Education Curriculum and Standards Reflection - Essay Example

12 November Education Curriculum and Standards Reflection Education is a basic right of every child.It is commonly considered that there are two principles that are used to understand how we could ensure quality in education. The first one is the most obvious and definable: intellectual development of students. This is the observable objective of all education systems while the next principle is the one that stresses on the part played by education in imparting values and right behavior patterns in children and also in inculcating creativity and all round social and emotional development. While observing the two teachers featured in the conversation, a feeling of negativity seeped through. The falling standards in education are definitely a concern for teachers across the globe. “Teachers identified a problem in achievement connected to discourse practices in their classrooms and designed instructional changes to address the problem” (Weiner 42). The governments are more concerned with the upliftment of the downtrodden and the underprivileged thereby ignoring the aspirations of the deserving students. The curriculum is outdated and also not being periodically assessed for its utility in today’s changing world. The value systems of students are also declining due to various reasons like parental negligence, absence of elders in the nuclear family setup, influence of mass media, etc. All these factors are present in our society and the younger generation is completely caught in this tangled web but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. There are theories that can be used to improve skills of the students and prepare them to face the challenges of life after institutional learning. Several researchers identify a list of five learning domains, and these are considered to be integral to the development of students irrespective of their cultural differences. The first domain is the cognitive domain. This involves the thinking process and various tests have been designed to test and assess this domain. It involves the ability of students to analyze, think reasonably as well in the abstract. Besides, it also envisages visualization, comprehension and communication which are essential in the learning process. The second domain is the affective domain which mainly involves the feelings of students. This would mean the awareness and understanding displayed by the student and also how emotions are managed at times of stress, etc. The third domain is the spiritual domain. As the name suggests it has got to do with the perception of God or any other faith because such beliefs can become a guiding factor when a student undertakes any difficult task. Students draw inspiration from a wide range of sources that energize them and activate their thoughts such as nature. They may also draw such inspiration from processes such meditation and prayers. The fourth domain is the physical domain. This is directly related to the fitness level of students. A strong and healthy body will definitely support a healthy mind and thus physical domain is a very important domain in education. The fifth and final domain is called the conative domain. This has to do with motivation. Whatever subject you learn, if the interest of the pupil cannot be sustained, the outcome will be negative. In order to counter such an outcome, it is absolutely essential to ensure the there is a strong motivation to learn. After careful examination of these domains, it is clear that an amalgamation of all these domains is the need of the hour and all educators should strive to incorporate these domains in the everyday teaching process. “As social and political changes alter the face of public education, it becomes increasingly important that all educators scrutinize and challenge tacit assumptions” (Weiner 44). Children sometimes learn very fast and on other occasions very slowly and they tend to transform from a simple to a complex human being and also infer concepts from general to specific things. The early childhood has four states of intellectual development and this explains how a child processes their understanding of the world. During all periods of development, there are the best and peak period of brain development and at this stage care should be taken to provide conducive and stimulating experiences and environment so that they adjust in a positive way to all the experiences around them. In the given scenario of the two teachers, I, as a pre-service teacher think that a critical thinking method should be used while teaching in schools. This would involve both inductive and deductive reasoning. The deductive method of instruction is about a specific concept being shown and later with the help of examples, tries to examine whether they adhere to the generalizations that are related to the concept whereas Inductive thinking is the exact opposite of this concept - that is- A generalization is created from a sequence of facts. This type of thinking allows students to make a more intelligent answer and helps them to create a meaning that is unique to each of them. Good and effective teachers have to help students to understand and challenge their limits through the use of critical thinking mechanism. By teaching them strategies like flexibility and ability to absorb different points of view in thinking, teachers can encourage students to understand conflicting points of view and not accept everything unquestioningly. “Funds need to be spent on supporting teachers’ work and improving the quality and climate in schools rather than on unnecessary and expensive standardized testing” (Portelli & Vilbert 11) Various studies done on the subject of the high percentage of school dropouts have yielded some serious issues that have to be addressed. Some issues like the lack of moral values in parents and teenage pregnancies etc have come under close scrutiny of the school administrators and steps are being taken to rectify situations. In general, the teachers and the management of schools have awakened to the harsh reality facing them and are making changes in the existing systems to cater to the needs of this challenging population of students. The policy makers suggest that there is an immediate need to broaden the different kinds of programs offered in the academic institutions and also an express need to change way these programs are delivered. Though such steps may seem to be small and insignificant, all these steps will ensure long-term success with students who seem to be at maximum risk. Works Cited Portelli, John P & Vilbert, Ann B. Standards, Equity and the Curriculum Life. Analytical Teaching, 2006 Vol.22 (1). Print. Weiner, Lois. “Challenging Deficit Thinking.” Educational Leadership, Vol.64 (1): pp.42-45. Print. Read More