What Should We Be Teaching?

One of the recurring issues in American public education is a discussion as to what student should know. What is important to be a productive and competent individual? This issue gained national attention with the publication of Dr. E.D. Hirsch’s 1987 book, “Cultural Literacy, What Every American Needs to Know.” Hirsch tried to quantify the knowledge by developing a dictionary of over 5000 items that transcended all academic disciplines. It turns out that it’s not that easy.

In the twenty-first century, it is more than content knowledge that students should be seeking. Here are several suggestions.

First, students need to be tech savvy. They need to know how to use a computer and access the Internet. Student who have not been exposed to such technology are at a great disadvantage both in school and in the world of work.

Students also need to be fluent in a second world language. It is unrealistic to believe that one can get along in a global society by knowing just one language. Where you are located on this planet and what you do can drive what languages a person should know.

With the universal use of the Internet, many believe that the bricks and mortar library has become obsolete. However, while that may or may not be true, it does not mitigate the importance of knowing how to complete independent research and access information (without plagiarizing).

There have been many articles written about the growth in the number of students being home schooled. I believe that this shortchanges students in one important area- socialization. A school is as much a social institution as it is an academic one. Students need play with other children in the sandbox and work in teams to complete group projects.  This skill can be very useful in the workplace. It is bothersome to me that with the Internet a student can complete all of K-12 education plus obtain an undergraduate and a graduate degree without leaving home.

There is an organization that beginning to get some traction around the country. It is called “Blue Zones,” based on Dan Buettner’s book, and it is an initiative designed to get people in towns and schools to eat healthy and get plenty of exercise in order to stay healthy. It is an ideal that should be instilled in all students.

While I would not throw away Hirsch’s book yet, it is important that as educators we widen the circle of learning to include a wide array of skills and competencies.

c.2016 J. Margolis