There are multiple philosophical slants related to education. We have the action or process of educating or of being educated. Then there is the stage of the process of educating. It can also be defined as the knowledge and development resulting from an educational process. Further, we have the field of study that deals mainly with methods of teaching and learning in schools. Those definitions are explanations are just according to Webster. Then we have categories of education. There is adult education, special education, bilingual education, compensatory education, continuing education, higher education and physical education o to name a few. Each category comes with a theoretical base, best practices and sometimes divergent and sometimes compatible ideologies.
TEA, THECB, TASA, and TASB are all entities in the state who represent education. Are there mission statements compatible or divergent? Do they tout variances of the same idea or are they diametrically opposed? Do they espouse the same language or are they more representative of the tower of Babel? Is it possible they could represent each of the minds Gardner speaks to in 5 Minds for the Future?
I had opportunity to ask some of my esteemed colleagues if you were aware of the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards. Many of you responded, no. Does that speak to a leadership issue in education or to the change process? Or perhaps it is indicative of both a lack of leadership and the appreciation of how implementing a strategy that according to Education Week, Texas is placing a high premium on the success or failure of this initiative.
I think that Gardner has a very valid point when he suggest that it is going to take a synthesis of the ethical, disciplined, respectful and creating minds to address the multifarious (ROZ – smile) challenges we are experiencing in our state. Check out this website if you have time. http://forum-network.org/lecture/howard-gardner-five-minds-future
I’ve got to go to worship – hopefully I get back and finish my thought. Be Blessed.
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I'd finger both the change process and the leadership in education for most us being unaware of the new college readiness standards. The two are really intertwined. When new things come out that are introduced in such a way, with apparently divergent approaches to design and implementation between different groups, that really is where the view teacher have of dismissing things as "Educational fads" comes from.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest issues we have in education Renee is we get so 'all consumed' in the day to day pratice we lose sight of the big picture all together. I care a great deal about getting these kids prepared for college, but my first step in doing that is to keep their engagement high and keep them passing and enrolled in secondary school.
ReplyDeleteWe as educators need to meet regularly to discuss how to keep the line of communication open from PK-16; that is the first step and time the only problem.