The folks over at Education Revolution are asking just that question, and have a compelling list of reasons that alternative education might be a more appropriate choice. This one surprised me:
4. Schools don’t teach technology. Perhaps the biggest reason for the growing gap between rich and poor is the ability to understand and utilize technology. Let’s put it this way. If you’re a young person and don’t get how e-mail works your ability to land a well-paying job is next to nil these days. The problem here is that schools don’t really teach technology. Sure, you’ll have the occasional CAD class or web design skills class on the docket but I’d venture to say that 99% of the technology kids learn is done outside the classroom environment. They figure out how to e-mail, IM, social network, etc. on their own. This makes schools much less relevant than in the past where the only way to learn the important stuff was in the classroom.
If schools AREN’T teaching technology (are they truly not??), the fact that teens everywhere are text messaging, emailing, and on myspace is proof that kids can and will learn those things that are of interest to them - without a formal education system spoon feeding it to them.
Just as
The more parents homeschool their kids the easier it is for additional parents to homeschool.
the more alternative schools that thrive, the more education alternatives there will be for our kids.
As to the question, “are [public] schools necessary”, for now I have to say yes. I don’t think they are necessary because they offer the best education for our kids. But because of the American lifestyle with its two-income families, unfortunately, I think it would be pretty difficult for most people to do without.
August 24, 2007 @ 10:27 am
Most schools in our area do NOT teach technology… believe it, or not. My son, who is a techie guru, was never taught the correct way to type! I was noticing, the other day, that he has a VERY unique way of typing, since it was self-taught. He only uses the index and middle fingers of both hands. And then he pivots and moves his hands to reach the letters and numbers of the keyboard. He’s very fluent in his typing, but it’s VERY odd to watch. IF I were to try it his way, I would flounder and become extremely frustrated, but this is the way he taught himself.
So, amazingly, it’s true that basic technology isn’t being taught. But kids WILL learn it on their own. Now the other side of the coin is weather they have opportunities to learn on their own. There are plenty of kids near here who do not have the family income to support computer ownership.
My son actually had to seek out a special High School that specialized in technology training. But at that point, they assume you’ve already learned the basics. What will happen to all the kids who don’t get these kind of opportunities? Imo, more public schools, for mainstream American kids, need to include basic technology training. It is past the point of being essential.