All members of an educational setting: student, teacher, principal, and parent, must all be working towards the same goal. If not, there is a pathological condition within the system. For example: If a principal’s main concern is with overall test scores, a teacher is concerned with group progress, an individual student is concerned with not getting bad grades, and a parent is worried about their child making sports eligibility, then how is the student going to fare in an individual course? My opinion: Not very well. Only when all members first define a common goal and then commit to that goal can learning truly flourish. Those students for which success is a birthright, will succeed regardless of learning models, etc. The stated goal is simply one of maintaining the current state of power dynamics for those students. These are the students whose parent belong in the upper segments of the social triangle.
What about those students for whom failure is the birthright? Those are the students who must first believe that they have a right to a goal to begin with. All members of these students’ learning systems must allow that belief to emerge from within the system. They cannot dictate that belief; only through language allowance and positive reinforcement will a student begin to see education as a means to a greater goal for themselves in relationship with their peers. When a student is alienated within the system, there can be no belief in a greater goal.
Inclusion is a huge part of creating an educational goal. A student must be part of his or her own curriculum development. If the student believes that he or she can have a goal, then they must play a role in defining the means of attaining that goal. Finally, if the two previous steps are completed, then it is my belief that a student must synthesize for themselves any course material. This is the most critical component. All members of a learning environment must recognize that all people have a perspective that both an educational can enhance and that can enhance an educational environment and all people use language in their own respective manner. When this step occurs then there is a real chance that an educational environment can indeed increase the capability of a student to learn.
December 22, 2013 at 11:51 am
Well! Your post contains a lot of “rational” points. I believe that you will be most capable of sustaining your beliefs after a “complete reading” of my works which are published via: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kennethfetterman The sample(s) portion of my manuscripts do not provide access to information about theory/practice; philosophy, or a complete examination of teacher-centered and student-centered learning.
By the way; The student-centered paradigm provides individuals with more opportunities to select a topic for study (i.e. curriculum).
Want to visit/follow my blog: http://kennethfetterman.wordpress.com
P.S. My curriculum development manuscript is not published on-line (at this time). I believe that “we” must establish practitioner networks and reform how we approach the craft (of teaching) –BEFORE– addressing curriculum issues.
Best wishes KEN — e-mail: kfetterman2013@yahoo.com
December 22, 2013 at 11:57 am
I have decided to follow your blog–I look forward to reading your next post. Follow?
December 23, 2013 at 8:46 am
I’ve followed your blog. I’m looking forward to learning from you such that perhaps i can formulate a comprehensive curriculum for a prevention program that actually works. Thank you for following and your comments!
December 23, 2013 at 7:29 am
If a student being educated doesn’t have a deep aim in life, then yeah, I don’t think education would be effective on them. Students really need to know that they can be capable of doing great things, you know!
December 23, 2013 at 8:48 am
We all need to know that; thank you for both pointing it out and your all of your insightful comments!
December 24, 2013 at 5:21 am
You’re welcome! Keep on doing your best and having fun with what you do! 🙂