The infuriating thing is that it doesn’t have to be. It’s been gutted, filleted, and various other words of a similar effect over the decades to the detriment of the entire populous
The system was always fundamentally flawed. It’s conformity training where math and reading lessons are there to buy legitimacy. I don’t recall anyone actually caring about the subjects for their own sake. It’s all about the grades, the test scores, how prestigious the college, degrees as job credentials. You could replace the subjects with memorizing random nonsense and the machine would still function
Well, yes and no. A large part of the design of the system is conformity and preparing the population to be part of the workforce. No matter if that’s blue collar/unskilled labor for the poors or white/gold collar for the rich.
But, a key part of the overall educational system is supposed to also create an educated population which would increase the entire country’s economic strength.
Both of these things can be true at the same time. Things that degrade the quality of education will likewise depress the economic strength but make for a more subservient population.
The degradation I was referring to was the focus on making the numbers look good instead of making sure the students actually learned. They are made to regurgitate facts/figures instead of think about the implications or ramifications of any part of what they are being tested on. Things that incentivise school systems fudging numbers or making tests excessively easy do nothing to help the students learn. They do both the kids and the country as a whole a disservice.
My point is, that doesn’t have to be the way things are. The education system is wholly focused on the wrong metrics and reacting to them in the predictably wrong ways.
DokPsy@lemmy.world 2 months ago
The infuriating thing is that it doesn’t have to be. It’s been gutted, filleted, and various other words of a similar effect over the decades to the detriment of the entire populous
fluffykittycat@slrpnk.net 2 months ago
The system was always fundamentally flawed. It’s conformity training where math and reading lessons are there to buy legitimacy. I don’t recall anyone actually caring about the subjects for their own sake. It’s all about the grades, the test scores, how prestigious the college, degrees as job credentials. You could replace the subjects with memorizing random nonsense and the machine would still function
DokPsy@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Well, yes and no. A large part of the design of the system is conformity and preparing the population to be part of the workforce. No matter if that’s blue collar/unskilled labor for the poors or white/gold collar for the rich.
But, a key part of the overall educational system is supposed to also create an educated population which would increase the entire country’s economic strength.
Both of these things can be true at the same time. Things that degrade the quality of education will likewise depress the economic strength but make for a more subservient population.
The degradation I was referring to was the focus on making the numbers look good instead of making sure the students actually learned. They are made to regurgitate facts/figures instead of think about the implications or ramifications of any part of what they are being tested on. Things that incentivise school systems fudging numbers or making tests excessively easy do nothing to help the students learn. They do both the kids and the country as a whole a disservice.
My point is, that doesn’t have to be the way things are. The education system is wholly focused on the wrong metrics and reacting to them in the predictably wrong ways.