First, let me say that I found the article ‘the Politics of Curriculum and Testing, Chapter 13 - Systematic School Reform (Smith and O’Day 1991)” very intriguing and I am in the process of dissecting it and reviewing the sources. The impetus for this reform is a state initiative “to provide a coherent direction for education reform” which is derived from ”a common vision”. They remark that underlying any coherent vision is an important set of values and they proceed to discuss the power of values held in common. I, of course, look at these values as an impediment to education reform. While I think that the intelligent person recognizes the values laden in Education, as in “Let’s reform Education!”, I think many stakeholders in the state policy arena, particularly the electorate and the politicians, do not. Therefore, as Cuban offers “are we destined to go around in circles?”
Perhaps the first step to school reform is to popularize one national concept of education—and then, with everyone on the same page, we can seek to reform that element. I am partial to individuality in education and the ‘personal best’ model.
Alternatively, if we cannot convince everyone of that goal for education, then perhaps we can appropriate an old-fashioned term for learning like “acroamatics[1]. We can then talk about Acroatic[2] Reform in very universally specific ways.
Or perhaps, the reform needs to be a symbol like “the artist formerly known as”. We can “Reform School Ω”. Maybe in this form we can de-value this concept of education. Then the reform can be about a specific notion, precise goals and dispassionate assessment.
Regardless, this exercise in vocabulary is not pedantic. Even Smith and O’Day base their reform strategy on a unified vision and goals. --Mikael Powell
Sources Cited:
1. Acroamatic - Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. \Ac`ro*a*mat"ic\, Acroamatical \Ac`ro*a*mat"ic*al\, a. [Gr. ?, fr. ? to hear.] Communicated orally; oral; -- applied to the esoteric teachings of Aristotle, those intended for his genuine disciples, in distinction from his exoteric doctrines, which were adapted to outsiders or the public generally. Hence: Abstruse; profound.
2. Acroatic - Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. \Ac`ro*at"ic\, a. [Gr. ?, fr. ? to hear.] Same as Acroamatic.
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