Will Uniformity Foster Unity or Rebellion?

Increasingly, I am noticing people pursuing higher and higher degrees for credentialing purposes rather than pursuing education for knowledge and practical competencies. 

I do not fully support the notion that knowledge accumulationis old school and knowledge acquisitionis new and future school. The accumulation and memorization of somethings are an essential basis for future learning and for our democracy. The new school people say: “knowing how to know or how to find the knowledge is more important than actually knowing, because there’s too much to know to memorize.” 

We should develop a national consensus centered on what knowledge and competencies we all should know, understand and share by everyoneall over our nation. This concept should begin in kindergarten and be continued in increasing spirals of complexity and dimension through grade 12. With state and local interpretation and modification our American K-12 education system should require masteryof a substantial knowledge base including, at a minimum:

Memorization of the: 

-Pledge of Allegiance, 

-National Anthem, 

-Multiplication Table,

-Names and locations of each state,

-Vocabulary and spelling,

-Preamble to the US Constitution, and, 

-National Motto. 

Competency and Familiarity with: 

-Civics and the rights, responsibilities and obligations of citizens,

-The Federal System of government as stated in the Constitution, 

-The local, state and federal representatives and their functions and limitations,

-The capitals of each state,

-The Periodic Table,

-Basic functionality in a foreign language,

-English grammar and parts of speech,

-Algebraic functions and applications,

-Domestic and personal finance,

-Digital and Informational Literacy,

-Domestic Science,

-Art and the Practical Arts,

-Music with Practical Music and Choral Singing,

-Public Speaking and the presentation of a point of view.

Skilled at:

-Cursive or script writing,

-Pursuit of some vocational/mechanical ability,

-Literacy, reading and vocabulary development,

-A physical sport or activity,

-Clear declarative writing (in cursive),

-Keyboarding,

-Multicultural competence

Search engines should not replace thinking. Search engines should not shape our thinking. Students should have the same shared basic knowledge in a variety of academic, artistic, physical and mechanical subjects. While the brain is not a muscle, it still should be exercised to support the development of the higher order thinking skills “the future” will need. 

As many citizens as possible should have the ability to:

-To think independently,

-Exhibit three-dimensional decision-making, 

-Demonstrate civic responsibility, and,

-Demonstrate critical thinking.

Of course, all this should be subject to the interpretation, implementation and guidance of local Boards of Education and their constituencies in setting policy. School leaders and teachers should guide, direct and implement this policy. Above all, parents should be attentive, supportive and, yes, patriotic, in encouraging students with, at least, the above knowledge and competencies so that they learn the importance of independent thought.