Comments on: Their Time is Occupied, But Not Their Brains http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/06/22/their-time-is-occupied-but-not-their-brains/ Green and Natural Parenting Thu, 24 May 2012 18:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: v http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/06/22/their-time-is-occupied-but-not-their-brains/#comment-12484 v Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:11:13 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=2985#comment-12484 I agree with Elizabeth. I have friends who are teachers in K-12 and they are frustrated with constantly having to teach to the test. This is part of the reason I've decided to go on and earn my PhD (I'm still working on it) so I can teach at the college level. In my comp classes, I expect my students to think and write critically, not just to summarize or show me they understand what they've read. I also expect my students to speak in class, which leads to yet another problem: Too often, students are told to sit down and be quiet. I think that through discussion both my students and myself are more able to understand our texts. However, I understand that chaos could result from allowing students to always speak whenever they wanted and I don't know the exact time restrictions (or other restrictions) placed on teachers in elementary through high school. I agree with Elizabeth. I have friends who are teachers in K-12 and they are frustrated with constantly having to teach to the test. This is part of the reason I’ve decided to go on and earn my PhD (I’m still working on it) so I can teach at the college level. In my comp classes, I expect my students to think and write critically, not just to summarize or show me they understand what they’ve read. I also expect my students to speak in class, which leads to yet another problem: Too often, students are told to sit down and be quiet. I think that through discussion both my students and myself are more able to understand our texts. However, I understand that chaos could result from allowing students to always speak whenever they wanted and I don’t know the exact time restrictions (or other restrictions) placed on teachers in elementary through high school.

]]> By: Silvia D. Schiros http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/06/22/their-time-is-occupied-but-not-their-brains/#comment-12483 Silvia D. Schiros Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:44:23 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=2985#comment-12483 Hi, I would like to know if I may translate this text into Portuguese and post it, with due credits and links, to a mom-oriented blog (I would still have to ask the blog owner for a date, but if I get the authorization I'll let you know what the blog address is, as well as the date on which it will be posted). Hi, I would like to know if I may translate this text into Portuguese and post it, with due credits and links, to a mom-oriented blog (I would still have to ask the blog owner for a date, but if I get the authorization I’ll let you know what the blog address is, as well as the date on which it will be posted).

]]> By: Elizabeth http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/06/22/their-time-is-occupied-but-not-their-brains/#comment-12482 Elizabeth Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:16:02 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=2985#comment-12482 Ah, irony... :) Ah, irony… :)

]]> By: andiscandis http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/06/22/their-time-is-occupied-but-not-their-brains/#comment-12481 andiscandis Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:56:01 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=2985#comment-12481 Oh yeah, Elizabeth's comment reminded me... In the story I posted in a comment above, my dad was the school board president at the time. Oh yeah, Elizabeth’s comment reminded me… In the story I posted in a comment above, my dad was the school board president at the time.

]]> By: Elizabeth http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/06/22/their-time-is-occupied-but-not-their-brains/#comment-12480 Elizabeth Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:50:52 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=2985#comment-12480 I have taught in junior high schools and upper-elementary-aged children. There is a lot of truth in this. Many, many teachers realize our practices aren't good for children in the long run, yet we are pressured by administration, our school districts, and our states to perform to a certain level on tests that supposedly only measure "basic" skills, and are often criticized for methods which may seem unconventional and don't immediately offer quantifiable results on that year's standardized test. How wonderful it will be when our society begins to accept the truth of how children want and do learn, and our schools begin to reflect this. I have taught in junior high schools and upper-elementary-aged children. There is a lot of truth in this. Many, many teachers realize our practices aren’t good for children in the long run, yet we are pressured by administration, our school districts, and our states to perform to a certain level on tests that supposedly only measure “basic” skills, and are often criticized for methods which may seem unconventional and don’t immediately offer quantifiable results on that year’s standardized test. How wonderful it will be when our society begins to accept the truth of how children want and do learn, and our schools begin to reflect this.

]]> By: Sara http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/06/22/their-time-is-occupied-but-not-their-brains/#comment-12479 Sara Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:46:01 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=2985#comment-12479 Amen! Amen!

]]> By: andiscandis http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/06/22/their-time-is-occupied-but-not-their-brains/#comment-12478 andiscandis Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:10:16 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=2985#comment-12478 The scene: my room circa 1993. I'm constructing a Lego house, though some would say I'm far too old for such a thing. In barge my parents. Mom: Do you know how many weeks are in a year? Me: What? Dad: A school district survey just showed that most high school kids don't know how many weeks are in a year. Do you? Me: I dunno... gimme a calculator. Dad: Oh, right. (rolls eyes) What button are you going to push on a calculator to tell you how many days are in a year? Me: 365 divided by 7. Much stuttering then ensues and my parents try to think of a reason why I'd need to know such information off the top of my head. None of them has much to do with a 16 year old's life. Epilogue. I'm an adult now and I know how many weeks are in a year. I also know how to figure out how many ounces are in a liter, flow rate conversions, millimeters to miles, etc. I just may need a calculator to do it. It seems that schools have had a hard time keeping up with the tools of technology for a while. The scene: my room circa 1993. I’m constructing a Lego house, though some would say I’m far too old for such a thing. In barge my parents.

Mom: Do you know how many weeks are in a year?

Me: What?

Dad: A school district survey just showed that most high school kids don’t know how many weeks are in a year. Do you?

Me: I dunno… gimme a calculator.

Dad: Oh, right. (rolls eyes) What button are you going to push on a calculator to tell you how many days are in a year?

Me: 365 divided by 7.

Much stuttering then ensues and my parents try to think of a reason why I’d need to know such information off the top of my head. None of them has much to do with a 16 year old’s life.

Epilogue. I’m an adult now and I know how many weeks are in a year. I also know how to figure out how many ounces are in a liter, flow rate conversions, millimeters to miles, etc. I just may need a calculator to do it.

It seems that schools have had a hard time keeping up with the tools of technology for a while.

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