Defining the Future of Education Essay -- Educating Argumentative Pers

Defining the Future of Education What should be the goals of an elementary education within an increasingly diverse population? The simple and obvious answer is that an educational institution should be a place for individuals to learn. The job of the teacher is to issue facts, share methods in which the facts can be learned and model consistent and appropriate behavior. Such behavior should consist of modeling appropriate presentation, cleanliness, respect, methodology, etc. Such a question is bound to raise many arguments by teachers and the answer will raise many arguments by students. Most of our children, especially grades K-5, are not receiving the simple and obvious answer noted above; they are receiving mediocre teaching skills by teachers who are bitterly under-paid, over burdened, and often not credentialed. Mike Rose's, "Lives on the Boundary" (1989), expresses similar views that appear to be quite complex but are attainable. Rose expresses the tremendous need for embracing the purpose of education. He describes several individuals who developed both the social and cognitive ability to step outside the strict confines of tradition and pursue their individual dreams. Rose gives hope and confidence that it is not the students, who are failing, it is the educational system that is failing the students, and particularly those who are ill prepared and lack resources. More often than not, the ability to visualize our potential is lost in what should be rather than what is. Education needs to be seen as a wonderful experience. The content of any curriculum should emphasize the process rather than the product and the joy that can be achieved by struggling together. Struggling together is simply an extension of what we... ...any projects based on Gardner's theory have been implemented in classrooms all over the nation and are proving to be extremely advantageous. Schools have the potential to be a very different kind of place. Teachers need to go beyond the principal and superintendent and talk to each other. Time needs to be allotted where teachers can work cooperatively on issues of curriculum and assessment and foster the development of all forms of thinking. Works Cited Bishop, J. Thomas. "Enemies of Promise." In the Presence of Others: Voices That Call for Response. Second Edition. Andrea A. Lundsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. St. Martin's Press. New York, 1997. 26-261. Thomas, Lewis. "The Hazards of Science." In the Presence of Others: Voices That Call for Response. Second Edition. Andrea A. Lundsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. St. Martin's Press. New York, 1997. 239.