In the beginning of chapter 10 Postman made a discussion
about television and teaching. Teachers and parents like the show “Sesame
Street” because it “appeared to be an imaginative aid in solving the growing problem
of teaching Americans how to read, while at the same time, encouraging children
to love school”. What do you think would happen if our schools used television
to teach instead of the printed word? Would our schools succeed with this
transformation? Do you think that this would make us smarter or dumber? Postman
made a statement that television is a curriculum because it is “a specially
constructed information system whose purpose is to influence, teach, train, or
cultivate the mind and character of the youth." Do you think that our
school curriculum should change to teach with television? He also mentioned
that children will learn best when they are interested in what they are
learning. And most people are interested in television, so if they were taught
by it, then maybe they will learn more.
I believe that a curriculum with print/books at the core supplemented by visual examples or television, would produce the greatest beneficial results in American education.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with shows like "Sesame Street" as Postman points out during the first couple pages of chapter 10 is that "Sesame Street does not encourage children to love school or anything about school. It encourages them to love television." Although a valid attempt, and certainly easy for the consciences of parents to justify letting their child watch television, "Sesame Street" has become too focused on keeping the child entertained rather than educated.
As I earlier stated, I believe the core of school curriculum should be books supplemented by television or videos. One would have to use their judgment to determine whether a show is more focused on educating or entertaining. One must also not become gullible to unnecessary and trivial shows promising "education" such as "The Voyage of the Mimi." "The Voyage of the Mimi" promises information on whale-watching, navigational skills, and map-reading skills, which are likely not part of the schools' education standards.
Isn't television already being used as a teaching tool? I remember when I was younger, my third grade teachers taught us how to multiply and divide using a television program. She would teach my class using television multiple times. If I remember correctly, everything on the television would stick with me throughout the third grade, Today channels like Nick Jr. and PBS Kids still teach children how to speak Spanish and Chinese, how to add and subtract, and how to spell. Television is a very useful tool in teaching.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it's an excellent curriculum for children who have not yet learned to read and/or in the process of reading. Television such as "seseme street", promots learning in the form of entertainment which excepted because it captures the attention of someone who would otherwise be preoccupied. For kids and teens who have already learned the basics of education, it's my belief that their curriculum should not be so lax on entertainment. Teachers of the older age group should only resort to entertainment in the form of informational movies.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that television should, in any way, replace teaching in a classroom setting with books and lectures.
ReplyDeleteStarting off kids with Sesame Street wouldn't be the best idea, at least in my opinion, because of what Mr. Yoder and Mr. Postman points out. They learn to love television and how it entertains them rather than how it can help them learn. As a teaching aid (a video on the Civil War, or things of that matter), television would be great. If it was shown at school and can be tied in directly with a teacher's lesson plan, why not?
The television is a strong tool that can be used to teach if only put in the right settings, I'd like to think. Just placing a child in front of a television doesn't do much. A child can get so much more if someone is next to them, interacting with them. This may just be because I learn better with a teacher, and opinions will vary from person to person because of their habits, but I don't think we'll change our curriculum to a television based one anytime soon. Once more actual full-on education videos come out(ones used solely for education, not for pure entertainment), I see a possibility in school incorporating a television heavy curriculum.
Learning from watching the television would only make children unable to reach their full potential. By watching everything on TV, it will make children less able to interpret new ideas or knowledge. It will somewhat be like the Internet, except on a slightly smaller scale, by making the younger ones not think at all. They will have a complete reliance on learning from the TV to the point where the TV will be the only medium that they CAN learn from. In my opinion, teaching should be a combination of both textbooks and educational TV. Reading makes children sharper and more attentive while the TV leads to distractions and instability of the mind; however, if it is a boring and a difficult subject, then videos would be a fantastic idea. The concept is to keep a balance; otherwise, the child will begin to have an addiction induced by the media.
ReplyDelete