I agree 200% on this quote, and will elaborate further.
Too many people have good memory, and can recall something, however can’t apply their knowledge to daily living. Example:
In higher math classes, you learn about a process called logarithms (logs). So many people can do logs easily, if given a test they can pass the test easily. When asked to apply a real life situation where logs would work, they couldn’t answer the question. Also, these are the same people who swear word problems aren’t worth the time when they can easily explain how these methods can fit in the real world.
2 + 2 = 4
vs
“If Adam gives you two apples, and Karen gives you 2 apples, how many do you have total?”
The sentence does two things. Tests reading, and provides a real world example of when you can apply something learned. If someone has limited reading skill, this can be caught early enough and corrected before it’s too late.
Another example
“Video games are a waste of time!”
vs
“Video games taught me to read, write, count, value of money, and friends. Explain how they’re a waste of time again?”
It’s easy for someone to swear something they don’t like/understand is a waste of time without asking the right questions first.
This is what education should be about – applying what you learned. Explain how the lessons will apply to the real world, rather than just “you need to know this, end of story.” Why do we need to know 2 + 2 = 4? Why do we need to know how to read certain words? Why are video games so bad when they can be better teachers than actual teachers?
This applied to me growing up. So many times other kids were able to grasp certain concepts and a few of us couldn’t. The school system then wrote off as “your child/son isn’t able to pick up certain lessons” and put us in different classes. Maybe it’s the teacher because they only taught one way that some of the other kids were familiar with? Maybe instead of singling out the kids who didn’t pick up the lesson(s), try different methods until the class understands? This also applies in college where it’s the same learning problems, and sometimes tutors only teach how they’re taught with limited to no understanding themselves.
I bring this up today because before I talked about education, and I was reminded recently of how the system is different as opposed to when I was in school. Now, there’s more tools, better ways to learn, and yet parents aren’t getting involved as much because they don’t understand todays learning.
The short version is this – if you’re trying to teach someone something (school related), while trying to teach them, apply to something real world so the ones being taught will understand more.
The Royal Assassin 