Is Education Too Complex?

[@ashleystarns1949]

I agree wholeheartedly. However, as a classroom teacher, I am scared to deviate from what the administration/the district is asking for. Previously, I worked at a Title I school where the majority of students were ML learners. We were a targeted school because we fell well below other schools in our districts. We had constant walk-throughs where every small thing was nit-picked. Even the way we displayed student work had requirements. This year I transferred to a new school where it's better, but that fear remains. As a classroom teacher we often see the problems but feel powerless to impact greater change.

[@WorldTurndUpsideDown]

@@ashleystarns1949 Did we work at the same school? I swear, we had requirements for every little thing. And admin would spout “evidence” to claim why it had to be done that way. “Students from this one study at a school in the middle of Idaho (that doesn’t have the Internet) saw 12 pages of student work for 40% of their day and they saw a .5% increase in tests scores!! Everyone get your staplers out.”

[@AlexaSmith]

You’re so right. Everyone is just looking for the one thing to solve solutions. I understand the science behind the science of teaching reading. I agree with all that. But the way they are choosing to implement in the classroom seems way too disconnected from how teaching actually works. It’s my first year and I find the curriculum so hard to follow because its exactly what you said. And the students are interested in NONE of it because the stories are boring and completely unrelated to their interests. There’s nooo time for interest based reading for them or time for them to follow their own passions. 😭😭😭😭😭

[@WorldTurndUpsideDown]

Can we talk about how even if teaching to “fidelity” that there are still numerous inputs that make the data extremely unscientific?

[@BridgingLiteracy]

Absolutely! There are many variables that we cannot control as educators but wouldn’t it be better to try rather than trust our guts 🤷🏻‍♀️ what do you think?

[@WorldTurndUpsideDown]

@@BridgingLiteracy I think that pseudoscience always seems to be used to justify what is good for the budget and not is what is good for the kids or teachers. It’s the only way because it’s “evidence based” is a dangerous viewpoint when almost anything can be supported using poor research. Poor research is a huge part of what has made education so messed up.

[@AlexaSmith]

I also think this is especially true for classroom management. People are just throwing treats and rewards and PBIS but these kids are severely lacking in intense social emotional learning needs. They are being forced to grow up so fast but they cant handle their emotions without being taught and we’ve decided they only need ten minutes a day for that, at least where i’m teaching. We have ten minutes a day for these kids that need hours of sel lessons and practice and time just bonding with their peers.

[@melissadean4538]

I see this so much as an instructional coach. My goal this year is trying to simplifying their day and schedule. Thank you for this video. Do you have a protocol that you help teachers and teams that works for them to evaluate their schedule and programs.

[@MoiPanda]

You bring up a lot of great points about, well, everything. The complex network of bureaucracy surrounding teaching and curriculum and lesson plans and so much more across the country, and frankly, across the globe, can be really off putting at best, and wildly inefficient at the worst. Especially in the digital age, and with the rise of so much rampant misinformation and disinformation everywhere you look, it feels like the bar has never been higher for the amount of specialized knowledge that children need just to be confident in the truthfulness of whatever they read and see. It also feels disheartening seeing so many creative pursuits being tossed to the wayside with the rise of AI. It's like children need to learn more and more about everything, while also needing more and more time to study the humanities and arts to understand and appreciate them, but due to all of the (sometimes) needlessly complex and rigid classroom structures, neither are always attainable.

[@marcmeinzer8859]

Yes, the current system is too complex. At the elementary level at least they need to go back to the 3 Rs or reading, writing and arithmetic. There’s little point in having all of these various academic subjects if the inmates at the local grade school lunatic asylum cannot even learn to read, write or memorize their multiplication tables referred to as “goesintas” by Gomer Pyle.

[@lesleycarmichael6422]

YES! And what is wrong with repeated practice? If I go into surgery I want someone in that room that has practiced over and over and over. I don’t even teach math but I hear it from my teammates. No it’s probably not fun to do drills or repeated practices but I’m not sure having the hundreds chart is the answer.

[@lesleycarmichael6422]

I love the Gomer Pyle reference!😂

[@marcmeinzer8859]

@@lesleycarmichael6422 When I taught parochial junior high in a self contained classroom I used to drill them relentlessly in math by having teams and making them compete with each other. Each row was a team. I was an ex submarine quartermaster or watch navigator and my job was all math.

[@marcmeinzer8859]

@@lesleycarmichael6422 I think he pronounced it “guzintas”.

[@lesleycarmichael6422]

@@marcmeinzer8859 😂😂. Or Ernest T Bass when he does arithmetic!😂

[@dianelambert9367]

What is a good resource to help understand the science of reading?

[@PilarMendoza-ci6wh]

Elon Musk is a grifter.

[@katiee3842]

It is ineffective. AI will take over shortly

[@AlexaSmith]

Ai is made in the same way that these overly complex systems are made. Ai is not the answer. We need to empower communities and individuals to work together to make the best education for everyone possible.

[@katiee3842]

@ AI isn’t “made”… it is uniquely individually responsive and will be the most efficient way to evaluate kids’ educational needs and fill gaps accordingly. It will also generate child specific activities and exercises while making them feel like they all have their own personal teacher.

[@DivineRedwood]

*Zero irony that the "people" talking about simplifying the complexity of things via a story of a man are two women? Over complexity usually stems from women, NOT men. Plus you took 17 minutes to explain what could have been done in 5? No script, "chit-chat"? Yikes! No.*