Redefining Literacy

Based on the Ed Week commentary and the ESchool News article, a new wave has approached the educational system. Obviously our communication mediums are changing as more technology replaces older sources.

I found the Ed Week commentary very interesting about abolishing high school. I had not thought about this topic for some time, although I have had it lingering in my mind when I was a student. Many students are not the "school type." They thrive under different social conditions, and many of these students end up dropping out of regular public school and entering a vocational school of some sort. However, I do see the intrinsic advantages of school itself. It is a community, built upon relationships between teachers, administrators, and students. I do not think that school needs to be abolished. But I do believe that school needs to change, and the change starts from the top -- the government -- and trickles down to administrators, teachers, then to the students.

I think the goals of education need to be reworked. In many of my educational classes this semester and last semester, lesson plans were made by first stating the objective and then working the lesson into that objective. OR We did backwards planning, and stated the goal we want for the lesson, and worked backwards to ensure every step related back to the goal.

Shouldn't education be like this?

Administrators and government officials should have priorities set for education as well as goals. Then, they should implement a system that caters to all of those goals and makes those priorities stand out.

Our education system today is based on making new programs but never ensuring they cater to the needs and goals of students and faculty at this time in society.