Emerson is talking about how our teaching methods are so standardized that anyone who has the proper and correct set of rules to follow and instructions can be considered an “outstanding teacher.“ He says that even though it is impossible to teach everyone on the same level, our society still tries to. He acknowledges that students cannot be given the kind of instruction and teaching when the teaching is created to be on everyone’s level and designed to leave no one behind.
For the most part, I agree with Emerson’s assessment of the educational system when he says that teaching in the current system has such a “easy application“ that “any tutor or schoolmaster in his first term can apply it.” I think that “No Child Left Behind,“ the state’s standards and core curriculum play a big enough role in today’s educational system that it is no longer as important for a teacher to understand the subject matter they teach, but rather how good they are at teaching what they’ve been presented with. I’m not saying that all teachers have no understanding of their subject because I have plenty that are geniuses in their area of expertise; I’m just saying that in most cases I don’t think complete understanding of a subject is a necessity.
I also think he is right when he says that our societies education goal is to “do for the masses what cannot be done for the masses.” He knows that, in theory, being able to teach everyone equally is the ideal situation. The more the merrier, right? But he also knows that thinking it is possible to teach everyone the same knowledge at the same time and level is foolish; and yet, we continue to try. Is it better to try to equally provide for everyone’s educational needs and desires, even when you’re repeatedly hit with defeat? Or to knowingly leave some behind, simply because they cannot learn and keep up at the same tempo as the smarter children of the group?
He also stresses how there is a difference between actually teaching a child and filling his mind with knowledge the right way, and forcing information down his throat. You can force a child to memorize facts and take tests and read passages, but you cannot force him to understand the knowledge you give him and to take that information on with him and use it. Being able to accomplish that is truly an achievement in my book.
