I often get told something like, "stop telling us what is wrong with education, tell us how to fix it!" I wish I had an answer for how to fix education.
This blog exists as an open dialogue and informational source as to what is wrong with education- uncovering the ills of education that hide in plain sight; we are educated to not seek the answers, find out the "why", whereto look, or how to decipher something written cleverly to disguise the truth. I'd love to have a blog with the almighty answers of "how" and "what" in regards to "fixing" education.
So why don't I propose a solution? Well, it is a complex answer...
One, whenever I seem to encounter some new innovation, school of thought, curriculum, etc that seems to fit my dreams for education, it turns out "evil" and used for control, dumbing down, fitting some agenda that seems against freedom, enlightenment, betterment, intellectualism.
Two, I still struggle with what education should be, as in the whole picture, the mission statement. If it is to foster intellect and curiosity, can it also prepare people for jobs without pigeonholing people into certain careers, controlling their destiny? If I use data and best practices for improvement, can it be just that without labeling and marginalizing students? Really, all I can conclude for my aims of education is to educate. To give children a thirst for knowledge, skills to think and question on their own, and innovation, curiosity, creativity. But the "how" is the mystery.
Perhaps, when I crticize education and complain it is too prescriptive, focusing on quantitative over qualitative, one size fits all... I could use the same parameters to criticize the solution, whatever it is. I don't think there is one exact solution. More a variety of solutions, individualized, on a spectrum of sorts.
Or...is there really no answer? Meaning, does every answer have an ":evil" side? Is there no way to educate without thought control, human capital management, eugenics, and the sort? Really, what if there is no "right" way to educate?
I keep hoping somehow there is an answer, a pure, just, good, liberty-minded answer (or answers) out there; I just do not know how to find it. I hope by exposing that which is "evil" in education, I can uncover what is good.
