Originally, I intended to complete this issue much earlier.
Well, I didn't know about the nefarious intent of the school "reformers" who said they believed that high school classes would be better if the class sessions lasted 90 minutes and that courses would be better if they lasted only 9 weeks instead of 18.
It turns out that this plan is disastrous for academic or performance courses. Students have fewer days and weekends during which to work on their own. And, if you want to sing in the choir or play in the band during the whole school year, you must devote one-fourth of your schedule to one of those activities. Given the expectations of colleges and universities, many students find it difficult to take all the necessary academic classes and stay in the band. And don't even bother thinking about participating in more than one performance activity.
Right now, the calendar says my students and I are half-way through an intro to econ course. If that were true, we'd be starting to look at microeconomics instead of just finishing up national income accounting. And half the class wouldn't be struggling to keep up. And I wouldn't be working as hard as I am for no observable benefit.
In fact, the new plan removes from students much of the responsibility for their learning. They don't feel much ownership of what they do learn either. When these reformers show up at your school door (and they will), cry "Fraud," and don't let them ruin your school too.
There's only one way this so-called reform makes sense. The number of students teachers deal with during a school year can be increased by 20% at no monetary cost. Is it any wonder that the only professional journals that have published on this issue are the administrators' literature?
"Have you run across David Berliner's The Manufactured Crisis in your reading? Interesting book. Berliner claims that the "crisis" in American education was essentially trumped up in the 1980's by conservatives who wanted to promote greater corporate control over the schools and greater opportunity for privatization of education in the US.
"He cites several of the now-famous task forces and business-related groups that were touted by the Reagan and Bush administrations as examples. He goes on to say that while the nation's schools are clearly struggling with social problems, they are in actuality doing as well as one could reasonably expect and that there are many examples of truly outstanding work being accomplished.
"Berliner has always been an outspoken visionary when it comes to teaching and learning in the schools; among other things, he believes that truly professional teachers are the ones who know best how to set curriculum, work with young people, and speak for how to infuse values into the educational process.
He faults teacher education whenever it has failed to help teachers recognize their professionalism and to champion their own abilities to know more than business leaders, governmental officials, and narrow-minded interest groups about how to educate children and what they need to learn. Amen, I sez..."
Sounds to me like the corporate trend-setters are winning. Can't really downsize schools since the numbers of students is rising again. But, we can do an educational version of downsizing by increasing the number of students each teacher sees every year. After all, a mind might be a terrible thing to waste, but it seems that self-appointed spokespeople for taxpayers are more convinced that it's a terrible thing to waste money on.
Commentary from the Educational Policy Analysis Archive at ASU
Review from the National Association of School Psychologists
Attack on Berliner's argument from The Freeman
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