The kind of school we need is a school probably close in nature to the ideals as described by Elliot W. Eisner, but his ideals are just that, ideas. Everything (nearly) he proposes is intuitive and desirable and are things I have often contemplated or discussed at one time or another, but discourse is far from application and the methods of implementation he proposes (hints) makes it even more difficult (unimaginable, unrealistic and improbable) than needs to be.
The article is well written and his thoughts are complete causing only a few comments needed to be made. I truly believe that Sir Hubert Read’s educational philosophy does bear merit, but not in the direction he intends. I think his two philosophical differences are actually one and the same. That education should simultaneously help students “become who they are not” while helping them “become who they are”. Both Eisner and Read are misinformed and misdirecting people with the examples rendered to support his ideas. By teaching students what they are not, only equips them better with skills that add to their repertoire. Skills that will allow them to excel once in a state of self actualisation when the student is in a position to realise any latent potential. Cutting a child off prematurely, at too early a stage, could irreconcilably hurt that child’s intended and God promised future, simply because of what was thought that should be done.
Another naïve point made was the feasibility to include the “public” in public education. For the sake of amusement, lets ask Steven Harper what he thinks of including us in his decision making process (Actually, for an honest reply it might not be the best thing unless we were interested in hearing a politically correct, but convoluted story that would nearly miss the point except for outlining the difficulties involved in that scenario). The idea of representation is to put people in power who are in the know and capable of making decisions because of the accessible resources or talents being employed to support that process or interest that the people (public) are without. I am sorry to say, but people are stupid and I am as ignorant as the next and incapable in my current position with my current understanding to accurately gauge (not act) what the best interests of our nation could be while taking into consideration the greater (global) picture. We (and I) need to trust those who know and take up our concerns with the redundant bureaucratic wheel that protects us from our “good” intentions.
One point that I can extend on is that we are not in the “shoe making business” and our one-fit-for-all system, is failing society, in a way that we are doing a dis-service to a portion of the population, who in turn do a dis-service to the community they are (not necessarily) a part of (emotionally). This together with the unrealistic connection that schooling has to the outside world leaves people with disdain for what we sell and a bad taste in their mouths as people feel to be “jumping through hoops.” Eisner can’t be more right when he says that “Intrinsic motivation” will always create a better pupil than one who lusts for “point accumulation.”
The real question is what can actually be done when one realises the ideas are right.
