HW 45

I read part of what I could for E. D. Hirsch’s Curriculum for Democracy. Besides from being kinda a time line of what Hirsch did. Hirsch theory is the idea that in order to have full advantage of something such as reading an article or a book we must have full knowledge and facts first. Students need to have more common knowledge first then they would be able to progress and be better thinkers. He is against the fact that students should teach themselves, students should be taught more of the facts and have more knowledge on subjects like the history, science, etc. It basically talks about how Hirsch idea of having knowledge is better. For example is when the writer asked a bunch of kids about the civil war and in return the children has no clue what he was speaking of or what the civil war really was despite being in what was known be be one of the best schools. When complaining the school shot back saying "Our kids don’t need to learn about the Civil War. What they are learning at P.S. 87 is how to learn about the Civil War." I guess in Hirsch perspective he would say that the kids couldn't learn HOW to learn about the Civil war without knowing what it is in the first place.

In the Faculty Shack reading which talks a lot about the list of principles which includes main points like learning to use your mind well, depth of coverage, basically that kids should be taught the skills on how to learn better rather then just be given facts and information. Sizer first researched about what was insufficient in schools it seemed before figure out the main principles for teaching students. Although many agreed with the fact that "students need to learn how to use their minds well" it seems that the outcome is what he described as "machine that they designed and operated" that was supposedly suppose to achieve this but in reality it doesn't. Which in result is why the principles were created.

At first I figure that Sizer's idea is what I agreed with most. I definetly think that students need to be taught skills to learn think logically and have the skills to actually learn better. This is something that I think I was always taught being in SOF. Although after thinking about it a lot I also kinda agree with Hirsch's theory too. Mainly because in many classes, especially social studies I tend to find my self unaware of what the teacher is talking about at times. The fact that I lack so much knowledge really puts me at a disadvantage or being able to learn or do things without actually bullshitting it sometimes. Or sometimes I just find myself doing it the way I see. Kinda like monkey see monkey do. This is definitely negative for me because it actually makes me feel stupid at times sadly. I feel dump or not as "educated" as other students who can practically say a whole time line accurately of a certain time period or something. I kind of wish I was taught more knowledge on certain subjects, that way the teachers can then teach us skills on learning and guiding us with everything else. I'm not agree with just telling us what to do and students just doing it or waiting for the answer which in most cases is like that in many classes. But some common knowledge could have probably definitely help me a lot, especially in feeling less stupid in my time in school.