It is obvious to most teachers, and to many students, that school tests and rewards are often quite at odds the usual stated purposes of school. It often seems like there are other ways we could teach and test that would be more in line with those stated purposes. You seem to be suggesting such alternatives.
But I think we have to take very seriously the fact that schools have long had the option to switch, and have chosen not to. I conclude that the real purpose of school is somewhat different from the stated purpose, and that the things taught are in fact more useful for the real purpose.
Well, this much is clear: The people who run the schools are acting as if schools have a different purpose (like turning out good workers, or impressing bureaucrats). This does not necessarily mean that schools themselves have this other purpose (at least I don’t think it means that).
It is obvious to most teachers, and to many students, that school tests and rewards are often quite at odds the usual stated purposes of school. It often seems like there are other ways we could teach and test that would be more in line with those stated purposes. You seem to be suggesting such alternatives.
But I think we have to take very seriously the fact that schools have long had the option to switch, and have chosen not to. I conclude that the real purpose of school is somewhat different from the stated purpose, and that the things taught are in fact more useful for the real purpose.
Well, this much is clear: The people who run the schools are acting as if schools have a different purpose (like turning out good workers, or impressing bureaucrats). This does not necessarily mean that schools themselves have this other purpose (at least I don’t think it means that).