E.D. Hirsch & Ted Sizer.

THIS ENTIRE POST IS WRONG I WILL POST A REDO HOPEFULLY SOON.

E.D. Hirsch

Hirsch argues that students should be able to develop by themselves. They should be able to learn the essentials to succeed at a young age. If students learned the basics when they are young rather than learn what the standards were set to be, they are able to experience more life by themselves. When standards are set, every child in the classroom is learning the same things. It is almost as if they were being brainwashed so that they can learn more standards when they get into the higher grades. When the child is able to learn, experience and develop social and academic skills for themselves, they will succeed better in life because they will be individuals competing against each other instead of against clones formed by the academic standard that Ted Sizer preferred. Hirsch argues that Sizer's method of learning "holds kids back" they are unable to broaden their thinking and expand on things they want to. They can only understand the structure they are taught.

Personally, I agree with Hirsch because without broadening our thoughts so we are able to explore our interests, we are unable to enjoy school. Speaking as a representative of a school that supports Ted Sizer's view of schooling, I am not happy in school because I am unable to learn what I want. I am put into classes where I learn the standard. What I know, whatever knowledge I gain from school, another student at a school that also supports Sizer also knows. In the future when I apply for job openings, it will be harder for me to make myself stand out against other competitors because there are so many out there that have the same academic skills as I do. Of course I am going to attend college and branch off into my own academic interests but even there I will not be able to excel because my interest in Medicine was not fulfilled in high school. When in college, I may sit next to a student who was able to at least learn a little bit about the field of medicine because s/he attended a high school where the curriculum was focused on student interests rather than the set standard we have at SOF. Further into the future, that student will excel whereas I will be left behind.


Ted Sizer









1. Do these theories contradict each other? Intellectually, emotionally, practically? In what ways do they? Could they be adapted to work together?

The theories definitely contradict each other in my opinion. One requires core classes and the other allows students to choose what their interests are. While these two ideas contradict each other and SOF is a school that Ted Sizer supported, we are also a school that holds both ideas. Though Sizer's may be more