February 19, 2006
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MAJOR: Wriring 101, Sociology 101, Education 101
COURSE: Use a blog to write about something having to do w/ sociology and eudcation
So…I’m going to stick with this format of blogging for a while, because of its all encompassing flexibility, and because it allows me to focus on both the interests in my own little personal world, as well as relating it to something more tangible, such as college courses and thinking intelligently.
Anyways…I’m taking my first vacation days in ages. Sure, it’s on a Sunday, but it’s the first time in a while that I’m spending an entire day in my pajamas, watching tv, writing, reading, reflecting, and eating. It’s a vacation from having to deal with anything beyond my personal interests and needs for relaxation and time alone.
So…I’ve listened to a handful of Sunday news programs, been searching out and commenting on some interesting xanga sites, been thinking about how to combine my desire to be an education activist with the need to make enough money to have the freedom to be an activist. My job today is to pamper to my needs, and it’s amazing.
Yesturday I went hiking up on Bear Mountain in Ct., the tallest “mountain,” in the state, under 3,000 feet. It was a good hike though, had some fun scrambling up icy rock and inhaling lunch at the summit while getting blown over by freezing winds. The best part was the company, 2 new strangers turned friends. Part of my effort to create a strong community involving those involved with or interested in the outdoor organization of Outward Bound and NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) here in NYC.
This Friday, I have been invited to visit a well-regarded private school in the Bronx known as Fieldston. A friend of mine, a former public school teacher and a big fan of my book, College Daze, has asked me to join in on a converstion that is beginning between parents, students, and the faculty, about the direction of the school. Fieldston is considered a progressive school, but like many organizations, they are working to bridge mission and reality.
The school was featured on the front page of the New York Times on Friday for a controversy surrounding a proposed assembly about the Israel-Palestine conflict. Although I’m not an expert on either the conflict or this particular controversy, I do consider myself to be an expert on education and what became clear from this particular controversy is that schools cannot provide a truly nurturing education so long as there are people who are interested in regulating content.
It turns out some parents who were upset with the political views that were going to be presented in the assembly have had the effect of keeping certain ideas out of the school. But, and this is the key here, the culture of this debate about schooling is more important than the content. These kids all have access to unlimited books and information that they want. In time, they will either learn about the conflict and pick a view, or simply be ignorant of it all together. In the grand scheme, schools represent a tiny fraction of the knowledge people have.
The problem, however, is the message. The message is in our society we have a slow communication process. The fact that knowledge and ideas are locked up in individuals, who then have to be contracted to speak, who then have to deal with school boards fighting over whether they can speak, attests to this. The dialogue of ideas is slowed down by such bureaucracy, and the culture of controversy.
To all my new readers, welcome….and as always…
“What do you think?”
-dan
Comments (8)
Aw, thanks for the comment. I tend to have a heart for people on the low end of the totem pole, even though I want to be somewhere near the top. We’ve all been there, and those people down at the bottom are the foundation holding us up.
Haha i have no idea about macs man. I hear they’re good but I really don’t have a clue. However, they’re starting to use Intel proccesing chips, which i despise. If you can go for a comp that uses and AMD processor.
I personally, as a Junior in High School, don’t think that public schools have much to offer in terms of variety of classes. I personally want to take a class like social sciences, political sciences, and may some international classes like international policy and diplomacy, however, high school students aren’t exactly interested in learning. People are only GPA and rank oriented, or not interested in school at all from what I’ve seen.
how old are you? are you in college?
“well-regarded public school in the Bronx known as Fieldston”
Interesting. I live in the South Bronx, and for my entire life, I have thought of Fieldston as a private institution. Probably because of the people I know who have gone there, who tend to come from a privileged walk of life and also the neighborhood its in…
“Fieldston is considered a progressive school, but like many organizations, they are working to bridge mission and reality.”
Again, I was under the impression that this was a private school in a privileged neighborhood. I tend to flinch nowadays when the word “progressive” is associated with any private institution whose constituency is dominated by the privileged (I go to the New School, supposedly one of the most progressive universities in the nation, and yet, I am astounded sometimes at how much bigotry and complacency there is on campus). HOw is it that this school works to “bridge mission and reality”?
“I do consider myself to be an expert on education and what became clear from this particular controversy is that schools cannot provide a truly nurturing education so long as there are people who are interested in regulating content.
It turns out some parents who were upset with the political views that were going to be presented in the assembly have had the effect of keeping certain ideas out of the school. But, and this is the key here, the culture of this debate about schooling is more important than the content.”
Agreed. All students are capable of critical thought. Challenging students’ critical capacities requires that they be exposed to all sorts of information, some of which may be highly controversial. Progressive ideas cease to be progressive once they are dogmatic. Have faith that students will make the “right” conclusions from the information that they’re exposed to.
“The message is in our society we have a slow communication process. The fact that knowledge and ideas are locked up in individuals, who then have to be contracted to speak, who then have to deal with school boards fighting over whether they can speak, attests to this. The dialogue of ideas is slowed down by such bureaucracy, and the culture of controversy. “
hmm. I actually feel that this was intentionally built into the education system. The state has a monopoly on information and regulates how this information reaches its students. The state distorts and omits certain information so as to make students complacent and apathetic- i.e. “slavery” and “sweatshops” are taught as an issue of the past, with no bearing on the present, the United States is portrayed as great democratic nation, etc. Critical thinking is stifled, rote memorization replaces pedagogy. All serve to make students into commodities, tomorrow’s perfect workers for the free market.
Let me know if any of my thoughts are unclear. Typed these rather hastily. I’ll get back to you on the questions you posed on my own Xanga.
I’ve heard of college daze. Tell me about that.
As for the job, I’m currently working in research–medical genetics. My lab is studying candidate genes that might be responsible for a rare genetic disorder. I’m focusing on all the elements of one gene in particular, and that was the topic of my presentation.
oops, forgot to answer the second part of your question. The plan is Medical School. I’ve had interviews and now I’m playing the waiting game.
Intel chips are fast to start out with, but they start to lose speed reall quickly unlike AMD which aren’t always clocked as fast as intels, but they are a lot more durable. My guess is though that macs are high quality like most of their products.
What’s your profession? I really want to go into politics or diplomacy both domestically and internationally but Its still a little vague to me. Law would be interesting too but defenitely not as exciting. If you go farther back on my xanga you’ll find a lil entry on Wal mart and how much I despise the lack of enforcement on buisness foreign policiy.
my Sn for AIM is supau235
haha…I’ve actually heard of your book, College Daze, or one exactly like it. I know “college daze” is an overused, if not completely cliched term. But I clearly remember hearing/reading something in the news about a book of that same name that criticized our post-secondary education system that was written by recent college graduates.
What set you off and inspired you to write that book?
Genetics is certainly a fascinating and quickly growing field. I’m actually considering doing a residency in Medical Genetics.