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Why Too Many of Our Kids Can’t Read, Write, or Multiply
A plea to bring back the basics in America’s schools.
From grammar drills to sunshine and play, here is why old-school methods may hold the key to reviving literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking.
Yes, I am now officially old school, and at 50, I find myself thinking and sounding more and more like my mother every day. Looking back, I realize that my generation, Generation X, is probably the last generation to grow up playing outside and going to school without having access to the internet or a computer.
In my 20s, I watched the world change and learned to adapt and use emerging technologies with ease. My parents, both baby boomers, struggled a little more with using technology because they were older when this happened. I was still young enough to adjust to the change rather easily while still maintaining the benefits of an old-school education and childhood.
And while change and innovation are exciting, I’ve witnessed a dark side. Technology exists to make our lives easier and for us to complete tasks quicker and more efficiently, but this is not always good, especially for children still developing parts of the brain and learning basic skills.
