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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Jan 30 2013 at 8:50am | IP Logged
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I cannot reference the original article because I am not a subscriber to the WSJ, but I thought this summary by Peter lawyer was fascinating.
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Lindsay
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Jan 30 2013 at 8:51am | IP Logged
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Quote:
| E.D. Hirsch (the cultural literacy guy) has, I think, written the most important article on educational "outcomes" in a long time. The great benefit of education, "the key to increasingly upward mobility," is expanding the vocabulary of students. Why is that? |
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Jan 30 2013 at 8:59am | IP Logged
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Quote:
| We know, of course, that expanding vocabulary doesn't occur through studying vocabulary words. It occurs unconsciously as the result of using reading (mainly) as a way of "acquiring knowledge about the social and natural worlds." It occurs as the byproduct of "content-based instruction." It occurred well under the old French system that "followed a very specific sequential curriculum," through "curricular coherence" that brings together "a wide range of domains." |
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I don't know if the original article elaborates, so beyond this vague possibly erroneous memory that Copywork and dictation were part of the "old French system", I have no idea what is really meant by the last part of that statement.
However, it does seem to conclude that an increased vocabulary is acquired by "real learning" and not a bucket filling approach that, IMO, would be the first instinct of many in both mainstream and neoclassical education. Something like "Vocab program with flashcards to increase your child's educational outcome!" 
The increase in vocabulary is an indicator, not a prescription.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Betsy
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| Posted: Jan 30 2013 at 9:31am | IP Logged
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Lindsay, Thanks for posting this review...it's great!
I think CM would be standing up and cheering! This exactly corroborates her foundational view: IDEAS are what is important.
I think in modern eduction we often, if not always, loose the forest for the trees! Like this article states, it's not vocabulary for vocabulary sake it's how the child obtain that vocabulary....reading good books, traveling, interacting with knowledgeable people, pondering ideas!
I often get so mad in children's sports for the same reason. You can't break done how "good" a child is at sports by looking at wins and losses!
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: Jan 30 2013 at 9:43am | IP Logged
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Great article Lindsay! Thanks for sharing it! 
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Martha
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Hmmm. Interesting..
I have a different take on it.
I think the desire and willingness to read is often, if not usually, related to a desire to seek knowledge.
It should be no surprise that those willing and able to seek knowledge tend to have a better chance of upward mobility, or generally bettering themselves.
I come from extremely poor family with many disadvantages and via my own experience and observations of the few others who made it out or at least closer upward, this seems to be the key difference. It's not the reading itself. It is the deep strong urge to seek knowledge and share information.
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CrunchyMom
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Surely it is true that those driven to know will read more than those who aren't. But in terms of educational reform, which needs to happen, and measurable indicators, it is still an important point.
It is impossible to measure desire, but if measuring vocabulary and showing its correlation with success means that some of the modern educational practices can be questioned in a quantifiable way, this seems a good finding.
I must admit, I don't follow national education so carefully, but I know that Hirsch wrote the Core Knowledge books many homeschoolers use as a reference the days, but is he also behind the push for a "common core?"
I get pretty torn when when I read articles about that movement. I am leery of national standards in general. I see many who are critical of the common core push to replace fiction with non-fiction in classrooms. And it does sound "wrong," but then it is said the children will be reading something like a Winston Churchill speech, and I think, well, reading Winston Churchill is good.
But what I don't get is why reading Winston Churchill is taking the place of reading literature and poetry in English class. Why isn't is taking the place of reading texts in history class?
And then, some articles seem to indicate that modern journalism pieces will "count" as non-fiction reading, and in that case, surely reading just about anything is better than the politicized drivel that is most newspaper and magazine writing today.
It seems that it really comes down to a focus on "ideas" rather than "skills," the Charlotte Mason idea of giving them something worthy to think about and ponder.
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Lindsay
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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JodieLyn
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I'll go one step further and say that our schools DIS-courage acquiring an extensive vocabulary.
I learned at school to restrict what words I used in conversation (peer pressure) and I learned to give less effort to language arts because if you were "too good" then you were accused of cheating. I didn't learn to enjoy writing anything until I got to college and was finally "allowed" to use my vocabulary to the fullest extent I could (well that and using a word processing program on the computer.. best thing ever!).
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guitarnan
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[quote]I'll go one step further and say that our schools DIS-courage acquiring an extensive vocabulary.
Mine didn't (Catholic girls' high school), but I discovered when I entered the workforce that some of my colleagues literally couldn't understand what I was saying. I had to use simpler words to get my ideas across.
I am not happy with the Common Core idea at all. It is way, way too hard to apply national standards in a huge, diverse country like ours (trust me, I've lived in enough states to have figured this out). And replacing fiction with nonfiction is just not the way to go. Documents in history/social studies, yes. That's where Churchill and Thomas Paine and so on belong. But taking out Dante and Shakespeare and Twain? Really?
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MarilynW
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CrunchyMom wrote:
| I cannot reference the original article because I am not a subscriber to the WSJ, but I thought this summary by Peter lawyer was fascinating. |
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The original WSJ article by Ed Hirsch is really good - it is an apologetic text for a Charlotte Mason Language arts education - he says that memorizing lists of vocabulary at useless. He also says that taking LA out of context is a bad move.
Here are some quotes:
"Students don't learn new words by studying vocabulary lists. They do so by guessing new meanings within the overall gist of what they are hearing or reading. And understanding the gist requires background knowledge."
"The focus on the "skill" of reading has produced students who cannot read. Teachers cannot cultivate reading comprehension by forcing children to practice soul-deadening exercises like "finding the main idea" and "questioning the author."
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MarilynW
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Just adding that the Ed Hirsch article is good on vocabulary and reading and great ideas - though I don't much care for some of the other ideas on Common Core.
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CrunchyMom
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Thank you for those quotes, Marilyn.
I found it funny that after posting the article here, on the original Facebook source where I saw it, the first comment was, "My third grade daughter has an excellent vocabulary. We use this program called "Wordly Wise" and it increases your vocabulary three fold..." or something to that effect.
Certainly, some people may bear fruits by using such programs, but I think that the person commenting read the title of the piece and surely didn't read its content, at least not carefully, before commenting!
In googling, it would seem that Hirsch is not the author of the "common core," but he supports states adopting its standards. In this older piece, he defends the common core and reiterates some of the points Marilyn quotes. He also claims it is not a "curriculum guide.":
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The word “standards” has misled the public into thinking that these documents represent curriculum guides. Yet not even the best of the current state standards defines a curriculum.
This document is, I believe, unique in stating that it is neither a curriculum nor a curriculum guide. Rather, it concedes explicitly that proficiency in reading and writing can only be achieved through a definite curriculum that is “coherently structured to develop rich content knowledge within and across grades.” |
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Honestly, with generations of students and teachers educated in such a different way, it will be hard for them to even wrap their minds around what he is describing. Indeed, as per my example above, even those who are well educate, intelligent, and are actively seeking alternatives by homeschooling seem to miss the point he is making entirely.
It *does* seem that the intention of the common core is to encourage children to read a variety of material rather than spend hours dissecting fiction in order to achieve reading comprehension. I don't think the it is intended to discourage the reading of fiction.
And I must admit that in our own curriculum choices, we favor non-fiction reading. It is in our free time that we enjoy a LOT of fiction!
But like you, Nancy, I don't trust that national standards can be understood applied universally, and certainly, I don't think that throwing money behind it will help much The articles on the subject as describing school applying the standards seem to show a gross misunderstanding of the standards, either in how they are applied, reported, or both.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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4Real Forums : Philosophy of Education
Topic: Words Can Measure Educational Outcome
