The Wings of Atalanta and "Education"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcsaQn8M1kk

In my 30+ years of teaching, I have rarely heard an honest conversation on "what is success" in public education, only simple solutions before even understanding the problems...


In 1903, W.E.B. DuBois used the story of Atalanta and Hippomenes to illustrate the deep divide between a "modern" education and what he believed were the true ideals of education. He mused that the "modern" education was focused on preparing workers and making money over the virtues of learning Goodness, Beauty, and the pursuit of Truth.

"It is a hard thing to live haunted by the ghost of an untrue dream...to dream of material prosperity (high GPA, graduation rate, etc...my addition!) as the touchstone of all success instead of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. Already the fatal idea is beginning to spread."


As widely reported in the media, an "Urban Prep" School in Chicago brags about the fact that 100% of its 55 students graduate from high school and 100% are accepted into four-year colleges (a slick marketing ploy) while:

• failing to include the 100+ students who left the school in their data
• dropping from 17.2% to 14.7% in its "MCA" proficiency scores
• averaging 16.5 on the ACT exam

I suspect that many students have:

• been conditioned to fear failure/ not see struggle as an opportunity for growth
• accepted the effortless "perfection" of good grades over the joy of learning
• avoided challenging and engaging classes in order to minimize effort

IMO (and DuBois'), the over-emphasis on measurement of standardized data, GPA, failure rate focuses our students and teachers on the scoreboard instead of "keeping their eye on the ball" of a true education. 

For students who find high school relatively easy, "staring at the scoreboard" can be quite affirming and for those who struggle on the scoreboard it can be depressing...and when they struggle later in life students begin to doubt, believe they are not smart, give up, etc. instead of  struggle as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Read Carol Dweck's study on the principles of fixed vs. growth mindset!

I believe that when we allow students (and teachers) to question, become truly curious/ engaged in critical thinking, value the true "joy of learning" (aka keep their eye on the ball of a true education) and not worry about their grades, keeping up with the common core, vertical and horizontal alignment...then they will be begin to develop a critical consciousness of empathy for humanity and a heart for social action (and they may even improve their GPA, increase graduation rate, and excel on standardized tests).

Then, America will begin to become great (not again) for the first time!