Language Development
Journal II
7/31/10
Journal II
Teach Knowledge, Not "Mental Skills" by E.D. Hirsch
The text "Teach Knowledge, Not "Mental Skills" by E.D. Hirsch gave me an interesting insight into a perspective I normally would disagree with.
Hirsch seems to be an opponant of the "[...] "learning-to-learn, "critical thinking skills" and "problem-solving skills" [...]" (Hirsch, 115). Rather, he puts emphasis on the content knowledge in order to foster the academic skills of less capable students who stuggle with those learning targets at school. These approaches mentioned above sum up what i believe should be concretely realized by education. Stundents should go far beyond mere content knowledge in order to learn to think critically, to ask questions and to doubt social conventions. Furthermore, they can learn to cope with everyday problems by learning about certain problem-solving strategies. I am aware of the fact that school is concerned with fill students with content knowledge they are tested on; thus, you could facilitate this problem by training learning strategies. Problem-solving, critical thinking and learning strategies are highly significant and so I am ciritcal towards the core-knowledge schools which are more concrete and merely content-based. What is the outcome of such schools? The student learn by heart and they are tested on knowledge that might be useful to them but in the long run it is simply ineffective to not teach them skills. Mental skills - if trained intensively and on a regular basis - have a more long lasting effects on the students and they might use them in many contexts whereas mere knowledge can only be applied in certain contexts. Content-based knowledge helps the students to pass exams or to do well in the school system but i doubt that it prepares them for everday life and the problems they face.
All in all, I am against those core-knowledge schools and I would strongly disagree with the author to just teach knowledge and not mental skills.
Sema,
AntwortenLöschenI agree that content is just the beginning and "students should go far beyond mere content knowledge". I also like the solution that you offer to "train" students in the use of learning strategies.
Take another look at these phrases: "he puts emphasis on the content knowledge" and "have a more long lasting effects on the students". Do you see a common issue?