By Ben Sichel, high school teacher and member of Solidarity Halifax. Originally published at noneedtoraiseyourhand.
Rick Howe invited me on his show on News 95.7 in Halifax today to discuss the education review panel that was recently announced for Nova Scotia.
We talked about the broader context in which the review is
taking place – the “education reform”/privatization movement –
and how we need to be wary of simplistic ways of thinking about
education. Lots of ink has been spilled about the so-called
math wars, some going so far as to talk about a “math crisis” in Canada.
The government has talked about aligning the curriculum with the
“needs of the economy,” and business and finance are well represented on the panel
itself.
But math scores on standardized tests are not the most important thing in our schools. A narrow focus on basic math and literacy skills means our kids miss out on learning about empathy, political engagement and the arts, among other things.
Educational “success” for all depends on us addressing overarching issues like poverty and inequality.
>> You can hear the entire interview here.
Note: Articles published by Solidarity Halifax members do not necessarily reflect positions held by the organization.