Gaps in education?

Do you remember the name of your favorite reading textbook in high school?  How about the science worksheet from which you learned the most?  What was your fourth period of your Sophomore year?  I'll bet you remember your favorite history lecture?

I don't remember any of these things either.  I do remember several fights, a teacher yelling as he slung a stack of notebooks against the wall, getting an extra lunch period, sitting with my friends at lunch time, my favorite math teacher and her fashion style, prom, seeing my boyfriend in between classes, a parent - teacher conference, and several couples breaking up and getting back together.  DRAMA, basically.  I don't remember anything specific; however, I know I learned a lot - I was an honor student!  My parents made sure I had good grades and studied.  That was in the 80s & 90s.

According to Tony Wagner, "Throughout much of the twentieth century the basic skills of reading, computation, and rudimentary writing were the focus of our attention in schools and at home.  For most students, a "rigorous" curriculum meant having to memorize more vocabulary words and do more math problems at night.  there were disputes among academics and parents alike over the ways in which various skills were taught, but there was no disagreement about their importance.... However, in the twenty first century, mastery of the basic skills of reading, writing, and math is no longer enough.  Almost any job that pays more than minimum wage...now calls for employees who know how to solve a range of intellectual and technical problems."

I will say that memorizing is not in great effect in public schools, but alive and well in most Christian schools - memorizing scriptures, verses as well as whole chapters, is common.  I memorized poems and a few math formulas in my public school.  I could not tell you one poem today!  I do know a few Algebra I & II formulas, because I taught that just two years ago at my local Christian school.  I am not sure if my students retained them past the test?  No, wait, I know they did not, because at the end of the unit I'd have to teach them the formula again or at least review it extensively.  The students hated the dry curriculum, and me, for pressing it upon them.

Are parents, teachers, and society giving our students what the really need to be successful in the real world?  Are we teaching work ethic? communication skills? inquiry? the scientific method? truth? financial literacy? compassion? etc.? 

If parents are aware these skills are necessary for success, they could easily be implemented into any home school curriculum.  It does not disrupt class when you have a discussion in a home school.  As a public school teacher, having a discussion to promote inquiry / communication skills went one of two ways usually. Either no one said a word, or every one wanted to get me off the topic at hand (which I could not afford to do since we must prepare for the end-of-year-tests).

Parents should consider homeschooling as a way to teach proper communication skills (with people of all ages), inquiry, science, truth, financial literacy and compassion for mankind.  Reading, writing, and computation are easily incorporated into these lessons.