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Hosted by Regis Tremblay and Ted Talbot
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My guests will be Dr. Ken Nye, professor of Educational Leadership at USM, and a former principal and superintendent; Todd Fields, Director, Westbrook Regional Vocational Center; Jeff Shedd, Principal, Cape Elizabeth High School and an attorney; and Alan Burton, VP of Human Resources, Safety and Health at Cianbro., one of the largest construction companies on the East Coast with Headquarters in Pittsfield, Maine. How important is a college education? Have we been sold a "bill of goods" for decades that everybody in American must attain a college degree to be happy, successful, and fulfilled in life? Our entire K-12 educational system is built upon the underlying myth that college is the goal. More and more states are requiring that students pass standardized tests as a requirement for graduation. Is this a fair and accurate measure of what a student knows, or of how they will fare in society? Fortunately, test scores, GPA, and IQ are no measure of success in the real world, any more than they are predictors of happiness and personal fulfillment in life. The "real world" of business is full of highly educated people who are afraid to take risks, void of new ideas, and stuck in jobs they hate. Millions of kids are graduating from college with undergraduate degrees every year and can't find jobs in their chosen fields. Matter of fact, they can't find jobs! Some "experts" would have us believe that a masters degree or higher is now required to guarantee a good job. This isn't a putdown of higher education. Many of us have indeed benefited from years of graduate and post-graduated learning. But, it isn't what it is cranked up to be, and it certainly isn't necessary for success, happiness, and fulfillment in life...for everybody. On Saturday's show, my guests will discuss how vocational education and training not only leads to high-paying jobs, but skills in the trades and crafts that bring happiness, fulfillment and enjoyment to everyday work. Skilled trades, craftsmanship, and manual labor are honorable and noble in and of themselves. We will also discuss what "back-to-the-basics" and standardized testing are doing to the learning process. How is NCLB (No Child Left Behind) affecting the learning process, schools, teachers, kids, and society in general? How many parents are aware that electives such as PE, Art, Music, Drama, Journalism, Health, and Shop classes have been eliminated from our schools because of budget constraints and a "back-to-the-basics" philosophy that would have us believe that English, Math, and Science are the pillars of success in the global economy? We'll be taking a look at the harmful effects of this current trend in public education, as well as what some people and organizations are doing to counter it. This show will be informational and controversial, and the first of many that will focus on public education and child development.
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Purchase Reclaiming The Timeless Value of Sport and Play A new book by Regis Tremblay |
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You can help support the show by making a tax-deductible contribution to:
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© Copyright 2004 Kids First In Sports, Health, and Education |
