Efficiency is the new game

One of the most accepted principles in educating children in grades 1-3 is to be sure that reading is taught to all of them.  The second most accepted principle is to teach children the fundamentals of mathematical operations.  Beyond those two principles, people add good citizenship, fundamentals of life science, and writing stories.

Grades 1-3 are the formative years for children in that they form their opinions about school that rarely change past the third grade.  Surveys that are published don't usually deal with children's affective attitudes about education, but rather their performance because parents think that children's attitudes follow their performance.  If that logic is used, then performance tests at those grade levels should tell us the opinions children have of school.  And, given the data of performance of the two academic subjects of reading and math, children would have poor opinions of what happens at school.  Two indicators tell me this is true.  Observations in the classroom portraying students' actual engagement with the work going on and a record of the number of interruptions to activities, exercises, and short tests requiring behavioral comment or redirection show that disinterest in reading and math are rampant - to the levels of 60 and 70% for each indicator.

It's time to redirect all right.   But, not for the students, nor the teachers, but for the environment in which efficient, productive learning happens.  The classroom model would have students learn from their seats with books and instruction.  The occasional engagement with a board activity or a silent personal activity, sometimes a group activity with manipulative work of objects or a paired activity for a speedy learner to help a less speedy learner isn't efficient for productive learning, isn't efficient for lasting learning, nor is it efficient for natural cognitive learning.

If a person needs to present formative training for the generation that could, and will at some point, learn completely by computer, subscribe to the ABCDisney.com website and app.  It can teach students without a teacher or with a little adult guidance and monitoring.  So if a machine can do the training part, what is left?  That's a question for the old school educator and for those educated by the classroom model.  But, there are major steps left, not the least of which is presenting oneself through social media presentation, programming syntax, website setup and presence, and many other preparations for modern instruments and tools.  Giving students experience is so necessary for taking on the modern world and making it a better place.