What is the role of the K—12 education system: to lead, or to follow?

A province’s education system has always been looked to as a “socialization” process—the way in which a province prepares young people to participate as active citizens in the exercise of democracy. It provides youth with the intellectual, social, and career skills that are needed for that participation. But what society are we preparing them for—today’s, or tomorrow’s?

A debate that sometimes happens within the education community is whether it is an educator’s job to anticipate the future, and prepare students for it; or is it their job to simply prepare students to maintain the status quo. For example, is it the education system’s responsibility to prepare young people for a Canada consistent with the expectations of Kyoto; or is its responsibility to simply prepare young people to adopt the current standards of environmental conduct, whether or not they are supportive of Kyoto?

In other words, should education “lead” society, or “follow” it, as Canada moves forward with the implementation of the Kyoto Accord?

I welcome your views on this issue.

I'll weigh in on the "lead" side of the equation. However with so many disparate views on where we should be going difficulties are going to emerge.
For a while, I volunteered at an alternative school and "taught" a class I called the Atheneum. I based it on my interpretation of how Socrates facilitated education. I t was more of a discussion than anything else I suppose. I would present a question for the students to take home with them. For example: What is the most important thing in the world? The students aged from 7 to 17 were encouraged to ask this question of their families, friends, read books, watch TV, check the Internet etc. with this question in mind. When we got together again each student had their say.
In answer to the above question I got was told that food, water, air, love, peace, freedom, family, God etc. was the most important thing in the world. I believe they all were correct. You could see the lights turning on in those enquiring minds. They all contributed to the learning. The entire community contributed to the curriculum. It was a sharing of ideas, not an infliction of dogma or some rigid set of beliefs about what is right. The teacher told me again and again that these classes were the students favourites, the highlight of the week. The kids wanted to learn this way!
They taught themselves, I simply facilitated. Let us not underestimate the capabilities of youth to figure out what is important to themselves. We can nudge them in certain directions but when they themselves are contributing to their own growth they develop a sense of empowerment that creates it's own momentum.
Thanks, Mike

What are the strategies being used by the Federal Govn't to educate the public towards kyoto compliance when it may already have a bad reputation? it will take time to to sway public opinion on this subject in favor of Kyoto, because although it looks out for what our number one cause should be---the environment--it may have obvious economic ramifications. There must be some kind of education force that can teach the youth of canada to accept the Kyoto accord, because most Candian youths are pretty willing to hitch onto a worthwile cause. With that said, in youths there will be a stronger driving force towards acceptance. But most important are the issues facing Alberta. Having refused compliance, Alberta is worried Kyoto will have signifigant ill-effects on their economy. What strategies are being implemented so as to diversify the economy in Alberta so Kyoto will not have as great an econimc downfalls? ( possibly following the eco-example and creating the one of the worlds few eco-industries?) Leaders-- to be followed --must set examples and plans, I'm worried about the seeming absence of a plan to better Canada Econically, as well as enivronmentally, which essenitally, will lead the global economy towards Eco-awreness.

I have to admit up front that my views on the K-12 system are jaundiced by 7 years as a high school science teacher and by having a wife who lives at school (she teaches Grade 6/7) just trying to keep up with all of the demands placed on the system today. I left teaching ten years ago, when the "profession" became a union.

My experience with the system suggests to me that it does not have the inherent capacity to lead anything. Provincially mandated curricula, publicly published test scores, minimal resources, and increasing class sizes, all force teachers into compliance and survival mode. To stay abreast of current affairs takes a high degree of commitment and requires a great deal of effort from an already stressed group of adults (teachers) to whom we entrust our children and, in effect, the future of our society. To include time and real content on meaningful current affairs in most provincially examinable courses (where our best and brightest must gravitate to, if they wish to continue their education) is no mean feat -- especially when these topics will not appear on the exam, the students know it and also know the time taken up with these topics may mean they are not fully prepared for their exam. With increasing pressure from the post-secondary system for higher and higher entry-GPA's this situation is only going to get worse, not better.

I even found it difficult to facilitate my students exploring the leading edge of science. This was a time-consuming effort for me and the students, as the curricular materials did not support this. It also often led to confusion on the part of the students when I had to help them unlearn what they had come to know about, say, cell biology, because the provincial exam was based on an understanding of cell biology that was at least a decade or two old.

Mike Robinson's ideas about a socratic approach to learning within the K-12 system are wonderful and ought to be allowed and supported. The fact that the kids responded so well to it is a testament to how thirsty they are to be engaged in their own learning. Unfortunately, the system as a whole is making it harder and harder on teachers to find the space, time and energy to take this approach.

So, hating to be a glass half-empty kinda guy, I'd have to say that the system, as it is currently constructed, can only follow. And, this is to our detriment as a society!

[quote]I have to admit up front that my views on the K-12 system are jaundiced by 7 years as a high school science teacher and by having a wife who lives at school (she teaches Grade 6/7) just trying to keep up with all of the demands placed on the system today. I left teaching ten years ago, when the "profession" became a union.[/quote]

I think that with an attitude like that you ill be unbeatable.