More Curriculum Questions

Since the state of Michigan has decided to increase "college prep" requirements in the curriculum, what were the expected benefits? I am hearing of schools trying to get math credit for drafting work done in autoshop class. Hmmm. That might be a better idea for those students who are not planning to go to college, so why is the state involved at this level? Is it just a good political sound byte gone bad when implemented?

Another curriculum question: How does a teacher decide how much material to cover in a given course? For a science class, the whole list of state subject learning objectives is clearly out of reach for a two-semester class, but how much is right? I have noticed a couple of large segments of students. One segment is bored because the pace is too slow and another segment seems to be struggling just to keep a positive interest in learning. So far I have not found the ideal middle students. I will look closer for this middle group that is learning and engaged and for whom the pace seems just about right.

Who Decides What's in the Curriculum

I thoroughly enjoyed a humbling experience in class this week. In our review of the history of the Silk Road trade routes, we also learned about the more recent Chinese Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976. First of all, I thought the revolution was over in 1949 when China became Communist and the Nationalists fled to Formosa. But what really shocked me was my total ignorance of what was happening in China in the 60's and 70's. They sent everyone back to the farms and burned all their books to rid the country of all intellectualism!!! Mao attempted to purify the country of all "reactionary" literature and practices by sending everyone back to agriculture.

So how do we as a society choose what we teach our children? I was surprised by my complete ignorance of this modern history, but I realize we can't teach everything to everyone. As a student teacher of Physics, I am wondering if all of these learners really need so much science. Some of them are really struggling. Maybe their strengths are in the arts. I love science, but writing is hard for me. I am unsure of the efficacy of recent state decisions to increase core high school graduation requirements. These requirements seem to disregard the great beauty inherent in each individual's uniqueness. One size fits all doesn't seem to fit.