As we get deeper into this course, EDC 533, I realize how much I don't know and never thought of. There is so much to education and the curriculum. I love how it all, should, interweave and connect together. I can so see the usefulness and necessity of curriculum mapping, both for each year and the whole education. Knowing where you have been and where you want to go can make such a difference. But I think it can be really hard to get everyone on the same map. I wonder if some countries that have national curricula do better than we do because they are all on the same map.
We all have some things that we are better at than others and having said that, it doesn't mean we can't get better at what we aren't good at. After studying the Japanese educational system, having very qualified teachers seems really important. Qualification costs and is our government ready to put its money where its mouth is? Given all the cuts to education recently, I don't think so. I do realize that money doesn't fix everything but education can fix a lot. Here in the states we have the saying that "those who can, do: those who can't teach. What a put down to teaching! And not true either so why is it said? I sometimes think that our country doesn't value education as much as they should and while I don't really know why this is so, I wonder if it is because it is free. It isn't really free but it seems like it as no one pays the school to go to public school. It is a right and not a privilege.
These are just some thought I am having as think about what I am learning.
I agree that there is a lot of information out there on curriculum. I think one could spend a lifetime trying to figure out what is best. And then obviously change it to match current trends. I like what you said about the value of teachers and schools. I also found that teachers are valued more in other countries. I think the core problem though is education. I think there are a lot of people who still just don't value education. I know we see it here in Maine and I am sure it is similar in other parts of the country as well. It does seem to be changing some though, slowly.
ReplyDeleteHaving the opportunity to study the educational system in New Zealand, I wondered of the power of a national curriculum as well. It occurred to me as I read of their success, that perhaps the time and energies of the teachers could be spent on practice rather than on wondering or constantly developing what it is they should be teaching.
ReplyDeleteInteresting question regarding financing education. Finland's model employs three teachers per classroom: one for instruction, one for assessment, and one for support. And interesting to note, it cost less per pupil than in the U.S.A. An ounce of prevention perhaps?
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