Argument Statement: Khan argues that the education system built long ago may have met the needs of students and society long ago, but is outdated and needs to be re-assessed for today's society. Educators and education reform and policy lawmakers must assess and address the weakness of this model, and adapt to what students need now.
Three Talking Points:
Beginning:
-"It's not just that tradition tends to cramp imagination; it's also that our educational system is intertwined with many other customs and institutions." (Khan, page 62).
-"What's needed... is a perspective that allows us a fresh look at our most basic assumptions about teaching and learning, a perspective that takes nothing for granted and focuses on the simple but crucial questions of what works, what doesn't work, and why." (Khan, page 64).
-"In the standard curriculum, vast and beautiful areas of human thought are artificially chopped into manageable chunks called "subjects". Concepts that should flow into one another like ocean currents are dammed up into "units". Students are "tracked" in a manner that... completely ignores the wonderful variety and nuance that distinguish human intelligence, imagination, and talent." (Khan, pages 64-65).
Middle:
-"The idea was not to produce independent thinkers, but to churn out loyal and tractable citizens who would learn value of submitting to the authority of parents, teachers, church, and ultimately king." (Khan, page 76).
End:
-"Today's world needs a workforce of creative, curious, and self-directed lifelong learners who are capable of conceiving and implementing novel ideas." (Khan, page 80).
-"Creativity in general tends to be egregiously underappreciated and often selected against in our schools." (Khan, page 98).
Reflections and Connections:
In reflection after reading The Broken Model, Chapter 2 by Khan, and after viewing A Short History of Public Schooling, a lot of the quotes above resonated with me. Khan talks about how our education system designed long ago, and "intertwined with many other customs and institutions" (page 62), is not necessarily best practice or best fit for today's society. Khan addresses the need for a fresh perspective and a fresh look at teaching and learning as well as looking inward and assessing what is working and what is not working in the world of education and the reasons why. Khan also addresses the standardized curriculum and testing that students and teachers consistently grapple with. Although I will say it is important to have a form of measurement and analysis of data, there is so much emphasis that is put on standardized testing. It seems like much of the time we are teaching to the next quiz or test so that students succeed. I will say that it is crucial to have some form of data tracking and assessment whether it be formative or summative, but whose to say that we can't incorporate more creative ways for students to show what they know? As I lesson plan and think about upcoming progress monitoring, quizzes, and unit tests, I think to myself, "is there a more creative way that students can show what they have learned?" "Are there other modes that students can present what they know and what they have learned in a more creative way?"
Madison, I really connected with your reflection, especially the part where you talk about lesson planning and wondering if there is a more creative way for students to show what they know. That felt honest and real. It is one thing to critique the system, but it is another to sit there with your own quizzes and progress monitoring and actually question your practice.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciated that you did not completely reject assessment. You acknowledged that data and measurement matter, which makes your argument feel balanced. The issue is not whether we assess, but how we assess and how much weight we give to it. When everything becomes about the next test, learning can start to feel transactional instead of meaningful.
Your questions at the end really stayed with me. Are there other modes for students to present what they know? I think that question alone shows growth. It signals that you are not just accepting the structure as it is. Even small shifts, like incorporating projects, discussions, creative presentations, or choice based assessments, can open space for students to feel ownership.
What I respect most about your post is that it feels reflective, not reactive. You are thinking critically about the system while also thinking about your own role in it. That kind of mindset is where real change starts.
I am glad that the video clip and the reading connected for you. Your reflection at the end really captures the challenges of pulling this into real life. I would love to hear more explication of the quotes you chose, too!
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