The Old Way of Education

 

It probably has never been a better time, in terms of history, to be a student. And I mean a student at any level, in any institution. From the traditional day school to online classes to home education, the options are overwhelming.

I even now see where the University of Baltimore is offering a course on zombies. I can see it now: Come any Monday morning, the professor will be hard pressed to tell the difference between his students and his curriculum.

As a committed teacher and a practicing home educator, I think I have enough credentials (and credibility) to speak about education. And I say simply that these many choices are great. I also say, watch education trends over the next ten years: They may not resemble what we have accepted as the norm for the past number of decades.

I suggest two trends -- two seemingly unrelated trends, in fact. One involves the Internet and the other, the trades. The unrelated part is the former is essentially sitting on one's duff, in front of a screen all day, whereas the latter is active, mobile, hands-on (on something other than a keyboard), and practical. We only need to look across the Pond to a continent that has been decades ahead of us in both counts – or at least that's the way it once was.

Although I am Irish, two generations removed, my comments do not come from any sort of allegiance to the Old Country. However, I have always admired, at least from a distance, some of Europe's educational systems. The following are some generalizations, to be sure, so bear with me.

As I understand it, the educational basics are dealt with up to a certain age, then the student(s) opt(s) for a vocational track of one sort or another. This is a career choice, and the end result is a well-established trade coterie from one generation to the next.

My sense is that things have changed somewhat with the present generation, and not necessarily for the better. I recognize that with the onslaught of high-tech jobs and high-income incentives, things may be different. Add to that equation a burgeoning immigration population, and what was once done by the nationals is now done by aliens.

So let me re-state that it is the model of a previous generation that I am espousing.

I believe it is a myth, both here and there, that true educational success lies at the feet of an university education. To be sure, there are few professions that are best attained through that route. However, there are any number of vocational tracks that could be followed to satisfactory and necessary employment. On top of that, there is a growing trend to acquiring degrees, certificates, and training through the Internet.

I have a number of radical ideas when it comes to educational tracks, but I won't bore you with them now. Many may be met with some measured disdain, partly because they don't go with the current flow, and partly because they are so different. But not different in a new sense; different in an old sense. Different as in what they used to do in Holland and Germany and France.

One of my key platforms to educational reform is getting back to basics. It would look something like this: Take the first six to eight years of education – public, private, or home – and drill the very basics of Language Arts and Mathematics into the students' heads. Add any other essential subjects as the need arises. Once the foundation is well-established, then it is time to look for bents or interests on the part of the student – and nudge him or her in that direction.

The means of delivering the training, of course, could be through the Internet and/or the apprenticeship paradigm (and this is where the seemingly unrelated modes converge [see paragraph four]). I think this would make far more sense in terms of tax dollars, schedule issues, and local economies than we could ever envision. I suggest there is a lot of wasted space, time, and energy in our present post-secondary models.

You see, a motivated student is a productive student.

We have a serious labour shortage in this country, and the abortion industry is only one contributing factor. Turned-off day school students and professional, perpetual university students are also contributing factors.

As someone once said, don't let school get in the way of your education.