Memories
What are your elementary school memories? What moments from your early school career really stand out in your mind? For me, I remember doing a "How To" speech in the fifth grade on how to make deviled eggs. I remember playing Star Trek at recess. (I didn't really know anything about the show, but the boys needed a female character and I was the only girl who wasn't otherwise occupied at recess.) I remember in the sixth grade, I was responsible for cleaning out the gerbil cage on Wednesday afternoons. I remember student council meetings and Friday afternoon craft projects. I have fond memories of my wonderful art teacher, and not-so-fond memories of a less-than-welcoming music teacher.
In this age of NCLB, what will our students remember? With more and more time focused on reading and math, and less and less time spent on "non-academics," what will be their memories? With more requirements and tighter budgets, "extras" like recess, art, and music are losing the battle to subjects that are on the test. But what price are our kids paying for this shift in priorities? Would I be a better reader if I hadn't spent time playing outside? Would math have been less of a struggle if I had spent less time in the warm, welcoming environment of the art room or less time suffering in the music room?
I certainly believe that we need to look closely at our school schedules to ensure that we are using our time efficiently and in a way that is most conducive to learning. But sometimes I think, rather than looking critically at what we're doing and when we're doing it, we simply cut those things that do not have an obvious educational purpose- like music, recess, and art- and forget that these things can contribute to a student's overall learning and his ability to lead a balanced, productive life.
I really hope that we're still giving our children a school experience to remember.
In this age of NCLB, what will our students remember? With more and more time focused on reading and math, and less and less time spent on "non-academics," what will be their memories? With more requirements and tighter budgets, "extras" like recess, art, and music are losing the battle to subjects that are on the test. But what price are our kids paying for this shift in priorities? Would I be a better reader if I hadn't spent time playing outside? Would math have been less of a struggle if I had spent less time in the warm, welcoming environment of the art room or less time suffering in the music room?
I certainly believe that we need to look closely at our school schedules to ensure that we are using our time efficiently and in a way that is most conducive to learning. But sometimes I think, rather than looking critically at what we're doing and when we're doing it, we simply cut those things that do not have an obvious educational purpose- like music, recess, and art- and forget that these things can contribute to a student's overall learning and his ability to lead a balanced, productive life.
I really hope that we're still giving our children a school experience to remember.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home