Imagine living in a world where
less and less people are able to read, write and solve basic math problems such
as adding and subtracting. Think about how frustrating it would be to not be
able to read something that someone has written due to the horrific spelling
mistakes. How terrible would it be if more and more people were not able to
tell time or count money? This is where we are headed based on the lack of
basics being taught in many elementary schools across Canada.
Some people believe that
technology is the reason that children are not grasping the necessary basics at
school. Personally, I don't think that technology is at fault. I believe that
teachers are not prioritizing the items that become the base of a child’s
education.
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| The 3 R's. |
Teachers used to be told to focus
on the three R’s being reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic. In today’s society, I
find that basics are being overlooked in most primary level schools, “…it is
something so obvious that it has been completely overlooked in the search for
solutions to the problems that plague many of our schools.”(1). Through teaching habits in elementary schools, it is
obvious to me that teachers do not find basics to be as important as they used
to be.
Instead of focusing on teaching
the necessary basics, teachers are finding ways around it. One of the many ways
that I find educators are getting around teaching basic skills is by assigning them to
be practiced at home as homework. In
other words, parents have to either teach the basics to their children on
their own, or in many cases, they have to hire tutors. Since parents are having
no choice but to take on the task of teaching the basics to their children,
they are losing out on many hours of family time. Although the curriculum requirements
are being met, they are not being prioritized. I believe that the basics should
be firstly taught and understood in class and perfected, if necessary at home.
These basics such as learning to
read and write as well as simple math equations need to be taught and
understood at a young age. If they are not taught when they are young, it only
causes graver comprehension problems as time goes on where parents are having
no choice but to go out of their ways to hire a tutor.
In my opinion, it is a teacher’s job to ensure
that curriculum requirements are not only being met, but that they are also
being understood before the students leave the classroom. Basic skills that
were once obligatory to be taught are now being put on the back burner to allow
room for more complicated and abstract lessons. After tutoring many students of
various ages it is obvious to me that many of these children are struggling due
to the fact that they lack basics in all academic subjects. If all students had a strong base from the very beginning, there would be a lot less confusion as they reach higher grade levels throughout their education. In my future blogs, I will be discussing the importance of basics being taught in specific subjects in elementary schools. Whether it be math class or English class, there are always basics that we absolutely need to be taught.
(1) http://www.appliedscholastics.org/education-issues/the-back-to-basics.html
(1) http://www.appliedscholastics.org/education-issues/the-back-to-basics.html
I’m interested in reading your views regarding the elementary school system. However, from my experience in grade school, I think that only a fraction of the teachers fit the stereotype that you associated to them. I agree with your opinion that technology is not the reason for the incomprehension of the material taught in school. I think (if used properly) technology could be used to enhance the learning of students, rather than take away from their education. I also appreciate how you stress the importance of properly learning the basics while one is still young!
ReplyDeleteAmanda, I agree with you that I only had a few teachers that fit this stereotype as well. What I am noticing is that more and more teachers are fitting that stereotype now than in the past. Our teachers at the time did a great job teaching us the basics and I'm finding it unfortunate that the generations to come won't have the same opportunities that we had.
DeleteNina, I love the idea of your blog! I agree with you, and find the lack of basics being taught today a big issue. Teachers perhaps don`t understand that technology isn’t there to teach us, they are! It is a parent's responsibility to educate their child to a certain point! Teachers should carry on from there. It`s sad to think the future of kids not being able to do simple things such as counting money and telling time, mentioned in your intro, is already happening. From experiences, some always refer to an electronic clock displaying the numbers rather than a traditional clock because it is easier for them. The easy way out is not the best way! Looking forward to your future blogs!
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, yes! I am of the same opinion as you. It makes me cringe to think of what future classrooms will be like. The problem is that, though it is possible with maturity to teach yourself things, young children have a much easier time learning when they are being taught. This independent, do-it-at-home approach seems to be very flawed because their discipline is lacking and their parents may not be very enthusiastic about helping them night after night. School should not feel like a ball and chain!
ReplyDeleteIt really is a shame to me that what you are saying is true, because it shouldn't be. I believe tutors are starting to become essential to a lot of people who weren't taught the necessary skills in elementary school, which is only hurting the student in the long run. If teachers could only realize that shortcuts are not the way to do things and that homework should be little to non existent, perhaps not as many students in high school would be below a minimum of an eighty average. I look forward to what else you have to say on the subject and how we can help fix these problems that seem to plague so many modern schools.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that education now is way different than before. Such as my mother majored in chemistry and when i ask her for help in that subject, she simply replies that everything we are learning is way more complex than what she was taught. Also, yes technology is being introduced to children at a very young age but it is simply another learning too that can help them learn. Your blog subject is very interesting Nina.
ReplyDeleteI really do agree with you there Nina! The lack of knowledge and understanding that kids have these days is not really at a level students should be at. Whether is is with educations itself or maybe even what we learn at our early ages(grade school). Skills as well that we develop in grade school really do tend to follow us into high school and life. I think it really does start in the beginning with the simple things such as the basics that we learn in grade school itself. That is where it all start does it not?
ReplyDelete