Student Learning at Santa Monica High School
Read Deborah Meier’s passage below and think about what it means to be “well-educated”?
If we agree that what we want are citizens with a lively curiosity—who ask, "how come?" and "why?" and "is it truly so?" — we’ll have the start of a new definition of ‘well-educated.’ How about being closely observant, prepared to keep one’s eyes and ears open for patterns, for details, for the unusual? Schooling should encourage playfulness — the capacity to imagine, to wonder, to put things together in new and interesting ways — as well as the possession of a skeptical and open mind. To be in the habit of imagining how others think, feel, and see the world — in the habit of stepping into the shoes of others — should surely be one of our new basics. (How else, after all, can we follow the Golden Rule?) And of course we need to be respectful of evidence, to distinguish good data from bad, to hesitate before sounding off without any facts. I’d add knowing how to communicate carefully, persuasively, and powerfully in a variety of media — including the skilled use of written and spoken language. My definition would also put a high premium on caring enough about the world and one’s fellow citizens to take a stand and defend it.
Deborah Meier. The power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem. Boston: Beacon Press, 1995.
As students, what types of skills, knowledge, and understandings do you need to be “well-educated?”
- In order to be “well-educated” you need to have the ability and desire to learn. One should use study skills, which may be acquired through teachers. Being “well-educated” also means:
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What kinds of resources, materials, assignments, and/or activities are available in the classroom that enables students to be “well-educated”? Are there things that are missing?
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| AP/Honors Course |
“Regular” Course
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AP Spanish
Available Resources:
Our teacher is very organized and attentive. Our class also met weekly after school. We all got new books and were allowed to write on them to take notes and write comments. In the classroom we have computer which allow the students to explore sites in the language of study and media gives us a taste of the culture. Our class was goal-oriented with a strong work ethic and high standards. We write two essays per month and read approximately 30 pages per day. We also take field trips to museums.
Resources Needed:
N/A
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Spanish 3/4
Available Resources:
Conversational Spanish class with a small amount of writing. Students have time during class to finish homework or complete other tasks. The class reads 30-40 pages per week.
Resources Needed:
More intense and challenging activities. Adequate and newer books. More student and classroom participation and interaction.
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*Additional comments/thoughts:
“It is important to compare an AP course to a “regular” course because you are able to see the evidence that more resources are needed in certain classes. Because of ‘titles’, resources are distributed unevenly. In my AP Spanish class the teaching style was different and expectations were high. We had to put in more time and effort because the teachers worked extra hard and his work ethic infected everyone.”
