Reviews for Race and Education, 1954-2007

The average rating for Race and Education, 1954-2007 based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-01-27 00:00:00 James Dunham This book synthesizes an array of research and shows how these insights can contribute to a better understanding of human learning, especially as this relates to adolescence. By mis-understanding teenagers' instinctive need to do things for themselves, society is in danger of creating a system of schooling that so goes against the natural grain of the adolescent brain that formal education ends up unintentionally trivialising the very young people it claims to be supporting. By failing to keep up with appropriate research in the biological and social sciences, current educational systems continue to treat adolescence as a problem rather than an opportunity.

Review # 2 was written on 2010-08-27 00:00:00 Kevin Hill Wonderfully researched and written, vast history accompanies real insight on the subject of our education systems. The comparison of the education of our children to a 3 legged stool, unbalanced should one leg be too long or too short, with each standing for equal contributions from school, family and community is spot on. This is explained very well and is something that can be readily seen through the centralisation of cities/councils into super cities, the proliferation of housing subdivisions for commuting, and through boarding schools. A few examples among many. The theory of the role of adolescents in our past also resonated too as it breaks the grain of labelling this age group as 'trouble-makers'. The automation of our education system, providing a one-size-fits-all approach, with a firm focus on teaching rather than the learning, has largely transformed us into an uncertain society, unsure of who we are and what is important to us, more easily influenced/distracted by those who know how to take advantage. Adolescence is key to this as 'problems' with youths is a sign of larger issues at play. If you care about the education of your children and want a comprehensive background to the education system, including efforts to change the status quo, then this is a great start.