Infrastructure: It Is More Than Things

"Researchers concerned with academic-achievement gaps have begun to study, with increasing interest and enthusiasm, a set of personal qualities—often referred to as noncognitive skills, or character strengths—that include resilience, conscientiousness, optimism, self-control, and grit. These capacities generally aren’t captured by our ubiquitous standardized tests, but they seem to make a big difference in the academic success of children, especially low-income children."

Presently in the USA, there is a political and economic discussion regarding investment for infrastructure. While the Democrats want to expand the definition of infrastructure to include lifting up those who are disadvantaged, the Republicans have a more narrowed view (surprise, surprise).

Click on the link below for an expansive look at a bed-rock problem that is poorly addressed in society presently:

How to Teach Students Resilience

Cancel Culture In Academia

I have posted on Cancel Culture in the past. This post presents evidence that using the term against academic institutions may not be valid. Click on the link below:

Debunking the Latest "Campus Craziness Stories"

A Science-Based Look At History Education

 History is usually taught in an informational fact-based format. This approach emphasizes why events happen and works backward. Click on the click below for a short video explaining the approach.

Let's talk about how to teach or learn history

A Child Teaches Children About Humanism

Elle Harris, the nine-year-old author of the humanist book Elle the Humanist, is a bright star of critical thinking and humanism for doing more than her part in educating her peers in such. If you are a humanist/atheist/free-thinking parent of a young student and are looking for resources to aid you in passing on how to think outside of the magical thinking fog around us, this should be given serious consideration. Below are two links presenting Elle:

Elle the Humanist: an Interview with a young Humanist Author

Elle the Humanist (FFRF video)

Indoctrination Vs Critical Thinking

"Water to wine, walking on water, flaming chariot rising to heaven, giant fish eating a man and spitting him out after he learns his lesson–these all require no small amount of faith to accept, and solid, swift indoctrination kick-starts the young’uns. (When I was young we colored pictures and sang songs and used those funky felt boards--remember them--to memorize stories we knew nothing about.) Teach faith if you must but leave it out of the school. Or could it be that those who want us to replace critical thinking with church dogma are concerned (insecure) that their faith won’t stand up to scutiny? What does that say about their faith? Then again, maybe that’s the whole point." (link) 

"Repetitive learning – where students simply chant responses – is a popular form of indoctrination. It can be a useful way to commit information to memory, such as the alphabet or our multiplication tables, but it also can be used to impose political or religious doctrine and overwhelm critical thinking. In this circumstance, it is a form of manipulation." (link)

"The opposite of closed-mindedness is not a postmodern void in which there’s no such thing as truth. No, the opposite of closed-mindedness is open-mindedness — in which we seek the truth yet recognize that we could be wrong.

"Emphasizing open-mindedness and intellectual humility can help ensure you won’t indoctrinate students, even on subjects you feel strongly about. Of course, you have political views, and students know that. You can tell your students, as I do mine, that you will work to ensure that your views do not influence your evaluation of their progress in the course." (link)

A Skeptical Look At Charter Schools

"In the last decade, religious organizations have flocked to charter schools as a way to get public tax dollars to promote their private agendas. Sometimes, religious schools simply close at the end of the school year and reopen in the fall as public charter schools, hiring many of the same teachers and taking on most of the same students."

Does Religion Have a Place in Public Schools?

"It’s impossible to generalize charter schools. How charters are run, funded, and overseen varies dramatically from state to state, school to school. In Charter Schools at the Crossroads, one of the most comprehensive overviews of the charter movement, Chester Finn, M.A.T.’67, Ed.D.’70, concludes, 'The charter track record can best be described as stunningly uneven.'”

The Battle Over Charter Schools

"Public charter schools must abide by the constitutional principle of separation of church and state, just like any other public school.

"They may not anchor their curriculum in religion or teach religious views in the classroom, require students to pray, admit only members of certain faith groups, or use religion as an excuse to discriminate.

"When public charter schools violate these principles of religious freedom, students feel excluded or that they belong to the 'wrong' religion. Americans United fights to ensure public charter schools follow the law because no child should feel like an outsider in his or her own school."

Americans United for Separation of Church and State - Position on Public Charter Schools

Alternatives To Medicine In Academia

"During the past 20 years, integrative medicine centers that promote the use of alternative therapies were established in more than 70 medical and nursing schools. A survey of hospital websites and interviews with physicians, hospital administrators, and staff revealed that 15 research-intensive medical schools in the United States provide alternative therapies in their integrative medicine centers and affiliated hospitals."

One would think that the US colleges and universities would not only avoid supporting horse pucky quackery but ACTIVELY attack it. Well, in our magical thinking culture, good luck with that.

Click on the link below:

Alternative therapies in academic medical centers compromise evidence-based patient care

It's A Public Health Issue

While, on the surface, statistics for the results of homeschooling vs. public schools seem favorable to homeschooling (link), objectively looking at the social, economical, and demographic differences between the two seems to explain most of the results (link), (link).

"States need to recognize the importance of oversight, as unsupervised homeschooling is still prevalent in most states, which allows fundamentalist parents to raise generations of children who are mathematically, scientifically, and socially illiterate in an environment undoubtedly dangerous to their wellbeing."

With the growing influence of Evangelical and conservative Catholic Christians in society (While they are a minority, they are politically punching above their weight), the Homeschooling movement continues to grow like a brain disease (which indoctrination is).

Christian Homeschooling Still Failing Kids

Frankly, I would like to see a school requirement, NO MATTER THE SETTING, of education in critical thinking (i.e. science-based thinking/skepticism).

100 Best Websites for Science Teachers

I add that if one Googles' "Science-Based Thinking" one will also get a trove of information on such:

https://www.forensicsciencetechnician.org/100-best-websites-for-science-teachers/?fbclid=IwAR1oeZk-XnSka41R86WDuXkjlI9jMkUFyHDcJ96eSJJJd3alK2siGG1RLy0

The History Of Public Education

"I don't want a nation of thinkers. I want a nation of workers."
~ John D. Rockefeller

Sadly, the purpose of compulsory public education was not founded on critical thinking and true learning but for training and indoctrination in service to the state and church authority.

I'll take George Carlin's opinion of education: "Children should be taught to ask questions, not to obey." Yes, there is a need for factual learning but without critical thinking also, education is training only. If there ever was a need for the application of science-based thinking, public education is priority one IMHO.

Public Schools, the Fixation of Belief, and Social Control

Insight Into How Atheists Raise Their Children

"How do atheists teach their children? Do atheist parents teach their kids that there is no god? I spoke with two of the directors of Camp Quest Texas, David and Jamye, about how they, as atheist parents and teachers, teach children. We also discuss how we can raise the next generation free of dogma."

How Atheists Teach Their Children

Beware Of How School Vouchers Are Being Used

With the many issues confronting the US public school system, there are many ideas floating around regarding how to improve the problem, to include such efforts as pouring more money directly into the public schools, alternative education for teacher training, busing, charter schools, and vouchers for private schools. Out of all of these, the last effort is on the shakiest educational and constitutional ground.

School vouchers use tax dollars to teach religious doctrine

Addressing The Problems In Larger Cities

My adopted home town of Charlotte, NC has a good reputation in some areas but in other areas, not so much. Thus, I would say it is a typical growing community in the USA.  The following article is enlightening regarding how one larger community is dealing with its challenges.

The 'tragic gap' is where it's at

Is "Personalized Learning" A Viable Education Option?

"But personalized learning raises big questions about educational equity. Is it important for all children to be taught common skills and content? Could personalized learning spur an even more splintered society? Is the purpose of education to forge a thoughtful citizenry or to equip students for jobs? What does personalized learning mean to the perennial tug-of-war over the content of what is taught? Is sameness the key to equal opportunity?"

Is the new education reform hiding in plain sight?

 

Character Is Important

“'Although the public school system is not perfect and has continual room for improvement,' the researchers state in the executive summary, 'it is still the cornerstone of community empowerment and advancement in American society. The required inclusivity of the public school setting provides more opportunity for students to learn in culturally, racially, and socioeconomically integrated classrooms and schools, and that promotes social-emotional and civic benefits for students.'

"That 'required inclusivity' frightens some people, but it shouldn’t. It helps us improve the world by getting to know each other as neighbors.

"On his deathbed, Fred Rogers worried that he hadn’t done enough to improve the world. 'Am I a sheep?' he asked, referencing another parable, this one where Jesus separates the good sheep from the useless goats.

"Perhaps someone this humble, as authentic and honest in private as he was in public, as dedicated to helping children and leaving the world a better place, is truly one of a kind. For all our sakes, I hope not."

We need Mr. Rogers more than ever

 

Read more here: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article213934324.html#storylink=cpy

Just Another Fox Watching The Chicken Coop

With all the negative stuff coming out on Scott Pruitt recently, the news media has deemphasized the other cabinet members of Trump. Betsy DeVos is one who needs to be closely watched because of her ignorance and negative effects on education.

Betsy DeVos Reinstated College Accreditor Over Staff Objections

Preschool IS Valuable

"Reviewing the preschool curriculum and assuming that a bright student like the young Donald J. Trump would have mastered it, if our president had gone to preschool, today we would have a leader who is an articulate speaker, a proficient and enthusiastic reader and writer, a proficient estimator, an accurate observer of scientific facts, a concerned citizen of the world who displays understanding, respect and empathy for people with disabilities, all genders, ethnicities and religions, and an individual who can differentiate between real and fake news."

President Trump might be different had he attended preschool

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article212691969.html#storylink=c

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article212691969.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article212691969.html#storylink=cpy"

Here's Whose Advice We Need To Follow This Graduation Season

"We, the adults, have not earned the right to deliver your commencement addresses for we have created a mess of polarization, demonization, environmental damage and gun violence. Rather than letting us shatter your dreams for our world, please shatter our complacency and cynicism. Demand that our country work toward your ideals and ours. Rather than offering you advice, we are ready to follow yours."

High School Class of 2018, be nonconforming.

(Odyssey)

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/editorials/article212566359.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/editorials/article212566359.html#storylink=c

An Ironic Promotion Of Free Choices

The local YMCA camp, among its lessons and activities says it promotes independent thinking about choices, but forces the participants to accept religion.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/helping-others/summer-camp-fund/article211200944.html

Critical Thinking Can Be Taught

We science-based thinkers/skeptics regularly promote the teaching of critical thinking skills.  However, from a practical standpoint, how do we do it? Because of limited educational resources, it may not be feasible to address the issue with separate classes.

This article shows the promise of effective teaching of critical thinking in humanities classes as part of the usual curricula:

Critical thinking instruction in humanities reduces belief in pseudoscience

 

 (EdTechReview)