A New Approach to Teaching Science

Gallenod writes "The Washington Post has an article on Joy Hakim, an author trying to re-write junior-high science textbooks to make them more readable. There are some interesting observations on how traditional textbook publishing houses control pretty much everything children read in school and her difficulties in challenging the status quo. However, she's already succeeded with an award-winning history textbook series, so maybe she'll rack up another win here."

Comments

my 2 bits.

[Derg]

Having recently graduated from the public school system here in Milwaukee, I have a few choice words for publishers of text books and the blockheads who find them well written. It took me just a few minutes in my general education classes in college to realize that we were taught absolute bullshit, despite labeling such as AP and IB (Advanced Placement and Inter-Bacalaureate[sp?]) on a class. The texts are nothing but devices to spread half truths and partial histories and facts related to a subject. When presented in the psuedo-official manner such as a required text for a class, students have no choice but to believe the things held within. It makes it harder for higher educators to do their jobs, unless they too are nothing but sheep to the text book publishers. I have had enough career-type, dont-take-no-bullshit professors in a variety of classes to know that > 50% of the stuff they feed you in the public school system, by way of these "award winning" books is nothing but bullshit. An Effort to make the books more "readable"? Thats fucked up. They are just accomidating the lowest common denominator, the kids who havent grasped the basic skills of reading and comprehension. This is a bad move, in my opinion. There is too much padding in the grades. I feel like basic skills should be taught early on, at a quicker pace, while children are more disposed to picking up tasks. Then exposure to "higher level education" needs to move down, so instead of beginning calculus as junior or senior in high school, kids should be taught 8th-9th grade tops. I know its frustrating though, for those who are trying not to feed the sheep mill, because there are alot of kids who just want to be kool and just dont give a fuck (that was me, I regret it now... too smart for my own good). Those students need to be put into educational systems adapted for their needs. Some kids arent college material, lets not kid ourselves. Put them in a program where they can get that low level management job at the local K-mart and lets be done with it. There are jobs out there that the dumb people need to occupy, lets not bullshit. Dont gear education towards them, with these re-hasing of books, gear it towards those who will take all the knowledge they can get their hands on, and do something with it...


[/rant]

Re:A Kinesthetic Approach

[Guppy06]

"and then teach the why and how."

This is science we're talking about. We can answer the "How?" but have no clue on the "Why?" part.

Re:Pavlov

[benzapp]

It can be very, very hard to be extremely involved in something - a problem, reading, etc. - and have the bell ring, signaling that you get to go to another class.

School was never designed to teach you anything, it was designed to turn you into a willing slave. The concept of the school bell was instituted initially by Pavlov, the same guy who experimented with dogs. Most of his experiments were done with humans. Being a Russian, it was quite easy for him to do this. Ultimately, it was found that when humans are exposed to startling bells frequently over long periods of time, they begin to stop craving any measure of autonomy. It really is futile. You get used to the idea that a bell is going to ring every 40 minutes, so why bother getting involved with anything complex.

School was never designed to teach anything of value, it was designed to teach free men that it is pointless for them to think for themselves. The teacher is preparing you for the boss who will also demand unquestioning acquiesence. The bell is preparing you for the factory, getting you used to working at an efficient pace without question. It lasts for 16 years because it really does take that long to truly break the will of a free man.

Anyway, just a little insight into that bell. The Sociology folks drooled over Pavlov's research in the early 20th century. They just could not wait to impliment it in schools.