I recently read some material advising parents to avoid
schools, classes, and teachers who were supporting a ‘student-centered’
learning model, as well as any problem-based-learning (PBL) model of
instruction. Unfortunately, I have long
forgotten the title or author of the article but I know that it did provide
some evidence that these methods of teaching do not work.
Of course problem-based and student-centered learning fail
according to the outcomes of a traditional school setting. However, are the outcomes of a traditional
school setting the ones that truly matter?
Is it not widely agreed that our schools are failing students? Are they not antiquated entities churning out
students who are very much able to do what they’re told, when they’re told, and
how they’re told? Innovation and outside
of the box thinking has been lost.
Thus, I propose that when assessing whether a
student-centered approach is right for your child you first ask define the
outcome that you wish for your child to achieve. Is it a job?
Or is it the ability to be economically successful, fill a niche,
innovate, and retain enthusiasm for learning?
