. I believe that I have a great deal of thoughtfulness, but could seriously grow in terms of experience and education by attending more events and programs and spending more time reading nonfiction and participating in events... Question the Answers
Outright lies and misinformation, however, are another matter entirely. Why weren't we introduced to, say, theories about Shakespeare's true identity, or alternatives to vivisection? Neither of these were lies, of course, but the information we were instructed to memorize was presented as the be-all and end-all, without the possibility of another reality. Wouldn't school have been so much more interesting... My Personal Understanding of Democratic Education
The idea of children having the freedom to do what they feel inclined to, all under the premise that they are receiving their education during that time....boy, that was a bizarre concept for me.
As strange a concept as it was, though, I was very intrigued by it, and in theory found it... Re-hired and It Feels So Good
Title I funding was used to bring me back (me in all my un-tenured glory) as a literacy intervention teacher. I have a class size cap of 10 students and the freedom to build this course from the ground up.
First assignment: I had students watch this video clip:
A video on how to teach a dog to roll over using operant conditioning. Students were utterly confused, wondering what sort of class they were put in, and I... Because I’m a part of it
For our workshop, I've invited several students to help facilitate the break-out session of our presentation. I selected students who over the years have demonstrated the product of true liberating education. And what's the litmus test? I am getting wind that these students are getting in trouble in other classes for speaking up for themselves.
This is music to my ears because as our... New assessments - are they better?
Posted on Nov 11, 2009 - 08:25 PM by Jonah Canner in Got Questions?
This "democratic" approach to education seems nice, but don't kids need to know certain facts to thrive in the world?In a word... yes.
But I'm not going to stop after one word. Yes, there are absolutely things that people need to know in order to thrive in the world, but we will never be able to teach people everything that they will need to know for their life. And people, depending on the life path that they choose, will need to know different facts at different times. So rather than filling our young people's heads with facts, we should teach them how to find the information they need and give them the skills to analyze and interpret that information for themselves.
If our schools... Skinner Box to Freedom
Posted on Nov 17, 2009 - 08:44 PM by Ammerah Saidi in The Learning Curve
So, there I stood. In front of my thirty 9th graders, hour after hour, watching them write letters to each other, put their gum under their desks, talk to their neighbors while the assigned worksheet on the parts of speech I just spent the night before diligently creating fell silently to the floor. Think I am being melodramatic? I wish! In one class, I laughed to myself for a solid thirty seconds (a long time in high school time), after I spent three minutes going back and forth with a student as to why throwing wads of paper at a girl he did not like was unacceptable."Stop doing that and apologize."
"What? She doesn't care."
"She's not going to tell you she cares, but I do.... To Create Change, Understand Your Opposition
Posted on Nov 20, 2009 - 06:30 PM by Kris Sage in Sage Wonderings
I believe that there's something that's important for us to keep in mind when it comes to sharing democratic education with the mainstream. We know what we believe, and why we think the things we believe in are important. Of course we do. But have you ever felt that it's difficult to try to convince others -- moderate or uninformed people, and especially people with conservative backgrounds -- of why your viewpoint makes sense?For example, within democratic education circles, we know what we believe and why it makes sense. However, we don't necessarily know what others believe about education, and why it makes sense to them to believe those things.
I listen to a lot of Republican talk... Education Everywhere: How Video Games Can Teach You
Posted on Dec 03, 2009 - 02:42 AM by Kris Sage in Sage Wonderings
Something that I've always considered a crucial part of my self-education was video gaming. I've learned so very much from it. I've learned stuff that's pretty mundane - typing skills, quick reading and writing skills, learning how to use words in a context where people couldn't see my body language or tone of voice. And yet, I've also learned some pretty advanced skills that have served me in every other area of my life. I've learned how to analyze disparate facts and learn what I could do based off of that information. I've learned how to cope with failure and rebuttal. I've learned how to keep very calm under intense pressure. I've learned how to study language and speaking to learn more... What is Intelligence, and Can You Teach It?Posted on Dec 04, 2009 - 09:42 PM by Kris Sage in Sage Wonderings
So, before I say anything, disclaimer: this is opinion. I have not read psychology texts on intelligence, and do not know how it is currently defined by the American government. This is my own study and analysis.I believe that intelligence is three things: thoughtfulness, education, and experience. It is possible to be very strong in one category and be very intelligent because of that strength, but have room for improvement and further intellectual growth in another. I believe that I have a great deal of thoughtfulness, but could seriously grow in terms of experience and education by attending more events and programs and spending more time reading nonfiction and participating in events... Question the Answers
Posted on Dec 18, 2009 - 01:14 AM by Sara Schmidt in Uncharted Parenting
Like many people, I have found fault with plenty of school textbooks. I remember pointing out an error in my Geometry text to my teacher, who smiled and said, "Whoops, looks like they missed that one." Well, an unfinished circle isn't such a big deal; anyone could have made that mistake.Outright lies and misinformation, however, are another matter entirely. Why weren't we introduced to, say, theories about Shakespeare's true identity, or alternatives to vivisection? Neither of these were lies, of course, but the information we were instructed to memorize was presented as the be-all and end-all, without the possibility of another reality. Wouldn't school have been so much more interesting... My Personal Understanding of Democratic Education
Posted on Feb 04, 2010 - 02:08 AM by Shawn Strader in Op-Education
The concept of democratic education was not introduced to me until summer of 2004. I was aware of homeschooling, and slightly familiar with unschooling, but had never really pushed to find an understanding of either approach. But in 2004, The Village Free School, of Portland, OR, was undergoing its first stages of creation, and I was fortunate to be around for it. It is something I took a deep interest in.The idea of children having the freedom to do what they feel inclined to, all under the premise that they are receiving their education during that time....boy, that was a bizarre concept for me.
As strange a concept as it was, though, I was very intrigued by it, and in theory found it... Re-hired and It Feels So Good
Posted on Feb 21, 2010 - 10:16 PM by Ammerah Saidi in The Learning Curve
On January 29th, I received my official letter of termination. Our district has lost more than a million dollars in funding and any new teachers were immediately cut. On February 1st, I received my official letter of re-assignment. This story has a happy beginning.Title I funding was used to bring me back (me in all my un-tenured glory) as a literacy intervention teacher. I have a class size cap of 10 students and the freedom to build this course from the ground up.
First assignment: I had students watch this video clip:
A video on how to teach a dog to roll over using operant conditioning. Students were utterly confused, wondering what sort of class they were put in, and I... Because I’m a part of it
Posted on Jun 15, 2010 - 10:25 PM by Ammerah Saidi in The Learning Curve
School has been out for a weekend now and as soon as the last bell of the school year rang, a couple of my friends and some of my students got right to work on our presentation for the U.S. Social Forum. Our presentation is called "Urban School Awakening: Critical Elements of Urban School Reform."For our workshop, I've invited several students to help facilitate the break-out session of our presentation. I selected students who over the years have demonstrated the product of true liberating education. And what's the litmus test? I am getting wind that these students are getting in trouble in other classes for speaking up for themselves.
This is music to my ears because as our... New assessments - are they better?
Posted on Sep 03, 2010 - 08:44 AM by Dana Bennis in The Landscape
Secretary Duncan and the U.S. Department of Education announced the awarding of $330 million yesterday to two consortia of states under the Race to the Top Assessment program for their proposals to create a new generation of assessments. This is on top of the $4 billion announced in the past months to the state-wide Race to the Top competition. The Department of Education framed the contest as one that would create assessments that help "prepare students for college and the workplace, that more validly measure student knowledge and skills, that better reflect good instructional practices, and that support a culture of continuous improvement in education." The plan is for the assessments...