Article Author name(s): Joseph Henderson
Title of article: Book Review of Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford
Title of journal: Educational Leadership
Date of publication: March 2011
Volume of the journal: 68
Issue number of the journal: 6
Article Page numbers: pp. 92-93
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar11/vol68/num06/Book-Review.aspx
Key Points: Students have exceptional skills with machinery and tools, but because they may not perform academically, they are considered “failures”. Author of Shop Class of Soulcraft Joe Crawford believes we should rethink how we value working with one's hands and reclaim that skill as a valid intelligence. Crawford's arguments challenge much about our factory-model schools, which value some intelligences and marginalize others because instead of promoting unique and creative learning, we push a forced curriculum. This author argues that as a result of placing no value on valid life skills and forcing only academic learning, we are creating a generation who is unable to care for themselves or relate to frequently occurring life experiences. Crawford states, “I want students who can fix an engine, tend the soil, and weigh ethical tensions”. In other words, there is value is students who become productive and efficient adults, whether they go to college or become experts in any given trade, either way they are considered productive and necessary members of the community.
Relevance: I thought this was an interesting article because in class recently we discussed all of the electives that we as students found beneficial that have since been cut from school, shop class included. This article may help to address the fact that not every student is college bound, but that doesn’t mean students are any less eager to learn such trades as plumbing, art, welding, etc. Many of our students this day and age may opt to go directly to work using a skill as opposed to amassing significant student loans.
This is so true. Personally, I would say I learned more useful life lessons from my participation in HS Sports than anywhere else. Shop classes, music, sports, drama, art...they are all so important to not only the kids who go on in these fields but I have seen studies on how these programs support other areas of learning.
ReplyDeleteI know studying the violin from 4th through 12th grade helped me in the understanding of mathematics and then physics by proxy. That's why I intend to be a voice of support for these programs when it comes time to prioritize budgets. Cutting back is one thing, cutting out is quite another.
Cutting these kinds of classes also discriminates against students who are not college bound. It's crazy to think that we have an educational system that believes that everyone has to do things in exactly the same way.
ReplyDeleteI would have loved to take a wood shop class in high school! Our school didn't offer that, or a lot of other more technical classes. We had radio/tv and bicycle repair shop. Those were about the only non "college prep" type classes offered (besides P.E.).
ReplyDeleteI had my first day in one of my placements today down in Gaston Elementary. The students are currently being bussed to the Newberg Pool for swim lessons for P.E. for the next 5 weeks and they also still have music every week! I didn't have either of those things in elementary school(my elementary school cut the in house music teacher after I was in 2nd grade), so it's great to see that there are still places where more diverse classes are offered :)