The topic of discussion was the idea of interest based learning. We were asked to conduct an internet search on a science topic of our choice. I froze. Without more direction, I had no idea what to do. The next search we were asked to do had more specific directions. I responded much better to that as I believe students would also. As any parent will tell you, children respond well to boundaries. They push to find the line because they want to know what they can and can not do.
I understand that the theory is that if you let students chose the topic, they will learn more because they are interested in the topic. There is, however, the possibility that the students will have an interest in something that has yet to be introduced to them. Dave Brubek had decided to follow his father into the cattle industry by becoming a veterinarian. While attending college he was required to take a music class, and as I had heard the story told, he was not too happy about this. During the course of that class he found he had an immense interest in music. He went on to become a fantastic jazz musician. Had he been left to interest led education, he may have never discovered his great love of music. Again, I advocate for a broad based curriculum at lower levels and in later years, allow students to explore interests.
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