My concern is with public education in the United States. It is public education -- funded by federal, state and local government and provided to all. Why do we have such a system? Why does our government -- a government "of the people, by the people, for the people" feel that educating young people is important?
Our government is "of the people." Our leaders are not blue-blooded nobles, of some separate caste from the majority of citizens. We serve in the government. Our leaders are elected from among us and asked to take on the task of guiding all of us. But they have no special "divine right" to rule, no innate quality that makes them suitable -- each and every mayor and city councilperson, congressional representative and senator, governor and judge, president and county clerk is one of us. For that reason, we want to make sure that all of our children are well educated and prepared to take on the task of leadership, should they choose to run and should we choose to elect them. Looking at a group of children -- from the 5 year old who tells an endless story punctuated with "and you know what?" to the teenage who asks why reading Shakespeare is necessary -- we cannot know which of them will be our government in 30 years. So our schools must provide the information and skills they will need to make wise decisions for the rest of us. Our schools must develop the leaders who are "of the people."
At the same time, our government is "by the people." The electing of this representative or that one is done by your friends and neighbors. The decision of guilty or not guilty is made by that kid who was sitting next to you in history class, doodling on her desk. I have listened to people complain that they should not have to pay for the education of other people's children, because they do not have children in the public school system themselves. But we are not so independent of one another. Your future is in the hands of all the citizens of the United States -- they vote and sit on juries, they organize political rallies and pay (or don't pay) their taxes. And each of the decisions they make impacts you. So our schools must provide the information and skills they will need to make wise decisions for all of us. We must prepare the next generation of citizens who will run our government "by the people."
Last, our government is "for the people." As a governmental enterprise, education improves the "common wealth" -- well educated people enrich our lives by creating business that both improve the economy and provide us with goods and services we need. Well-educated people enrich our lives by writing the novels, plays, television shows and movies that entertain and move us. Well-educated people enrich our lives through innovation that transforms our lives -- from smart phones to symphonies. Being well educated is a joy. Our schools must provide the rich cultural heritage and the business skills needed to develop new ideas and share them with others. Our schools must be "for the people" by enriching our lives.
What does this mean for public education? We could have a meaningful discussion about content. Surely our students need to understand the history of the United States, so that they can participate in the democratic process thoughtfully. Students need science and math, so they can understand the challenges we face and work to overcome them. Students need the humanities to enrich their lives and ours. Students need a trade, so that they can contribute to the economy. But there is one thing that all students need whether to be leaders, citizens, or enriched (and enriching) individuals. They must all learn to think and to think well.
Yes, all of us think all the time. But our school system must teach our children how to evaluate the ideas of others, what to make of the evidence they are presented, how to develop a new idea and test it, how to challenge ideas so that the new ideas that move us forward are tempered through public debate. Critical thinking is the most important thing that our schools can offer to children -- and to us -- because we want smart, thoughtful people to lead us in 30 years.
What does that mean when we return from this foray into philosophy and return to the everyday struggle? It means that when we consider the value of high stakes testing, we ask ourselves, "Does this promote critical thinking?" When we wonder about the Common Core, we ask ourselves, "Does this promote critical thinking?" When we choose a textbook, set up assessment systems, work out an IEP, decide whether to suspend a student, deal with bullies, have a guest speaker or write up a worksheet, we stop and ask ourselves, "Does this promote critical thinking?"
What would education look like if promoting critical thinking was the primary goal? Would it look like the public education system we have? Or would it be dramatically different? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
