Forced Learning

Does forced learning work? 

There has been a lot written about the "second chances" policy at our school division. The idea behind it is that if a student fails an assignment or test they should attend lunch hour or after school tutorial and re-do the work until they pass. I consider that forced learning. 

I have stated my opinion on the policy in a column in the St. Paul Journal and now the Superintendent has replied through a letter to the editor. 

After having reconsidered the issue, I still can't support it. I just don't think that you can force someone to learn. If you start taking away all of their recesses and social time and forcing them to re-do their grammar worksheets over and over again, the child will end up hating school. It is a formula to increase the number of drop outs in school.

Children need to be encouraged with meaningful assignments and not punished by taking away their free time every time they fail to complete an assignment. 

But thats just my opinion! 

 

Education minister fires school board

Education Minister firing the school board for poor student performance, is in my opinion just grand standing. 

http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100121/edm_school_100121/20100121/?hub=EdmontonHome

There is little doubt that we are failing aboriginal communities when it comes to education. This is a much larger issue then this one area of the province. It is certainly an issue in our area here in St. Paul as well. 

I doubt that firing this board will solve the problem. How can we reach out to aboriginal students?

Education is simply teaching and learning however it has become ridiculously complicated with idealistic theories that do not translate well to practice. Teachers are left overwhelmed and frustrated trying to live up to unpractical and unrealistic expectations. I believe that if teachers were left to teach and were surrounded with support instead of constant criticism the entire system would benefit.