TIME BOXES AND EDUCATION

AVITW!2     

I SEE WHERE A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM, THAT SHALL REMAIN ANONYMOUS TO PROTECT THE GUILTY, HAS APPOINTED A COMMITTEE, (SO WHAT ELSE IS NEW?) WHICH IS WHAT ADMINISTRATORS AND/OR ELECTED OFFICIALS DO WHEN THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM OR LACK THE INTESTINAL FORTITUDE TO DO SO.       

THIS COMMITTEE IS PROPOSING LONGER SCHOOL DAYS AND A LONGER SCHOOL YEAR AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING STUDENT READING ABILITIES, A NOBLE GOAL INDEED, WHICH I HAD ASSUMED WAS THEIR ORIGINAL RESPONSIBILITY AND, FOR WHICH BILLIONS HAVE ALREADY GONE DOWN THE TUBES IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. NATURALLY, THE PROPOSAL REQUIRES ADDITIONAL MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR EXPENDITURES TO DO WHAT THE SCHOOLS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING ALREADY. STILL, THE IDEA HAS SOME MERIT AS "TIME ON TASK" IS A KNOWN VARIABLE IN LEARNING. ONE NEEDS ONLY LOOK AT THE PROFICIENCY OF A CERTAIN MINORITY IN  “BALL SKILLS” TO VERIFY THE TRUTH OF THIS LEARNING PRINCIPLE, BUT, I DIGRESS.     

MANY YEARS AGO, AS I RECALL, THE ALMIGHTY APPOINTED A COMMITTEE TO DESIGN A BETTER RACEHORSE. IT WAS TO BE A SLEEK AND BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL WHO’S PURPOSE WAS TO REACH A GIVEN DESTINATION IN THE FASTEST AND MOST EFFICIENT MANNER POSSIBLE. THIS WOULD SEEM TO DEFINE THE CONCEPTUAL NATURE OF EDUCATION, IF NOT THE REALITY. OF COURSE, THIS ALSO EXPLAINS THE EXISTENCE OF THE "CAMEL"; A BEAST OF QUESTIONABLE BEAUTY, ILL TEMPERED DISPOSITION AND CAPABLE ONLY OF PLODDING ALONG IN AN UNGAINLY MANNER. FOR SOME REASON, THIS REMINDS ME OF MANY, BUT NOT ALL, OF OUR CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS.     

RETURNING TO THE LOFTY GOAL AND PROPOSAL OF THE AFOREMENTIONED ANONYMOUS COMMITTEE AND SCHOOL SYSTEM, IT SEEMS THAT THIS IDEA IS OPPOSED BY ALMOST EVERYONE AFFECTED BY IT, INCLUDING THE ONES WHO COULD BENEFIT MOST. THE PROBLEM WITH THE PROPOSAL, AS SEEN FROM AFAR, IS THAT IT DOES NOT SEEM TO DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN THOSE WHO NEED HELP AND THOSE WHOSE READING SKILLS ARE ACCEPTABLE, A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF GOOD INTENTIONS GONE ASTRAY.     

THE ORIGINAL PREMISE AND ERROR OF EDUCATION TO WHICH MODERN SCHOOLS STILL ADHERE E.G. “TIME BOXES EQUAL EDUCATION”, IS COMPOUNDED WHEN EDUCATORS AND POLITICIANS DECIDE, IN THE NAME OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, THAT ALL STUDENTS MUST BE SUBJECTED TO IDENTICAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES.   THE EXISTENCE OF EMPIRICAL AND SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT INDIVIDUALS LEARN AT DIFFERENT RATES IS THOUGHT TO BE OVERWHELMING.  SUBJECTING STUDENTS TO LESS TIME OR MORE TIME THAN THEY NEED TO MASTER A GIVEN SKILL IS PROBABLY THE MOST INEFFICIENT PART OF EDUCATING STUDENTS IN EXISTENCE.  


NEARLY A CENTURY AGO, MOST STUDENTS APPARENTLY LEARNED TO READ AND WRITE AT AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL UNDER VERY PRIMITIVE CONDITIONS AND IN A LIMITED TIME FRAME, AS EDUCATION BEYOND THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL WAS THE EXCEPTION RATHER THAN THE RULE. OF COURSE, OBTAINING AN EDUCATION IN THAT ERA WAS A RARITY AND PRIVILEGE, NOT AN ONEROUS OBLIGATION OR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOCIAL INTERCOURSE AND FASHION STATEMENTS, BUT I DIGRESS.
  

STILL, SINCE ADMINISTRATORS COULD DEVISE NO BETTER WAY OF DETERMINING WHETHER A STUDENT WAS QUALIFIED TO ADVANCE TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF EDUCATION, THEY CHOSE THE QUANTIFIABLE ROUTE OF “TIME BOXES”.  A GIVEN NUMBER OF HOURS SPENT IN A PRESCRIBED COURSE OF STUDY FOR A GIVEN NUMBER OF YEARS ENTITLED ONE TO BE ACCEPTED FOR MORE ADVANCED STUDY.  THE LACK OF “QUALITY CONTROLS”, E.G. COMPETENCY, SEEMED IRRELEVANT, OR AT LEAST BEYOND WHAT THESE PRIMITIVE EDUCATORS CARED TO DEAL WITH.  


IN THE LATTER HALF OF THE 20th CENTURY, IN THE NAME OF EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, SOCIAL ACTIVISTS PROMOTED THIS FALLACIOUS CONCEPT AS A CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHT THAT RESULTED IN NUMEROUS INCOMPETENT (EDUCATIONALLY DEPRIVED?) INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING DIPLOMAS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.  THESE “PIECES OF PAPER”, WITHOUT SUBSTANCE, LEGALLY ENTITLED THE HOLDERS TO MATRICULATE AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING WHERE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WERE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION OR LOWER (DUMB DOWN?) THEIR EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS TO ENSURE THAT A POLITICALLY ACCEPTABLE NUMBER OF THE INCOMPETENT IN THEIR STUDENT BODY RECEIVED YET ANOTHER DIPLOMA, WITHOUT SUBSTANCE.  THIS, IN TURN, QUALIFIED THEM FOR ACCESS TO JOBS FOR WHICH THEY WERE EQUALLY INCOMPETENT.  IT IS POSTULATED THAT A SUBSTANTIAL PERCENTAGE OF THE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN BUSINESS, INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THIS SELF DEFEATING BEHAVIOR, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER TOPIC.


DESPITE ALL OF THE NEFARIOUS YARDSTICKS CURRENTLY IN VOGUE FOR MEASURING PROGRESS IN EDUCATION, IT IS POSTULATED THAT THE ONLY TRUE MEASURE OF SUCCESS IN EDUCATION IS THE LEARNING THAT OCCURS IN THE STUDENT, NOT THE TIME SPENT IN THE PROCESS OR HOW MANY FIELD TRIPS (TIME OFF TASK) OR “EDUCATIONAL TOYS” THEY ARE PROVIDED.  THAT ALL STUDENTS DO NOT FIT INTO THE SAME “TIME BOX” IS A GIVEN.   EDUCATIONAL COMPETENCY, IN WHATEVER SKILLS SOCIETY DEEMS VALUABLE, IS THE SOLE DETERMINANT FOR NEEDED ‘TIME ON TASK”. ADMINISTRATIVELY CONVENIENT “TIME BOXES” ARE SELDOM RELEVANT TO ANYTHING OF EDUCATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE. WHILE THE NATURE OF SUBJECTS TO BE LEARNED IS OPEN TO DEBATE AND REVISION, THE DESIRE FOR STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE COMPETENCY IN LANGUAGE SKILLS SEEMS TO BE UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTABLE IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY.     

PUTTING THESE TWO CONCEPTS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY ("DISCRIMINATION", E.G. SEPARATING THE NEEDY FROM THE PROFICIENT AND "COMPETENCY", LEST WE FORGET) HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR MODIFYING THE CAMEL, IF NOT TRULY CREATING A VIABLE RACEHORSE. THE REAL DANGER (BENEFIT?) LIES IN THE FACT THAT THIS MAY LEAD TO THE OBVIOUS SOLUTION, TO WIT: ONLY THOSE STUDENTS THAT NEED THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE ARTS INSTRUCTION WILL RECEIVE IT. COMPETENT STUDENTS WILL NOT BE SUBJECTED TO COSTLY AND TIME WASTING REQUIREMENTS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS.  WHAT RESOURCES DO EXIST CAN BE USED WHERE THEY ARE MOST PRODUCTIVE.


IN THE REAL WORLD, DRIVERS DO NOT CARE HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR A MECHANIC TO LEARN THE TRADE.  WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM IS THAT THE BRAKES WORK PROPERLY.  PATIENTS DO NOT CARE HOW LONG THE PHARMACIST TOOK TO MASTER CHEMISTRY, ONLY THAT THE PRESCRIPTION IS CORRECTLY FORMULATED.  A PILOT’S TIME IN FLIGHT SCHOOL IS UNIMPORTANT, IF THE PLANE IS SAFELY OPERATED.  COMPETENCE IS THE STANDARD, NOT THE NUMBER OF “TIME BOXES” INVOLVED.     

SADLY, THE TIME TESTED SCHOOL TRADITION OF PUNISHING THE INNOCENT (IN THIS CASE THE COMPETENT) FOR THE TRANSGRESSIONS OF THE FEW  (THE INCOMPETENT) STILL SEEMS TO APPLY. OF COURSE, IT JUST COULD BE THE COMMITTEE’S "POLITICALLY CORRECT" WAY OF AVOIDING ACCUSATIONS OF DISCRIMINATION, THE LATTER BEING A CONCEPT THE AUTHOR FINDS WHOLLY ACCEPTABLE WHEN CORRECTLY UNDERSTOOD.  IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THOSE WHO ADVOCATE THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION WOULD BENEFIT FROM SPENDING MORE TIME STUDYING LANGUAGE ARTS?  (SEE  “CHOICES AND NATURAL CONSEQUENCES”)     

A DIFFERENT ESSENTIAL TO LEARNING IS MOTIVATION, WHICH IS ANOTHER CONCEPT SUBJECT TO MISUNDERSTANDING AMONG THOSE LACKING IN LANGUAGE ART SKILLS.  SINCE MOTIVATION IS AN INTERNAL RESPONSE TO EXTERNAL STIMULI, IT IS INCORRECT TO SPEAK OF TEACHERS “MOTIVATING” STUDENTS AND, BY DEFINITION, IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO DO SO.  IT IS THE TEACHER’S ROLE TO PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE STIMULI FOR LEARNING WHATEVER KNOWLEDGE THEY WISH TO IMPART.  DEPENDING ON THE “COMPETENCY” OF THE TEACHER, A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS MAY BECOME “MOTIVATED” TO LEARN, WHILE OTHERS CERTAINLY WILL DECLINE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT “MOTIVATED" TO DO SO.
     

OF COURSE, IT IS NOT ONLY THE TEACHER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO APPLY APPROPRIATE STIMULI TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO LEARN.  SOCIETY, THROUGH RESPONSIBLE PARENTING (PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT COG IN THE LEARNING PROCESS) AND THE GREATER COMMUNITY, IN ITS MANY MANIFESTATIONS, ALSO PROVIDES THE STIMULI, FOR BETTER OR WORSE, THAT DETERMINES WHAT, AND TO WHAT EXTENT, STUDENTS WILL BECOME MOTIVATED TO LEARN. IF YOU DOUBT THE VERACITY OF THIS, PLEASE REFER TO THE MOTIVATION, EMANATING FROM SOCIETY, FOR LEARNING TO BOUNCE A BALL.  ADDITIONALLY, HAS ANYONE EVER NOTICED HOW FEW OF THESE SUPPOSEDLY INCOMPETENT STUDENTS FAIL TO PASS THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE EXAM? GIVEN SUFFICIENT REASON, MOST YOUNG PEOPLE SEEM TO RESPOND COMPETENTLY.     

RETURNING TO THE SUBJECT AT HAND, MANY EXAMINATIONS NOW EXIST TO MEASURE GRADE LEVEL LEARNING IN LANGUAGE SKILLS. THEREFORE, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT ALL STUDENTS (TEACHERS ALSO, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION) SHOULD BE SCREENED AND THE "COMPETENT" STUDENTS PERMITTED TO ESCAPE THE UNNECESSARY USURPATION OF THEIR TIME. SCHOOLS COULD THEN FOCUS ON THOSE STUDENTS WHO NEED EXTRA HELP TO IMPROVE THEIR INADEQUATE ABILITIES IN LANGUAGE ARTS, MATH AND SCIENCE (THE CORE OF ANY EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVOR), RATHER THAN USING THEIR OPTIONAL TIME ON PASTIMES EQUAL IN VALUE TO "BOUNCING A BALL", WATCHING TELEVISION OR PLAYING ELECTRONIC GAMES. IF THIS IS PERCEIVED TO BE DISCRIMINATORY, SO BE IT. I HAVE ALWAYS ADMIRED DISCRIMINATING PEOPLE. OF COURSE, DISCRIMINATION IS A FAR DIFFERENT CONCEPT FROM PREJUDICE, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER SUBJECT ALSO.     

SINCE THE PERPETRATORS OF THE STATUS QUO WILL UNDOUBTEDLY DEFEND THE PRESENT SYSTEM BY ATTACKING THE NEW ONE AS "IMPRACTICAL" IF NOT DISCRIMINATORY (IMMORAL?) AND IMPOSSIBLE TO IMPLEMENT, PERHAPS IT IS WELL TO DEAL WITH THESE OBJECTIONS UP FRONT.      

WHERE WILL THE TEACHERS COME FROM TO IMPLEMENT ADDITIONAL READING INSTRUCTION FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL POPULATION? IT IS REPORTED (BUT UNVERIFIED) THAT ALL TEACHERS ARE NOW OVERWORKED AND UNDER APPRECIATED ECONOMICALLY, IF ONE IS TO BELIEVE THE PUBLIC RELATIONS MACHINES OPERATED BY THE UNIONS. THEIR REASONING POINTS OUT THAT “CHANGE” CANNOT BE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (READ MORE MONEY FOR TEACHERS).   MAYBE THIS IT TRUE, BUT, GIVEN A CURRICULUM GUIDE, IT OCCURS TO THE AUTHOR THAT ALL TEACHERS, REGARDLESS OF SUBJECT MATTER, SHOULD POSSESS THE ABILITY TO TUTOR STUDENTS IN REMEDIAL LANGUAGE ARTS.


PERHAPS “ALL” IS A VAIN EXPECTATION.  THERE DOES SEEM TO BE A NUMBER OF TEACHERS IN RURAL AREAS AND THE GHETTOS WHO ARE DEFICIENT IN LANGUAGE ARTS THEMSELVES, THE RESULT NO DOUBT, OF RECEIVING “PIECES OF PAPER” WITHOUT DESERVING THEM.  PERHAPS, THE FIRST REQUIREMENT SHOULD BE FOR TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO READ, WRITE AND SPEAK OUR NATIVE TONGUE, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON “SPEAKING” STANDARD ENGLISH AND PROHIBITING THE USE OF GUTTURAL DIALECTS IN THE CLASSROOM. IF PRESENT TEACHERS DO NOT POSSESS THE LANGUAGE SKILLS THAT WE DESIRE FOR OUR STUDENTS, THEN WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR NEW TEACHERS.


IT IS ALSO LIKELY THAT THESE PURPORTEDLY UNDERPAID TEACHERS WOULD APPRECIATE AN EXTRA HOUR'S PAY FOR AN EXTRA HOUR'S WORK. FURTHERMORE, THEY WOULD PROBABLY LINE UP, IF NOT ARM WRESTLE, TO RECEIVE AN EXTRA MONTH'S PAY FOR AN EXTRA MONTH'S WORK DURING NORMAL SCHOOL VACATION TIMES. THEY MIGHT ALSO BE INCLINED TO UTILIZE SATURDAYS FOR SUCH SUPPLEMENTARY EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES.  IT IS WRYLY SUGGESTED THAT THE TIME FRAMES INVOLVING SATURDAYS AND VACATIONS WOULD PROVIDE EXACTLY THE STIMULI REQUIRED FOR NEEDY STUDENTS TO BECOME “MOTIVATED” TO MASTER THE LANGUAGE ARTS. THE LACK OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF IS OBVIOUSLY A “RED HERRING” FOR THOSE WITH ULTERIOR MOTIVES.     

WHAT ABOUT BUSSING? (NO, NOT THAT KIND) IT IS REASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE STUDENTS NEEDING HELP IN LANGUAGE SKILLS RIDE BUSSES TO SCHOOL.  IS THIS ANOTHER REASON PROVIDING EXTRA TIME FOR NEEDY STUDENTS TO STUDY LANGUAGE ARTS WON'T WORK? MAYBE, BUT, WITH THE EXTRA TIME IN A SCHOOL DAY, COMPETENT STUDENTS COULD BE AFFORDED THE UNHEARD OF OPPORTUNITY OF DOING SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE OF THEIR OWN CHOOSING, SUCH AS STUDYING (MAYBE NOT), SETTING UP SPECIAL INTEREST CLUBS AND GROUPS (IF ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS A "LIST", I AM AVAILABLE FOR A FEE) :-) OR, HEAVEN FORBID, THEY COULD PARTICIPATE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD GET THEM OFF OF THEIR NOT SO LITTLE DUFFS AND IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH. DOES ANYONE REMEMBER  "INTRAMURALS"?


OF COURSE, “IF” THE PARENTS OF THESE FLAGGING STUDENTS WERE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION OUTSIDE OF NORMAL SCHOOL DAYS, YOU CAN BET YOUR LIFE THAT THESE STUDENTS WOULD RECEIVE NUMEROUS REINFORCING “STIMULI” AT HOME TO REMEDY THEIR DEFICIENCIES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.     

THE STUDENTS WILL NEVER STAND FOR IT. SORRY STUDENTS! YOU NEED TO LEARN LANGUAGE SKILLS AND YOU WILL DO IT OR SUFFER THE “NATURAL CONSEQUENCES”.  THE END! (SEE CHOICES AND NATURAL CONSEQUENCES)     

THE FAMILIES WILL NEVER STAND FOR IT. REALLY? DESPITE THE ALLEGATIONS OF SOME PROFESSIONALS, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT MOST FAMILIES, OF ALL RACES AND ECONOMIC STATUS, WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE A GOOD EDUCATION. IN ALL OF MY YEARS IN EDUCATION, I WAS NEVER ONCE APPROACHED BY A PARENT ASKING THAT THE SCHOOLS PROVIDE A LOUSY EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN.  IN ADDITION, AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE WILL PROVIDE MORE “FREE” BABY SITTING FOR THOSE SAME STRUGGLING PARENTS, WHO ARE NOT AS INDIFFERENT TO QUALITY EDUCATION OR LACKING IN ASTUTENESS, AS SOME WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE.  VAMOS A VER.     

REMEMBER, THERE COULD THERE BE A BETTER WAY, BUT THAT IS FOR THOSE HIGHLY PAID EXPERTS, WITH SUPPOSEDLY SUPERIOR MENTAL CAPACITIES TO PROPOSE, IF THESE  "LOCAL NOTIONS", AS OPPOSED TO THE VARIOUS IDEAS GENERATED BY A PLETHORA OF COMMITTEES FROM WHICH THE WORLD NOW SUFFERS, DO NOT SUFFICE.


ENJOY! TOM