Johnson, Meghan
ET
Schwartz, K.
(2014). Why trust is a crucial ingredient in shaping independent learners. KQED. Retrieved from http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/11/04/why-trust-is-a-crucial-ingredient-to-shaping-independent-learners/
Summary: This article by Katrina Schwartz
discusses the need for trust in schools. Despite the fact that students are
supposedly being prepared for the “real world” in high school, they have many
restrictions placed on them ranging from the types of materials they can view to
the tools they are allowed to use to approach problems. There needs to be trust
between students, teachers, administrators, districts, and parents as well.
While this is a scary prospect, Schwartz believes that this is ultimately the
best way to create fully functioning and accountable students.
Evaluation: I found this article to be absolutely
fascinating. I could see myself in the anti-trust kind of teacher described by
Schwartz. It is indeed a terrifying prospect to look at entire student body and
grant them a larger portion of responsibility for the success of their
education. I believe Schwartz is correct, though, when she states that the
likely benefits outweigh the potential negatives. She provided great details
from a school called New Caanan High School where a system of trust in regards
to cell phones and new technologies exists. These students seem to realize the
benefits of maintaining this system of trust and honor it, which astounded me!
As an academic librarian, though, I can see how this type of system is
necessary. I constantly complain to my coworkers about how new undergraduates
have no idea how to use certain tools (such as an online catalog) and don’t
have any respect for the higher educational institution they get to study at. These
are the students most systems are creating, though. Students who have it
drilled into them that they cannot be trusted to know what they want to study
and to determine which tools they need to use. I think Schwartz is right.
Trust-based educational systems are the only way to create students that will
succeed in higher education and in society.
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