Dear Readers, The education reform movement is growing across the country. From school vouchers to charter schools, there is sure to be a shake-up in public education. Whether you are pro-public school or not, you must recognize some glaring issues with the current system. Academic achievement is down across the nation, yet college enrollment is up. How can that be? Put simply, the bar has been lowered so that everybody has a “fair shake” at things. Fair? Modern education has simultaneously...
12 days ago • 5 min read
Dear Readers, In the continued exploration of classical studies, I thought it appropriate to examine the modern classical movement, from schools to curricula. The overture of the following weeks will be Why Classical? What do students gain from a classical education that they would not otherwise in a modern system? I hope to answer that question, amongst others, in the issues to come, so stay tuned. But why did we stop educating students classically? Classical education was the only education...
19 days ago • 5 min read
Dear Readers, I have an announcement. This fall, I will begin my pursuit of a Master’s Degree. But what will I be mastering, you ask? In my aim to fix education, I myself must be educated. While I, of course, hold a Bachelor’s degree from a credible university (wreck ‘em), that did not give me the required knowledge and skills I need to take on this almost insurmountable task. My goal is not to reform education but to change it entirely, not to some brand-new method that nobody has ever heard...
26 days ago • 7 min read
Dear Readers, At what point will schools wake up and realize what’s affecting students’ education the most: the cell phone? Any teacher in a classroom today knows all about the cell phone issue. From kindergarten all the way up to senior year, students have one thing in common: cell phones. Even though students spend the majority of their free time on their phones anyway, teachers struggle to garner the attention of the classroom because students are obsessed with their personal technological...
30 days ago • 2 min read
Dear Readers, As a parent or guardian, why do you send your students to school? I mean, besides the obvious truancy laws. What is the purpose of the school you send your students to? Childcare? Do you use mandatory public education as a daycare for your younger children? No concern at all about what they do or don’t do while they’re there, as long as they are not out causing trouble. As soon as they can take care of themselves, you don’t care if they go to school or not again, as long as they...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Dear Readers, Should schools and teachers be doing more to prepare students for their careers? Or is it not their responsibility to prepare students for success in everyday life? Your everyday public school should not be concerned with career readiness, at least not to the level it is today. College and trade schools are designed to train students for the jobs they wish to pursue. Too much pressure is placed on public schools to prepare students for specific careers. Far too many technical or...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Dear Readers, The future of education: This is going to change the world. Artificial intelligence is all the buzz nowadays. But to what extent will it change how schooling is conducted and what students learn? First, let’s start with how it affects teachers. On the surface, AI helps teachers enormously. By creating lesson plans and assessments, grading assignments, and communicating with parents and students alike, AI makes teachers’ jobs easier. But what about the unforeseen consequences? If...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Dear Readers, No big spiel today. Just a simple reminder. It is Good Friday, a day on which we remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. A day of mourning and reflection. Reflection upon the ultimate sacrifice. John 19:30 reads, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, ‘It is finished.’ And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.” The phrase “It is finished” was originally translated from the Greek word tetelestai. This word was used in many different contexts when...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Dear Readers, Why isn’t physical education considered part of the core curriculum? And I’m not talking about kickball. With the increase in obesity compared to previous decades and the under-muscled epidemic facing our nation’s youth, it begs the question: What are we doing wrong? Besides the fact that most food purchased in grocery stores has an ingredient list as long as the Magna Carta, many people don’t truly know how harmful these foods can be. In moderation, most of these highly...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read