4:
Teacher is the agent of change, they create creme de la crème. That’s why their voices must be heard. Thats why the direction of the society depends much on them. Basically I agree with George S. Counts when he said that teacher should not represent any special class but rather act according to the interests of the great masses of the people. Thats why teachers must be proactive not just in school but at the society level as well, to persuade the society because society too believes it has rights over education.
What is the best way to form a curriculum. Counts believed that schools must be the center for progress, not just a contemplation or reminiscence of civilization. This can be reached by providing what lies ahead to our students so that they will choose and have power to choose according to it. This has elements of truth because I believe the best way to educate our generation depends so much on the suitability of now and future. I can’t educate my generation according to the suitability of my time. It is outdated. It must be on their suitability.
When Counts mentioned the intertwined idea of Democracy and education, I scorched at it. Not that I disagree over democracy ideas except that I find the implementation is not there. I find it impossible as Democracy today is State Controlled Democracy that uses National Education/Syllabus to get a grip on society. In fact, education should be based on free will not on a junk of National Education. It tends to limit your consciousness and self realization. How can one achieve self realization when a student is not free from external authority? In the end, one is a slave towards industrialist advocates. That is what I feel after reading Counts’ views on democratization of education.
21:
Richness+Recursion+Relation + Rigor vs Subject Matter as a Source of Objectives+Needs of the learners as a Source of Objectives+Studies of contemporary life as a Source of Objectives. Seriously, I am more to accept the Four R’s as they are more open in building curriculum, not just that, it gives opportunity for teachers to teach in depths, compromises all elements of society and it is transformative. I don’t see at Tyler’s as the theory is very fix and on the other hand, the 4 R’s are loose out. This symbolize the dynamism of the 4 R.
The dynamism of 4R is shown in Recursion. I like the idea of Recursion. It mentions how it is associated with repetition and reflecting on human consciousness in order to make meaning for his/her own. It reminds me the process of action research that does not stop at the first cycle, but it keeps continued to 2nd , 3rd and to the next cycles. So the process of learning will always expand, anyway depends on one’s ability to reflect on the process.
It is a relief for me in page 257 when he wrote, “ The textbook, throughout all this, is seen as something to revise, not as something to follow. It is the base from which transformation occurs. Curriculum in a post modern frame needs to be created( self organized) by the classroom community, not by textbook authors.” It helps me to understand that the main idea of developing curriculum is being able to associate with every subjects within the curriculum, not just merely piling up materials and content to students. At the end, students must be able to make sense and see the relation between this subject and the other subjects.
26:
My belief about test and examination as well as level of performance that exist in my society and American society derive from the pressure of society itself that want to know/ get the best education able for their kids. My belief is confirmed when the author asserts this by saying, “ The formulation of standards and the measurement of performance were intended to tidy up a messy system and to make teachers and school administrators truly accountable.” However, all of this “desire” that society wants to know coming from our own instinct which is rationalization. Rationalization means society wants to understand where is the direction or the outcomes of schooling system that they send their kids. It produces the ability to assess the performance though sometimes, it must be avoided because the success of education is not based on examination results only. What determine the success of education? Economic strengths of a nation or the amounts of universities exist in a country? It is very difficult to define and narrow as well as satiate the rationale of society when it comes to the education and curriculum. I think the author answers kind of questions above by ensuring students to engage in challenging kinds of conversation by thinking and responding about what people said, in terms of logic,reflection,critically and imaginatively. Being able to use the skills above are the elements of having intellectual dispositions. It is the extension of horizon development.
Seriously, if schools become places to produce “products” to compete in a global economy, it is a frustration on behalf of me, realizing that it is not supposed to be the truly direction we are heading. Rather, I believe goal of education should answer and being able to take actions towards these 4 questions. Those who understand and manage to engage and reflect to these questions will make full use of education:
a) Who are we?
b) Where are we from?
c) What is our direction?
c) What is the purpose of we being human?
Tags: contemplation, curriculum, education, implementation