What Should Teachers Teach?

[Belinda]

What country are you referring to, Immanuel?

The politicians here, in the UK, and I include the dreadful Tories, are very concerned about balancing the risks of covid and the risks of depriving children of attending school

[Immanuel Can]

What country are you referring to, Immanuel?

The politicians here, in the UK, and I include the dreadful Tories, are very concerned about balancing the risks of covid and the risks of depriving children of attending school

Oh, the politicians everywhere are all abuzz over COVID, not just in schools, but in businesses, and so on. What I was referring to had nothing to do with COVID per se. I was speaking of their total lack of concern about the impact of the computer-saturation that children are experiencing as a consequence of the new measures, which was already well underway before the COVID crisis. That's also what Postman speaks about, and it's also what the research also clearly shows is terribly detrimental to the development of young brains.

[Belinda]

What country are you referring to, Immanuel?

The politicians here, in the UK, and I include the dreadful Tories, are very concerned about balancing the risks of covid and the risks of depriving children of attending school

Oh, the politicians everywhere are all abuzz over COVID, not just in schools, but in businesses, and so on. What I was referring to had nothing to do with COVID per se. I was speaking of their total lack of concern about the impact of the computer-saturation that children are experiencing as a consequence of the new measures, which was already well underway before the COVID crisis. That's also what Postman speaks about, and it's also what the research also clearly shows is terribly detrimental to the development of young brains.

Many politicians are concerned about electronic media's impact on the education of children. The reason I mentioned covid in this respect is covid lockdowns are known to every politician to cause dependency on electronic communications between teacher and pupils.

Before covid there had been concerns about children not reading books, and covid has highlighted the problem of over-dependence by children on electronic entertainments and communications.

[Immanuel Can]

What country are you referring to, Immanuel?

The politicians here, in the UK, and I include the dreadful Tories, are very concerned about balancing the risks of covid and the risks of depriving children of attending school

Oh, the politicians everywhere are all abuzz over COVID, not just in schools, but in businesses, and so on. What I was referring to had nothing to do with COVID per se. I was speaking of their total lack of concern about the impact of the computer-saturation that children are experiencing as a consequence of the new measures, which was already well underway before the COVID crisis. That's also what Postman speaks about, and it's also what the research also clearly shows is terribly detrimental to the development of young brains.

Many politicians are concerned about electronic media's impact on the education of children.

No, they're not. They're totally keen to get as many computers into schools as they can, because that's seen as "technologically advanced education." And they want as much education online as they can get, because it's cheap.

Name just one law or policy that has been produced by politicians to restrict access to screens for children while their brains develop properly.

Can't?

Then just how "concerned" are these politicians?

The reason I mentioned covid in this respect is covid lockdowns are known to every politician to cause dependency on electronic communications between teacher and pupils.

Of course. But COVID is not really relevant, except in this incidental sense. Screen time is still bad for developing brains, COVID or not.

Before covid there had been concerns about children not reading books,

Well, parents seem vaguely concerned. But you'll find that most of them are not so concerned as to do anything about it. And their "concern" is often offset by the parents being just as convinced as the politicians that "technological education" is essential for the 21st Century, and that sort of thing. So few of them take the hard steps to reduce to strict limits the computer/tv time their children have. In fact, they most often have video games and cable subscriptions that they use as proxy "babysitters."

We have the stats. Back in the 1990s, the average child who claimed "I don't watch TV" watched 2-1/2 hours of it a day. The ones who reported they did watch TV watched far more...up to 6 hours a day. And now, children have their own computers, TV's, video games, social media, and their own phone screens in their pockets at all times, and many keep them recharged and running all the time. Many are never OFF screens during their waking hours.

[Belinda]

Computers are very useful for information retrieval but not for obsessive gaming or social media.

Computers are one of several teaching tools. Mannie, you should leave problems of teaching methods and curriculums to the professionals. Education is a specialism. Do you think you know more than medics do about medical practice?

[henry quirk]

you should leave problems of teaching methods and curriculums to the professionals.

oh, yes...let's not question the professionals...they are a finer clay

[Belinda]

you should leave problems of teaching methods and curriculums to the professionals.

oh, yes...let's not question the professionals...they are a finer clay

You at least have some practical experience of teaching so you are more credible than a complete amateur.

[henry quirk]

you should leave problems of teaching methods and curriculums to the professionals.

oh, yes...let's not question the professionals...they are a finer clay

You at least have some practical experience of teaching so you are more credible than a complete amateur.

nice of you to say

irrelevant, though

these examples of finer clay, these profesionals, these technocrats, should not be questioned

you see no danger in that?

[Immanuel Can]

Computers are very useful for information retrieval but not for obsessive gaming or social media.

But "information retrieval" is not "wisdom," not "understanding," and not "learning."

Mannie, you should leave problems of teaching methods and curriculums to the professionals.

Oh, B. That's your funniest remark yet!

[Belinda]

you should leave problems of teaching methods and curriculums to the professionals.

oh, yes...let's not question the professionals...they are a finer clay

You at least have some practical experience of teaching so you are more credible than a complete amateur.

nice of you to say

irrelevant, though

these examples of finer clay, these profesionals, these technocrats, should not be questioned

you see no danger in that?

Yes, I do see some danger in this. All respectable professionals are peer reviewed, and sometimes have to do refresher courses. There also must be safety standards that protect whistleblowers.

[Belinda]

Computers are very useful for information retrieval but not for obsessive gaming or social media.

But "information retrieval" is not "wisdom," not "understanding," and not "learning."

Mannie, you should leave problems of teaching methods and curriculums to the professionals.

Oh, B. That's your funniest remark yet!

Indeed info retrieval is not wisdom or understanding, even when the student can parrot what info she has retrieved.
Take our philosophising here on these forums. We can quote stuff we have looked up. This is no use to man or beast unless we can learn new ideas and learn how best to evaluate ideas other people have produced.

Teachers same as doctors and priests should open their methods and theories for inspection by both their peers and the lay people they serve.

[Immanuel Can]

Teachers same as doctors and priests should open their methods and theories for inspection by both their peers and the lay people they serve.

Indeed they should. And some of us are very far from "lay people."

[henry quirk]

You at least have some practical experience of teaching so you are more credible than a complete amateur.

nice of you to say

irrelevant, though

these examples of finer clay, these profesionals, these technocrats, should not be questioned

you see no danger in that?

Yes, I do see some danger in this. All respectable professionals are peer reviewed, and sometimes have to do refresher courses. There also must be safety standards that protect whistleblowers.

professionals we're not to question, reviewin' professionals we're not to question: check

professionals we're not to question, gettin' additional trainin' from professionals we're not to question: check

whistleblowin' professionals ought not face those they accuse: check

a recipe for shiny times

[Belinda]

Teachers same as doctors and priests should open their methods and theories for inspection by both their peers and the lay people they serve.

Indeed they should. And some of us are very far from "lay people."

You are so mysterious, Mannie. You keep your personal identity unusually well covered up.As you have the right to do, of course.

[Belinda]

nice of you to say

irrelevant, though

these examples of finer clay, these profesionals, these technocrats, should not be questioned

you see no danger in that?

Yes, I do see some danger in this. All respectable professionals are peer reviewed, and sometimes have to do refresher courses. There also must be safety standards that protect whistleblowers.

professionals we're not to question, reviewin' professionals we're not to question: check

professionals we're not to question, gettin' additional trainin' from professionals we're not to question: check

whistleblowin' professionals ought not face those they accuse: check

a recipe for shiny times

Then get to work on it if you don't already do so.