Why American schools are failing
It has never been about teaching history, languages, art or anything for that matter. These are simply a means to an end. We must keep the end in mind . . . literally!Did you know that a fetus . . . from the age of one month . . . until the age of five months . . . grows 15,000,000 neurons every hour? That’s 250,000 each minute. Do the math! Over a four month time period, 43.2 billion neurons take root in the brain of a young child that hasn’t even been born yet. What are we feeding these brains? Do we teach pregnant mothers about proper nutrition?
After a child is born, the visual cortex and audio cortex are poorly developed leaving the somatosensory cortex as the primary source of stimulation circling around the brain. That’s the sense of touch! Do we teach young parents to hold and embrace a growing infant at all moments of the day? Or are we blind and mute?
The number of total neurons grows until the age of 2 where the number peaks and begins to decline. The brain begins a slow process of pruning unused connections hacking away nearly half over the next two decades. Over these two decades, what do we feed the brain? How do we rigorously stimulate the brain in order to promote the retention of neurons and synaptic connections? Do we use a dynamic channel of information that children can grab hold of and never want to release? Or is it through a 1940’s style educational system?
The brain will only adapt to the stress, the knowledge and the environment we present. The best system of education will provide untold opportunity for mental stimulation of all kinds. Welcome to the 21st century world of neuroscience.
What can you learn today?
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May 20, 2009 |
Jenson Hagen | Comments (26 so far)
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Posted by: Joel H | May 20, 2009 4:29:58 PM
And, by the way,
Do we teach pregnant mothers about proper nutrition?
Of course we do, if they have any interaction at all with mainstream or alternative health care. Some don't.
And here's a paper I ran across the other day that describes the influence of children who are victims of domestic violence on their classrooms.
All this is bad, but it's hardly the fundamental problem. Here's a very incomplete list of problems, none of which affects all schools but all of which are pretty common:
* the system was designed in the first place to teach (in addition to no-better-than-basic skills) submission to authority to produce factory workers who wouldn't revolt
* parents are disengaged due to poverty, imprisonment, domestic violence, mental illness, the false belief that schools are adequate, etc.
* the drug war creates black markets and gang violence that seriously impact schools
* states allocate funding based on local property taxes, leading to rich schools for rich neighborhoods and poor schools in poor neighborhoods
* the federal government effectively requires one-size-fits-all teach-to-the-test-ism, as though a test result were an "outcome"
* teacher's unions block any attempt at reform
* lavish funding of football teams at the expense of actual learning
* bullying, etc.
* yes, poor home nutrition for many students, not to mention the bad cafeteria food
We will be utterly unable to solve most of these without substantial reforms to school systems and many other institutions. Is this news to anyone?
Posted by: Joel H | May 20, 2009 4:31:26 PM
Hm, my link vanished. Here's that paper: http://www.econ.ucdavis.edu/faculty/scarrell/domesticviolence.pdf
Posted by: Rob | May 20, 2009 4:34:38 PM
Who is responsible for children's development 0-2 where the foundations of emotional wellbeing are laid down?
Who is responsible for teaching children 2-5 so they are ready to read?
Who is responsible for monitoring children's adaptation to school and in the best position to drive customization?
Who has the most leverage in positive and negative reenforcement for children and establishes norms of behavior?
Who is responsible for making sure homework is done?
If you answered teachers, for any of the above, you are incorrect.
Posted by: George Anonymuncule Seldes | May 20, 2009 5:25:03 PM
While I have lots of criticisms of our "educational-industrial complex," I always respond poorly to blanket statements that suggest our schools are failing --- see the great book "The Manufactured Crisis" for more on that.
We have pretty much the same schools that we had in the 80s when "A Nation at Risk" was produced to promote increased corporate control in schools -- and schools were blamed for the economic difficulties. Oddly, we had the same schools in the 90s, and when the economy was booming, schools were blamed for not preparing kids to participate in the booming economy (which somehow generated itself); now we're back to a down economy and schools are being blamed, even though the same people are in charge that were in charge in the 80s and 90s.
Maybe people who run around saying that schools are failing without telling you what they're failing at (and what schools are supposed to be for in the first place) are the problem.
If you think mental stimulation is the goal, then the last place you'd put your kid is in a classroom.
Posted by: Jenson | May 20, 2009 6:17:18 PM
George,
Good point! Let's pack it up and never utter another breath about educational reform. And the 30% of kids that never make it out of high school or the ones that abuse drugs or the ones that fail to read at a 5th grade level can go fend for themselves. I'm sure in your world these kids don't even exist. A figment of the progressive imagination.
Posted by: Joel H | May 20, 2009 6:28:13 PM
Jenson, that's actually almost 50% in Portland. Do you really think this is mostly due to inadequate nutrition, or (recalling Monday's article) not having been taught a foreign language in the first grade?
Posted by: Connor Allen | May 20, 2009 7:04:29 PM
Jenson, in all of that time you were learning Chinese and about how the brain functions, did you not learn how to write a compelling argument?
BTW, according to the 2000 census, a hair less than 15% of Oregonians above age 25 did not graduate from high school.
And Joel H, Multnomah County was a half a percent better than the state on average in that measure. In fact, most of the Democratic leaning counties appear to perform better than the state as a whole in that...
Oregonians are both more likely to have graduated high school and also have a college degree than the average American. Of course, Jenson wouldn't think that is much to be proud of. After all, all American schools suck, right?
Since HTML is failing me:
href=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/41000.html
Posted by: Martin Burch | May 20, 2009 7:11:26 PM
If you want a quick glance at the history of why American schools suck and fail, start here:
http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/educationhistorytimeline.html
If I had to pick any one specific event that made American public education what it is today, I'd go for this. It's a long read, but people wrote differently 100+ years ago:
http://tmh.floonet.net/books/commoften/mainrpt.html
Of course, there have been many improvements in American education since then, but the general gist that we lag behind in technique and application is true.
Let's also remember American schools aren't American schools. They are LOCAL schools. Tradition has long given communities final say over what their kids learn, tradition being a codeword for the most powerful local industry that needs future employees in that community. Throw in some fear and religion, and you get a myriad of ideas and applications in education.
I've long been in favor of a minimal set of national standards, and -- shock, coming from a progressive -- a rational way of judging success in both students and teachers.
But try getting even the top 10 bluest school districts to agree on a national curriculum.
Posted by: Joel H | May 20, 2009 7:24:48 PM
Yes, I probably overstated that -- Sam Adams' 43%-don't-graduate figure is probably overestimated, but then I don't know what to do with this, either: http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2009/05/4_portland_schools_found_to_ha.html
Posted by: Joe Hill | May 20, 2009 9:11:26 PM
I do not see anything here that convinces me that (a) American schools are failing or (b) that the author of this little provocation has thought deeply or has any kind of knowledge base about teaching or schools. What I see is a kind of superficial Oprah-esque flinging about of some attitude and some random numbers.
Consider this.
If you were in a city where 43% (to pull a number out of my ass, to be consistent with this thread) of the 14-21 year old adolescents died, would you conclude from that statistic that the chief problem as bad medical care?
Might one not inquire whether or not there was some environmental factor, whether we were talking about a war zone, whether famine played a role, etc.?
Well, know that students come into our American schools with an immensely complicated wide, wide range of pre-existing conditions that, unless you have taught for years, you frankly cannot imagine.
Do you want to fix the schools, really?
Then you must fix the society that produced those conditions.
It is preposterous and childish to talk about schools "failing" without acknowledging this.
Posted by: SwamiSam | May 20, 2009 9:42:04 PM
Public schools systematically fail the low income and minority children who are trapped in failing schools, their future being sacrificed. The achievement gap in this state is shameful. And fellow liberals/"progressives" stand idly by and allow our teacher unions to destroy these kids' lives.
Posted by: Jenson | May 20, 2009 9:53:40 PM
Instead of reading a post about the human brain and understanding that we have a greater opportunity to optimize a person's educational outcome with this knowledge in hand, you guys are getting frustrated over the word "failing."
Go throw your tantrum somewhere else . . . or do you need a time out. Seems like some people have an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex.
Posted by: alcatross | May 20, 2009 11:00:10 PM
Jenson says Go throw your tantrum somewhere else . . . or do you need a time out. Seems like some people have an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex.
Echoes of one of Jenson's comments from his 2/13 post here:
Let me know when you guys are able to capture the main point of an argument without getting sucked into the inane detail. When you do, I'll show you my investment account.
Seems whenever people express disagreement with Jenson, he's quick to blame it on our failure to measure up to his apparent innate superiority (at least in his own mind...)
Posted by: Khong | May 20, 2009 11:41:13 PM
The reason American schools are not doing so well... is because American society doesn't value education.
Posted by: Evan | May 21, 2009 12:33:55 AM
My son is finishing his fourth year in the Portland public school system. I have been pleased with all four of his teachers, both of his principals, the school's counselor, the librarian, the part-time music teacher, the part-time PE teacher, the speech therapist, the artist-in-residence program, and much more.
They are not failing in their profession -- they are dedicated, experienced, and deeply caring individuals -- and my son has grown tremendously. My largest concern is that several of the above positions will be cut over the next couple of years. The music teacher has been cut for next year, and the counselor reduced to a part-time position. Losing one teaching position will likely result in a large increase in class sizes in my son's grade level, as four sections would be reduced to three.
Jenson Hagen's post does not address this problem, but instead offers broad, unsubstantiated claims of "failure" that I suspect many educators find offensive, while offering no concrete proposals or detailed plans on how to fix things.
Run for school board, Jenson, and see what happens.
While I realize this is the slow season for political junkies, and Blue Oregon does need content, these two recent posts by Jenson Hagen simply don't measure up to the standards set by Blue Oregon in the past. His posts mimic the childish provocation of a college Republican.
In terms of content and argument, Jenson belabors his facts as though we are ignorant (like, golly, I didn't know I was supposed to hold and embrace my son when he was a baby...and, like, there must be a large constituency of parents out there who are against stimulating the brains of their children…?), and then he doesn't connect his facts to any coherent argument or useful and realistic proposal for action.
In terms of tone, his arrogance is simply nauseating -- and frankly without precedent at Blue Oregon from my past visits. His comments above display his attitude toward others who have the temerity to disagree with him -- he is immature, disparaging, cynical, dismissive, and unconstructive. Not hallmarks of a leader. I expect better at Blue Oregon.
My son has learned many social skills in his "American" education. While I'm sure that Jenson is sure that there are more synaptic connections going on in his brain than anyone else's brain, I have doubts that the educational system that produced Jenson Hagen taught him any social skills.
He is unlikely to reform anything until he dispenses with the arrogance and gets some experience working with others.
Posted by: Jenson | May 21, 2009 7:10:18 AM
Evan,
Well said. I take the criticism to heart. I think what you'll find is that I'm very open to criticism that is valid. And I believe what you've said is well articulated and hits the nail on the head.
This differs greatly from most other commentors. They must think that these posts appear out of nowhere. They take time and energy out of my day as a hope to put forth better ideas. You can constructively add or you can destructively take immediate offense to something I've said and begin trashing what you can of the post.
I don't mean to offend. And I surely don't feel that teachers are the problem. In fact, I take great offense to the current national debate that says we need to attract better teachers. As if the teachers we have now are inadequate. It's the framework in which teachers work that is inadequate. Just ask teachers if they feel that they have enough funding or support.
Instead of asking me to clarify what I mean by "failing," commentors have carried on with their own assumptions and infused an element of emotion that serves no purpose. These are not the hallmarks of a well-educated mind, thus proving the point that our education system does not seem to be developing the kinds of skills a rational society needs.
Posted by: Urban Planning Overlord | May 21, 2009 10:49:01 AM
Like Evan, my children have done very well by the public school system that they have been forced to be enrolled in (because I cannot afford private tuition, and the choices and locations of alternative private schools don't work for us).
But I know of many parents and children with different experiences from mine. And that's why I support a full school choice system with the use of vouchers, so that those children can get into a situation where they can learn to be the best they can be.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 21, 2009 10:51:44 AM
The biggest enemy of education is the teachers' union.
Posted by: Jamais Vu | May 21, 2009 12:37:24 PM
Good to have you back, UPO. I have mixed feelings on vouchers, but I agree parents' current lack of options and control makes them easy for districts to ignore. The continued pretense of local control in Oregon is another sore point--the ability of any local group to fix school problems is severely circumscribed by the state funding formulas (which voters approved) and the aloofness of state agencies, of which DOE is only one, that provide student services.
Posted by: Dean | May 21, 2009 2:23:51 PM
"Did you know that a fetus . . . from the age of one month . . . until the age of five months . . . grows 15,000,000 neurons every hour"
Mr. Hagen, A fetus is not a person - do not try to glorify a fetus. Fetuses are the reason polution exists. We need less breeding and more homosexual relations.
Posted by: andy | May 22, 2009 2:08:57 PM
From what I've observed over the years, any parent who is reasonably well-engaged with their child can help them get a decent education in our public schools. I'll agree that the teacher's union is stupid and cares more about dues than they do children but it is still possible to get a decent education at a public school. It might not be possible to get a good education if the kid doesn't apply any effort, but that is what the parent is for.
The local schools that my kids are in are decent but they don't really have the capability of teaching the kids much. I can teach my kids more math in an hour than they'll get in a month at school. But a lot of parents don't want their kids to work hard in school which is why the teachers don't demand too much of the kids.
Posted by: Perpugilliam Brown | May 22, 2009 11:40:37 PM
Posted by: Dean | May 21, 2009 2:23:51 PM
"Did you know that a fetus . . . from the age of one month . . . until the age of five months . . . grows 15,000,000 neurons every hour"
Mr. Hagen, A fetus is not a person - do not try to glorify a fetus. Fetuses are the reason polution exists. We need less breeding and more homosexual relations.
Yup that.
Posted by: Alissa | May 23, 2009 8:48:11 AM
The original post points to the need not only to reform the K-12 educational system (keep the many wonderful things happening in our schools that show results and totally rethink the things that don't), but also to the need to invest in the prenatal and 0-5 years.
Unless we establish the physical, cognitive and social development foundation in our children when their brains and bodies are forming so rapidly, we will always be playing catch up in our K-12 system. See the February 2009 report by EcoNorthwest, commissioned by the Black Parent Initiative, about how kids of certain ethnic groups and low income status start Kindergarten far behind.... and generally maintain that gap through the K-12 years.
The other obvious need is to address the disparities in income, health and other factors that affect the families. This is not to let the education system off the hook, but just to reiterate the need to holistically approach the way we fail so many children.
Posted by: Naught Times Naught Is Naught | May 24, 2009 12:13:34 AM
Posted by: Khong | May 20, 2009 11:41:13 PM
The reason American schools are not doing so well... is because American society doesn't value education.
Uhhh, help me here. I'm having trouble thinking of examples of things in American society that aren't broken, outright fraud, or both. Seriously. Name one thing about contemporary America that you would export or hold up as something that you're proud of. One.
Posted by: conspiracyzach | Jun 3, 2009 10:11:28 PM
I think they fail because we let them be infiltrated by marketeers. www.youtube.com/luddite333
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Posted by: Joel H | May 20, 2009 4:04:13 PM
Did you just pick the 1940s out of the air as the decade our educational system most resembles? Much of the American public school system is still modeled on the Prussian system of 1820 or so. Horace Mann and others helped introduce it.
There are dozens of major problems with American public schools. It's a testament to the innate human drive for learning that *anyone* exposed to them is even able to read.