Why We Have Public Schools
Why do we have public schools? Prior to the pervasive growth and ubiquity of the internet, it was easy to answer that question because a school’s objectives were clear and rarely questioned: 1) teach,2) socialize and 3) provide custodial care. Today, two of the three do not apply, and that means big trouble. Let me address them in order.
Providing access to knowledge is one of three historical justifications for schools. Basically, parents had to send their children to schools because the knowledge was stored there, in textbooks and in the heads of teachers. However, today’s young people swim in a sea of information, 24/7. Of course, children need teachers to help them learn to read and master numbers, but, beyond that, a new approach is required. Young people must learn how to deal with the flood of information that surrounds them. They need guidance separating wheat from chaff. They need help formulating questions, and they need to develop the habit of seeking answers, not regurgitating them. They should be going to schools where they are expected and encouraged to discover, build and cooperate. Instead, most of them CONTINUE READING: Why We Have Public Schools
