Are Students Getting Worse?

Elliot Sang・2 minutes read

The impact of COVID-19 on education has raised concerns about mental health, standardized testing, and the rigid structure of the system, emphasizing the need for systemic change towards a more equitable and student-centered approach. Freire advocates for true education through dialogue and collaboration, highlighting the importance of recognizing students' humanity in fostering a positive learning environment.

Insights

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted children's education, with millions testing positive and facing academic challenges, leading to concerns about safety and learning loss.
  • Traditional education systems, focused on standardized testing and productivity, may hinder genuine learning experiences, alienating students and teachers, highlighting the need for a shift towards more human-centered, equitable educational approaches like those advocated by Paulo Freire.

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Recent questions

  • How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected education?

    The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted education by leading to the closure of schools, causing disruptions in learning, and highlighting existing issues such as mental health challenges among students, rigid schedules, and the focus on standardized testing.

  • What are the concerns regarding standardized testing in education?

    Concerns about standardized testing in education include its profit-driven nature, detrimental effects on students, hindrance to genuine learning experiences, and the focus on creating a compliant workforce rather than fostering intellectual growth.

  • Who advocates for a more equitable education system?

    Paulo Freire advocates for a more equitable education system that emphasizes dialogue, recognizes students' humanity, and fosters a collaborative learning environment, suggesting a need for systemic change in education.

  • What is Tailorism and its impact on education?

    Tailorism is a system rooted in efficiency and standardization that gained popularity in schools post-1950s, aiming to create compliant workers through speed and repetition, hindering meaningful, creative output and devaluing intellectual curiosity.

  • How does the current education system perpetuate societal values?

    The current education system perpetuates societal values and norms by prioritizing financial stability, profitability, and efficiency, potentially hindering students' ability to fully engage with their learning environment and promoting a workforce mentality over intellectual growth.

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Summary

00:00

Impact of COVID-19 on Education System

  • Vivien Carbo, a caregiver for hospice patients, supported the extended closure of schools through spring 2021 to protect against COVID-19, but her daughter's mental health suffered, leading to academic failure.
  • Nearly 15.6 million children tested positive for COVID-19 by May 11, 2023, with over 1300 deaths in 2021 and 2022, highlighting the impact on children.
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics warned about the risks of returning children to school due to safety concerns and the potential for further spread of the virus.
  • The concept of "COVID learning loss" has gained attention, with teachers expressing frustration over students' academic levels and the impact of online learning.
  • The education system has been exposed by global crises, leading to a reevaluation of teaching methods and the focus on standardized testing over actual learning.
  • The pandemic exacerbated existing issues in education, with students struggling to adapt to online learning and parents facing challenges in supporting their children's education.
  • Students faced behavioral challenges post-pandemic, having grown accustomed to the freedom of online learning, leading to disruptions in classrooms and a lack of disciplinary measures.
  • The Department of Education's approach to promoting students to the next grade despite academic struggles has raised concerns about the quality of education and students falling behind.
  • The education system's rigidity and focus on standardized testing have hindered teachers' ability to engage students and foster genuine learning experiences.
  • Addressing the root causes of educational challenges, such as systemic inequalities and lack of support for teachers, is crucial to improving the overall education system.

14:17

"Challenging Traditional Grading Systems in Education"

  • Historical panics about education have recurred across generations, questioning the effectiveness of traditional grading systems.
  • Zoe's viral video "Grading is a Scam and Motivation is a Myth" challenges the meaningfulness of grades in measuring learning.
  • Extrinsic motivation through grades may not accurately reflect true learning, as grades can be influenced by various external factors.
  • Mario Mao's article highlights the inconsistency in measuring learning loss, with data showing minimal decline in reading abilities over summers.
  • Learning experiences, like playing a video game, demonstrate that skills can be regained after breaks, emphasizing the importance of engagement.
  • Learning should not be solely measured by performance, as enjoyment and engagement play crucial roles in the learning process.
  • Reports on learning loss during the pandemic lack conclusive data, with minimal gaps in test scores and a focus on profit-driven testing companies.
  • Concerns about declining student engagement and mental health overshadow claims of plummeting literacy and math rates.
  • The profit-driven testing industry pushes for more standardized testing, despite educators' objections to its detrimental effects on students.
  • The concept of time discipline in education, rooted in capitalist control, aims to mold students into productive workers, dehumanizing them in the process.

29:51

"Tailorism in Education: Efficiency over Creativity"

  • Schooling is a system that compares students based on productivity, favoring those who complete the most work efficiently.
  • Grading and standardized testing are assessment tools aimed at creating a profitable workforce, leading to the dehumanization of workers.
  • Tailorism, rooted in efficiency and standardization, gained popularity in schools post-1950s, influenced by Harvard Business School and the Space Race.
  • Tailorism alienates workers by valuing speed and repetition over transformative, thoughtful work, favoring those deemed less intellectually curious.
  • Efficient work under Tailorism requires speed and repetition, hindering meaningful, creative output.
  • The education system, adopting Tailorism, aims to produce compliant workers rather than fostering intellectual growth.
  • Discipline in education can be detrimental, as strict rules may lead to undue stress and anxiety for students.
  • Educational scholar Gert Biesta advocates for giving students agency over their education, allowing them to learn responsibility through freedom.
  • Ivan Illich criticizes the dehumanizing nature of traditional schooling, proposing alternatives like a state-sponsored credit system for skill development.
  • Herbert Gintis critiques Illich's focus on technology and corporate behavior, highlighting the need to address fundamental economic institutions to truly reform education.

45:15

Funding, skills, and values in education.

  • Educational centers require funding to operate effectively, leading them to prioritize financial stability and profitability to attract investments and sustain operations.
  • Teachers in these centers often need to invest in acquiring specific skills and certifications to teach certain subjects, which can be challenging due to low pay, leading to a disparity in who can access teaching opportunities.
  • The structure of the current education system perpetuates societal values and norms, potentially hindering students' ability to engage fully and positively with their learning environment.
  • The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on education systems has highlighted existing issues such as mental health challenges among students, rigid schedules, and standardized testing that may not align with effective learning.
  • True education, as advocated by Paulo Freire, emphasizes dialogue, recognizing students' humanity, and fostering a collaborative learning environment, suggesting a need for systemic change to create a more equitable education system.
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