Talk Point # 10

“For example, it’s very important to begin the school year with a discussion of why we go to school. Why does the government force us to go to school? This would set a questioning tone and show the children that you trust them and that they are intelligent enough at their own level, to investigate and come up with answers.”

This quote stuck out to me, because many of my teachers have done this in the classroom. I think it is important for students to know why they are in school and why they are learning what they are. One of my high school teachers would apply every chapter in math to something in the real world and how we would later use it in life which made it practical to learn. Also, it is important for teachers to show they trust that their students are capable of learning.

“If the aim of intellectual training is to form the intelligence rather than to stick the memory and to produce intellectual explorers rather than mere erudition, then traditional education is manifestly guilty of a grave deficiency.”

In high school I always felt that I memorized things rather than actually learning them. I made my way through school my memorizing, because it is easy for me. Teachers should teach the subjects to the children so they learn it and are able to remember it. Teachers should not just give the information for the students to regurgitate on the test then later forget about it. Students should also want to go to school to learn more and not just the bare minimum.

“If the student’s task it to memorize rules and existing knowledge, without questioning, the subject matter or the learning process, their potential for critical thought and action will be restricted.”

As I said, I made it through high school by memorizing, but that never stopped me from questioning things. It is important for students to question the knowledge being presented to them and for students to question the knowledge being presented to them and not to just accept everything a teacher says. If a student does not question things their critical thought will be restricted and so will their opinions. When questioning certain things I think opinions can be formed.

I enjoyed reading this article, because it addressed many issues that I always wondered about as to why we go to school and learn the things we do. My mother always told me growing up that my habit of memorizing would not get me far in life. She always said I should learn the information and it will stick with me and expand my mind. I now think it is important to learn rather then memorize and regurgitate the information.