Tuesday, March 24, 2015
More crap = less crap?
An implementation of Parkinson's Law that I hadn't noticed before. It's obvious in education lately, where everybody is bidding up the length of the school day and the school year.
The operant theory: Our kids are intellectually malnourished by the crap we're feeding them. THEREFORE we need to feed them more of the same crap. After we shovel enough crap into their minds, the crap will magically turn into better nourishment.
Spokane is following this theory, adding a half-hour to all school days next year. Now Arnie is getting into the act, pushing for increased funding for "After-school programs", which means MORE CRAP.
Doesn't work with food, doesn't work with labor hours, doesn't work with school hours.
With food, the solution for poor nutrition and obesity is NOT more food. You need to eat less processed food so your digestive system has to work harder. Everything has to enter the mouth and gut together: chewing, mood, fibers, flavors, smells.
Same with education. Change the diet to less processed facts and more direct digestion of fresh crunchy reality. Everything has to enter the muscles and senses together: actions, mood, facts, flavors, smells.
Of course the More Crap tendency has no real connection with education. The advocates aren't really trying to improve learning. They only want to justify hiring more teachers so they can hire more educrats and more union thugs. Good old Parkinson.
Labels: Experiential education
¶ 6:02 PM
