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A review by diana_eveline
The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School by Neil Postman
4.0
"Profound but contradictory ideas may exist side by side, if they are constructed from different materials and methods and have different purposes. Each tells us something important about where we stand in the universe, and it is foolish to insist that they must despise each other."
A renewed sense of responsibility, curiosity, awareness and growth enabled by diversity in religion, culture and language. That should be the foundation of education according to Postman. There is great potential is schooling but it is lost in a sea of unwarranted rules and backwards requirements. Teachers proudly say they attempt to teach critical thinking but don't think twice when they provide their students with scripted material that is not open to questioning. Quite disturbing when you think about it.
The teachers are not the only ones doing harm. In fact, they are often victim of the regulations they are forced to stick to. Schools haven't evolved nearly enough to keep up with our modern society. Students are taught how to use technology but not about what it has done and is doing for/to our society. Too often are they simply provided with rules and regulations they need to "know" by heart without being fully aware of the implications.
One of Postman's most compelling suggestions is to teach courses from a historical point of view, by means of treating our current knowledge on a subject to be the best we have to offer at the moment. From there, students should be taught where it comes from, including all the stumbled humanity made on its way to success and be given the opportunity to consider how it could be improved. It is an ambitious thought and not easily done but it would provide so much perspective for both learners and teachers.
It is quite the masterpiece... Postman does not only address the problems in our current educational system but dives deep into their origins and what we can go to turn things around. He acknowledges the difficulty in changing and remains critical, even of his own ideas. A very impressive book.
A renewed sense of responsibility, curiosity, awareness and growth enabled by diversity in religion, culture and language. That should be the foundation of education according to Postman. There is great potential is schooling but it is lost in a sea of unwarranted rules and backwards requirements. Teachers proudly say they attempt to teach critical thinking but don't think twice when they provide their students with scripted material that is not open to questioning. Quite disturbing when you think about it.
The teachers are not the only ones doing harm. In fact, they are often victim of the regulations they are forced to stick to. Schools haven't evolved nearly enough to keep up with our modern society. Students are taught how to use technology but not about what it has done and is doing for/to our society. Too often are they simply provided with rules and regulations they need to "know" by heart without being fully aware of the implications.
One of Postman's most compelling suggestions is to teach courses from a historical point of view, by means of treating our current knowledge on a subject to be the best we have to offer at the moment. From there, students should be taught where it comes from, including all the stumbled humanity made on its way to success and be given the opportunity to consider how it could be improved. It is an ambitious thought and not easily done but it would provide so much perspective for both learners and teachers.
It is quite the masterpiece... Postman does not only address the problems in our current educational system but dives deep into their origins and what we can go to turn things around. He acknowledges the difficulty in changing and remains critical, even of his own ideas. A very impressive book.