Hw 45

After reading the texts I decided to focus on how different Hirsch and Sizer’s theories are from each-other, and where they overlap.

Overall, I do think that the theories are reciprocal of each-other (in a mathematical sense, they are literally both the other argument flipped around). Hirsch thinks that students should be taught a basic depository of knowledge and any personal development will happen individually and be based on this. Sizer thinks that students should be led to grow personally, and they will accumulate knowledge due to the intellectual interest derived from their develpoment as time goes on.

Personally, I tend to agree more with Sizer. I strongly agree with the quote at the end of the New York Times’ obituary for him, “Inspiration, hunger: these are the qualities that drive good schools.” I think that above all else, it is important for students to be inspired to have a personal love of learning, and that Sizer’s methods are a strong way to encourage that.

However, I also disagree with him on some points, and favor a few of Hirsch’s ideas instead. Specifically, the point listed in the FacultyShack interview as one of the Common Principals of “depth over coverage” is something that I am currently quite annoyed at this school about-- I am just finding out that I will have to spend at least a semester in college learning things that most people were taught in high-school. Of course, it’s always possible that my Sizer-style-education-inspired love of learning is why I’m upset by the prospect that there was more to learn and I didn’t have access to it, which could (and often does) prompt me to look for it on my own. I also currently take issue with my Sizer-style-education’s taboo on route memorization; while in general I think that conceptual understanding is a much more useful tool for learning and skill for later life, I can barely find New York on a map.

Here’s my theory: it should be assumed that the student will not contribute to their learning process at all on their own. As President Obama mentioned in the speech featured in the last assignment, some students have extenuating circumstances and most are pretty lazy, either way they probably won’t do their education justice. Therefore, I don’t think that personal development and basic knowledge should be divided into two categories, one to be taught, one to be gained independently. Both will play a crucial role in a current student’s future life, and therefore both should be given the attention in school that they will not be given outside of school.