Secret Teacher: teaching is increasingly being built on a web of lies

[SoulRiser]

Quote:Stop pretending our education system is about the students, it's all about manipulating data for survival, says The Secret Teacher



Do you ever feel that your main duty at work these days is to contribute to, or cover up, an intricate web of lies? Lies, which have become so pervasive and embedded, that they are now the norm. The system is propped up by them and we have all joined the party – headteachers, inspectors, senior leaders, teachers and assistants.

We have built an ugly house from our lies. Not a fragile house of cards that can be easily dismantled, but one bolted and cemented into the ground. Many of us might be unwilling participants or even oblivious. But if you open your eyes and ears, they are all around us.

Let's start with data. Isn't this where validation for the untruths stems from? While data is a useful tool, it should never be king. In schools, this seems to have become the case. For many teachers, more time is spent examining, discussing, inputting and presenting data than actually interacting with children. Headteachers don't seem to have much choice about this; data is the main focus for Ofsted. And Ofsted often seem to use data to make up their minds about a school before they've even stepped foot in it.

The pressure to achieve positive data is immense. Analysis of statistics decides whether an establishment and its staff are either crowned in glory or cloaked in shame. But should we be letting this happen? Are league tables meaningful or misleading? I'm no data expert, but I would appreciate the opportunity to follow a wider debate of these issues between those with more knowledge than me.

More:
http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-netwo...et-teacher

[no]

Well, duuuuuuh.

[James Comey]

Shows how public education has been taken over by these god-awful standardized tests.

[WhatEvenIsThis]

You know, something has suddenly popped in my head: It just all makes sense, instead of being educated with actual communication and actual knowledge about things that could be important for the future, we are being expected to be educated by a third-party testing system that does, in no way, accumulate the amount of actual intelligence we have, it just accumulates how much worthless excrement we can keep in our heads.

Because if there is one thing that is important to be a psychologist, is to be able to know algebra like a super computer.

Truly disgusting

[Ky]

(01-03-2014 09:15 AM)Ferigeras Wrote:  Because if there is one thing that is important to be a psychologist, is to be able to know algebra like a super computer.

Hold that thought, I'm attempting to use the point-slope form to psychoanalyze you. Stand still while I solve for x given each value y.

[chained to desk]

(01-03-2014 09:15 AM)Ferigeras Wrote:  Because if there is one thing that is important to be a psychologist, is to be able to know algebra like a super computer.

Truly disgusting

That's why in school we don't learn how the concepts are applied, if we were taught the applications, we would rightfully ask " But i'm not going to do that, so why do i have to learn this? I want to learn about x instead because i want to be y."

[Chanku]

To be honest I remember my algebra teacher saying something along the lines of, "This isn't really useful, but the standards say I have to teach it too you. I don't see why, but I have too." or something like that. However I think that goes along with what is being said...

[xcriteria]

Why must teachers be bound to teach specific subjects? Why can't they get to know students, and help them figure out their interests and actually prepare for current and future times in their life?

That's the question to ask. And that's the path to transforming education from a "web of lies" (or a web of coercion) into something that actually helps people make their way in the world.

(Fortunately, even these online conversations are a step toward that... learning can occur in many ways other than a school classroom.)

[Gwedin]

(01-03-2014 10:16 AM)Chanku Wrote:  To be honest I remember my algebra teacher saying something along the lines of, "This isn't really useful, but the standards say I have to teach it too you. I don't see why, but I have too." or something like that. However I think that goes along with what is being said...

to *

Couldn't help it. #GrammarNazi