Xref: utzoo comp.edu:3854 sci.edu:1107 misc.education:1249 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!turpin From: turpin@cs.utexas.edu (Russell Turpin) Newsgroups: comp.edu,sci.edu,misc.education Subject: Re: Against educational fads Summary: Some things are more important than others. Message-ID: <15459@cs.utexas.edu> Date: 5 Dec 90 15:29:37 GMT References: <15404@cs.utexas.edu> <15425@cs.utexas.edu> <1990Dec5.005509.11049@massey.ac.nz> <15447@cs.utexas.edu> <39897@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> Followup-To: comp.edu Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas Lines: 41 ------ I wrote: >> One of the most pernicious influences on our primary and >> secondary schools are the teachers who do not know what is >> important and lasting in education, and what is a passing fad. In article <39897@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> thom@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Thom Gillespie) writes: > For me, the more 'pernicious influence' is a teacher who 'knows' > what is important and attempt to enforce it. The only way I have attempted to "enforce" my views is through the force of my words. Traditionally, this is considered a much more civilized way to express difference of opinion than most of the alternatives. I would ask Mr Gillespie to consider what our world would be like if all primary and secondary schools tomorrow decided that reading and writing are unimportant, and they were no longer going to teach these subjects. Would he complain? Would he stand up and say "some subjects are crucial, and schools should teach these"? Or would he consider it a pernicious influence to take such a stand? Some cynics might suggest we already live in such a world. I don't believe this. Instead, we live in one where many people do not understand the importance of certain things, and so many schools no longer give highest priority to the teaching of writing when determining curriculum, selecting teachers, allocating resources, and counseling students. The result is not that no one learns to write, but that the process is haphazard and partial. Many high school students learn to write quite well. Many others, including many of those who enter college, do not know even the basics. This lacuna from their primary and secondary education becomes a barrier to their pursuits in college and beyond. Some things are important. Teaching students how to write is much more important than teaching them how to use word processors. When someone suggests otherwise, they are wrong. I will not apologize for saying this. Russell Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com