Brief Rant on Education

A quick glance at my blog history will demonstrate that I'm not exactly prolific... but there are many times when I start to write on a topic, and I can't help but think that I should have a ton of entries on this theme - there's just so much to say. Of course, a lot has already been said on today's particular theme, so perhaps I needn't add to the mess more than just this little bit.

I was just reading a study entitled "The Information-Seeking Behavior of High School Honors Students: An Exploratory Study." (Sounds so fascinating, huh? Be glad to send you a copy if you want.) Anyway, the study was conducted more than ten years ago... around about the time that I myself was a high school honors student (yikes). Oddly enough, I was considerably distracted by the fact that they had actually used the term "honors" to describe this class of high academic achievers. In today's world, there are no more "honors" classes - and no, not just because all of today's kids are a lot dumber less motivated more challenged well something than those of yesteryear. It's because they're all known as "AP" or "Pre-AP." And if you're a nerd like me, your next thought should be, Gee, standardized testing really has changed the face of education today - even down to the way we refer to the academic levels of courses. . .

But really, what does this say about what we think of those high achievers? It's no longer something to be "honored" about? Or, perhaps more appropriately, "So you think you're smart, huh? Well, let's just see how you do on this test!" Of course, it may just be that they've finally found us out - that strange little enclave of students who've long been thought "Gifted and Talented" - and thus been later "Honored" - but who are actually just truly gifted test-takers. And then they're right - because there's nothing exactly honorable about being able to ace a test. Well, unless, of course, you're in an American public school. . .

So you can see where the slew of other posts might come from. But I'll spare you. For now. Mu-ha-ha-ha