Revolution Not Reform

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/dan_meyer_math_curriculum_makeover.html

       The problem with education is that students don't have the right attitude towards it. It's not something students really enjoy doing. When we think of education the first words that come to mind are "boring, dumb, and stupid". We're forced to go to 5 classes a day, 15 classes a year, and half of them will never be used outside of that class. Even some math teachers admit that half the things we learn we will never use in the real world. Unless I'm going to be some rocket scientist, I don't need 4 years of math. I think with most careers you can get by perfectly fine with the basics. In Dan Meyers video he explains that we won't even remember most of our math with the passing years. He came up with a way to get students involved, to get them engaged. He found a way to kind of change the way students feel about learning.

     Some say we should start a revolution. I agree with this idea. Our system now is broken beyond repair. We've fallen into routines that don't allow us to be individual learners. We're all forced to take the same classes, be with the same people throughout our years, and they deny choices we want to make. The lessons are given to us, we just need to memorize the formulas. That's a point that Meyer's made. We need the option to make our own choices. In Joshua Spence's blog (http://spenceenglish.blogspot.com/) he states that his English class is the "perfect poster child" for this revolution. I also agree with him. He gives us choice. He allows us to read what we want. I believe all teachers should follow his example.He says that reading what we want will give us an understanding of ourselves. The only way to discover us is by being us. Think of all the great writers, or adventurers. How do you think they became so great? By being told what to think? No, it was by finding something new, and creating something great. They said no to the system and yes to creative thinking. Joshua Spence and Dan Meyer both have the same dream. Not to fix something that's broken, but to start something better. Let's stop wasting time and do something!