The Sad Tale of Character First

Grades are important but I think they are overrated. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any other way of determining whether students are learning what they are supposed to be learning.

The ideal school would stress both grades and character. It would also teach students what they really need to know in life. I see so many students that graduate from high school but cannot read, cannot do elementary math, and don't have the faintest idea of how to succeed at getting or keeping a job. Many of them have unrealistic expectations.

In the United States we have the No Child Left Behind Act, which, while good-intentioned, has been a disaster for education in my opinion. Teachers are teaching to the test, rather than teaching how to think. What has happened is that education is being dumbed-down so that all can graduate at the same time. One size fits all might work with clothes but it doesn't work in education. Some kids should be held back instead of being forced to go on when they don't understand the material. I am in favor of smaller, customized schools; however, I am cautious about fads. Education should be practical. What do students need to know? What decisions will they be making as adults? This is what should be taught. I had someone ask me, "Why do I need to study history?" I was all set with all the standard answers, then I considered her circumstances. She's never going to go to college, and the kind of work that she will be doing doesn't require a knowledge of history. I said, "you really don't." Why insist students study things they aren't going to need?

There was a Simon and Garfunkle song back in the 1970's that talked about "when I look back at all the crap I learned in high school, it's a wonder I can even think at all." Don't get me wrong, I think learning history and other things has enriched my life. However, if you measure worth by can it help you get a job and support yourself, much of what I was forced to take in high school was exactly that, and the things I really needed to learn were never taught.

Indeed. How to think when SATs are paramount?

But it's best to uncover our potentials by training ourselves to take the SATs and also try to learn how to think