I asked my 15 year old son what he thought of the ”Occupy Wall Street” movement at dinner tonight—it is happening roughly 20 miles away from us. I was met with a blank stare and a “What?” When I asked if he had read or heard anything about it, he replied “Mom, I don’t have time to read the news. I go to school.” Which begs the question – why do we go to school if not to apply it to reality?
Education should be in the business of teaching young people the skills they need to succeed in the real world. Research shows that you remember facts and data better if you understand the context in which they apply. Brain science and neuro-imaging is showing us how stories serve to organize the “file cabinet” in our brain that holds information (if you want more information on this, read Storyproof by Kendall Haven.)
In schools, we learn quadratic equations, participles, the scientific method, the Reformation and thousands more concepts. How often do teachers take time at the beginning of a class to explain how this information will apply to the world beyond the walls of academia? If we can’t tell a story that shows how the information we are about to learn is relevant to the life we will lead, perhaps it’s not worth remembering.
Schools and teachers need to make time for “Storytime” at the beginning of each class. Much like we did in elementary school. They had something there.
-Julie
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