Virginia still has SOL’s (Standards of Learning). These tests, which progressive educators love to hate, remind people that schools used to focus on facts and knowledge. The Education Establishment works tirelessly to suppress this reactionary nonsense. Who needs facts?
Sunday’s paper hailed the Virginia Beach Schools Initiative, which is said “to preapre students to think critically, solve problems and work as a team.” This yawn is made to seem radical and wonderful. To my ears, it’s just the standard Reform Math/Constructivism/Cooperative Learning/Critical Thinking/No Memorization blather that has done so much to fill schools with fluff. At the end of the day there are fewer facts and less knowledge. For example, Critical Thinking typically means kids who know nothing have deep discussions about said nothing. Biggest alarm bell: teachers will be reduced to "facilitators." A consultant from the Harvard Graduate School of Education dropped down to tell the locals what’s what. Hasn't that place caused enough trouble? The consultant expressed horror that some students could "regurgitate facts." My advice to Virginia Beach: save your money.
(So what's wrong with Constructivism?? Read this....)
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