See Part 1 here
There are four schools of thought on what our schools should be doing today. These can be summarized as follows:
- KNOWLEDGE: Students should master a specific body of knowledge (biology, algebra, world history) that is foundational for future learning
- SKILLS: Students should acquire skills and learn behaviors that are desirable to employers (critical thinking, teamwork, work ethic)
- VALUES: Students should learn and internalize the values and norms of the community
- SELF-ACTUALIZATION: Students should discover their interests, capabilities, and future opportunities
Most of us who are not educators by profession might see each of the four as having some merit. But most of the different schools of thought emphasize and elevate one of the four goals above the other three.
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