Schooling in the 80s was still very much training us to sit still and follow the routine. Because we were all going to be happy worker bees for a living. And our classes had 30+ kids and one teacher for most of elementary school.
I’m not sure it has really changed much in most of America, especially since standardized testing became the norm and led to “teaching to the test” in many classroooms. I have since realized I had a couple teachers along the way who encouraged questioning your preconceived notions, 7 and 8 grade jr high science teachers specifically, and a metal shop teacher who they eliminated the year I would have taken it in exchange for a computer based “synergy” class.
This was pretty much my answer to a German expat who candidly asked: “WTF is up with the schools here?” I angrily answered in line with the above.
GP is correct in that school should be about learning how to learn and think critically. And there are elements of that still in play, but it’s not the focus, and it’s not evenly distributed.
Teachers are still in and ruled over by the system. Still waiting for a better way to feed information to (now 40 per teacher) middle school kids. I dunno if you’ve asked any teachers, but they DESPISE standardized testing and having 40 kids and zero parent support. They don’t control any of that.
Schooling in the 80s was still very much training us to sit still and follow the routine. Because we were all going to be happy worker bees for a living. And our classes had 30+ kids and one teacher for most of elementary school.
I’m not sure it has really changed much in most of America, especially since standardized testing became the norm and led to “teaching to the test” in many classroooms. I have since realized I had a couple teachers along the way who encouraged questioning your preconceived notions, 7 and 8 grade jr high science teachers specifically, and a metal shop teacher who they eliminated the year I would have taken it in exchange for a computer based “synergy” class.
This was pretty much my answer to a German expat who candidly asked: “WTF is up with the schools here?” I angrily answered in line with the above.
GP is correct in that school should be about learning how to learn and think critically. And there are elements of that still in play, but it’s not the focus, and it’s not evenly distributed.
Teachers are still in and ruled over by the system. Still waiting for a better way to feed information to (now 40 per teacher) middle school kids. I dunno if you’ve asked any teachers, but they DESPISE standardized testing and having 40 kids and zero parent support. They don’t control any of that.