Re: Homework (Was Measure of student understanding)

[Larry Cartwright <exit60@CABLESPEED.COM>]

Hugh Haskell wrote:
> We need to start a coordinated, well-structured program of *good*
> science education, including physics, as early as the fifth grade...
> I also think we need to abandon the idea that pre-high school
> teachers need to be generalists--prepared to teach all of their
> subjects.

I agree.  I believe the two greatest enemies of *good* science
education (and perhaps good education in general for many
students) are the elementary education establishment's insistance
on perpetuating
(1) the self-contained classroom, and
(2) age-gradedness.

IMHO we're also doing many students a disfavor by perpetuating
age-graded and one-size-fits-all curricula in our high schools.
"You're fourteen, and that means you're ready to learn about ..."

Best wishes,

Larry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry Cartwright   <exit60@cablespeed.com>
Retired (June 2001) Physics Teacher
Charlotte MI 48813 USA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~