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#1
06-20-2006, 01:19 PM
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What is the goal of education?
As it stands, we spend five figures a year for every child to go to school for seven hours a day, 180 days a year, for twelve years straight. The children obviously do not enjoy this; school is very stressful, and given the choice any kid would prefer to play hooky and have the day off. Public schooling does not prepare children for any career. A literate person with an easily-acquired GED has the same job opportunities as someone who went through twelve years of high school (and almost as many as someone with a BA).
What exactly is the goal of education? Basic literacy and math skills? Would that mean that if someone can demonstrate that he has a functional vocabulary and the requisite math and logic skills needed to make a living, that his objective in schooling should be considered fulfilled and that he shouldn't have to go through anymore? Is it social skills? Wouldn't it be better to just let kids hang out together for a couple hours a day rather than having them all sit in desks telling them to shut up when they interact? Do the foreign language, science, history and literature programs actually accomplish anything, considering that the vast majority of the subject material has nothing to do with the student's career or interests, and they just forget it anyway? Is there any evidence that geometry and calculus, which are taught through the memorization of rote formulas, actually stimulate any kind of intellectual growth? Could the same not be fostered through other, more fun means like logic puzzles and strategy games? What is the goal of education? 
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#2
06-20-2006, 01:42 PM
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Re: What is the goal of education?
[ QUOTE ]
As it stands, we spend five figures a year for every child to go to school for seven hours a day, 180 days a year, for twelve years straight. <font color="red">more like high 4 figures, but no big deal </font> The children obviously do not enjoy this; school is very stressful, and given the choice any kid would prefer to play hooky and have the day off. <font color="red"> Id prefer to play poker or listen to music all day but nobody wants to pay me the same salary that my education has prepared me to make for those endeavors </font> Public schooling does not prepare children for any career. <font color="red"> if you mean it doesnt prepare them for a specific career you are correct, if you really mean "any" career I disagree. </font> A literate person with an easily-acquired GED has the same job opportunities as someone who went through twelve years of high school (and almost as many as someone with a BA). <font color="red">You apparently do know many people with a GED. A GED is still viewed as the last resort of drop-outs and from two equally qualified candidates the one with a GED will lose 90% of the time. </font> What exactly is the goal of education? <font color="red"> There are multiple goals of education. The most important ones imo are to teach how to use resources to learn more, and how to "think". There is also an important biological function to education...the brain doesnt develop as well without the stimulation of learning. </font> Basic literacy and math skills? Would that mean that if someone can demonstrate that he has a functional vocabulary and the requisite math and logic skills needed to make a living, that his objective in schooling should be considered fulfilled and that he shouldn't have to go through anymore? <font color="red"> as you have already pointed out, he doesnt, there are home schooling and GED alternatives, or direct entry into college without a HS diploma </font> Is it social skills? Wouldn't it be better to just let kids hang out together for a couple hours a day rather than having them all sit in desks telling them to shut up when they interact? <font color="red"> there is more to social skills than play. discipline, empathy and respect for the goals are promoted by structure that cant be readily learned in unsupervised play time </font> Do the foreign language, science, history and literature programs actually accomplish anything, considering that the vast majority of the subject material has nothing to do with the student's career or interests, and they just forget it anyway? <font color="red">how do you think someone finds their career interests without exposure to mutliple disciplines? </font> Is there any evidence that geometry and calculus, which are taught through the memorization of rote formulas, actually stimulate any kind of intellectual growth? <font color="red"> yes, I believe there are studies that left brain development is stimulated by education in the hard sciencies. Rote memorization is only the first step in learning the hard sciences, but for some its as far as they can get. For others who have the interest to develop a deeper understanding those opportunities are generally available. It is nearly impossible to go from no knowledge to "understanding" while bypassing memorization and problem solving. </font> Could the same not be fostered through other, more fun means like logic puzzles and strategy games? <font color="red"> the same would not be fostered, no, though logic and strategy games are also valid elements of education. It is only anecdotal evidence of course, but after observing several dozen children from birth to college, those who were stimulated in early childhood by the puzzles in Highlights for Children wound up in better academic standing than those who werent...and not only in left brain endeavors. </font> What is the goal of education? [/ QUOTE ]
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#3
06-20-2006, 01:55 PM
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Re: What is the goal of education?
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What is the goal of education? [/ QUOTE ] Basic skills, and the ability to learn.
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#5
06-20-2006, 03:48 PM
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Re: What is the goal of education?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] As it stands, we spend five figures a year for every [/ QUOTE ] We do? [/ QUOTE ] According to the National Center for Education Statistics, we spent $8,044 per student in 2002-2003 on average. Several states do actually spend $10,000+ per student annually. We should be getting more for our money.
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#7
06-20-2006, 04:06 PM
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Re: What is the goal of education?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] As it stands, we spend five figures a year for every [/ QUOTE ] We do? [/ QUOTE ] My area spends $12,000/student/year [/ QUOTE ] What do you mean 'my area'?
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#8
06-20-2006, 04:08 PM
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Re: What is the goal of education?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] As it stands, we spend five figures a year for every [/ QUOTE ] We do? [/ QUOTE ] According to the National Center for Education Statistics, we spent $8,044 per student in 2002-2003 on average. Several states do actually spend $10,000+ per student annually. We should be getting more for our money. [/ QUOTE ] I'm confused. Are YOU spending it or is someone else.
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#9
06-20-2006, 04:17 PM
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Re: What is the goal of education?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] As it stands, we spend five figures a year for every [/ QUOTE ] We do? [/ QUOTE ] According to the National Center for Education Statistics, we spent $8,044 per student in 2002-2003 on average. Several states do actually spend $10,000+ per student annually. We should be getting more for our money. [/ QUOTE ] I'm confused. Are YOU spending it or is someone else. [/ QUOTE ] The numbers I found used the total spending by federal, State, and local governments on public education (K-12). I don't spend anything on education other than what my property and income taxes fund.
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