21st Century Education Oxymoron

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No Service On Computer21st Century Students are to Apply Knowledge Not Memorize It.

21st Century Education is an oxymoron. Most Texas public and even some charter schools use 21st Century Education materials from the Texas Education Service Centers. This material is designed to deceive and parents into thinking their progressive instructions are educational.

Many Texas public schools provide little more than child care. This is because public school administrators want it that way. These administrators are mandating that teachers all follow the same script. Use the same schedule. It boils down to not needing trained teachers–a video of the lesson will work.

Following is a comment from Scott, a proclaimed Middle school teacher in Texas.

“In the 21st century the general memorization of innumerable facts is really no longer necessary as most people including those at the elementary school level have all the answers in their pockets (smartphones and google).”

Another part of 21st century education is for students to work together in groups and discover facts from each other. Students are assumed to come to school with a background of information that they share. Kids are encouraged to work in groups ans according to SCOTT should not be burdened with memorizing information. Individual students without the aid of technology take the STAAR tests. 

Students who depend on smartphone and other technology to provide answers are at a disadvantage when taking the STAAR.  What is in a student’s long term memory is what they rely on when taking the STAAR tests.

Are  STAAR/EOC tests rescheduled if there is some glitch in receiving online service?

“It is the ability to process information and use it in new ways that is so important for students to learn in this century!”

Even with a smartphone and google, everyone needs basic facts. Everyone needs to be able to do math in their head. I will continue to petition that smartphones and other such technology not be used at all in elementary. In middle and high school, there have to be some restrictions. At this time, students know how to punch in numbers but many have no clue how to do the math processes. Without the special calculators and other technology, many students cannot set up the steps for math problems. 

The 21st Century Technology Methods are  preparing students to depend on machines that are not always dependable or available. A chemists needs to know how to write chemical formulas and equations without having a list. Chemists need to  memorize the solubility rules. The Chemistry EOC test does not prepare students for a career in Chemistry. 

“With your emphasis on the importance on textbooks (hopefully your not being supported by a publisher?) and other antiquated ideas I think you are seriously out of step with the times.”

Marlin ISD is a good example of implementing the 21st Century Technology Progressive Teaching methods.

In 2011, Marlin ISD was officially determined a school district that was not providing quality education for students. Thus, TEA sent their Elizabeth Rowland to provide guidance that would turn this school district around. The answer was to remove all textbooks, which were stored. The CSCOPE instructional materials were implemented and used with FIDELITY.

So how has CSCOPE and no textbooks worked for Marlin ISD?
The superintendent, Marsha Riddlehuber, who was responsible for implementing CSCOPE in other Texas school districts bailed out before the 2011-2012 school year ended. She left the school district without a superintendent. Jamey Johnson, the CSCOPE director of instruction left at the end of the 2013-2014 school year. Much to Jamey Johnson’s credit, the Marlin elementary school is described as being  WORSE THAN 99.7% OF TEXAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

Jamey resisted anything and anyone did not promote CSCOPE, even after the CSCOPE lessons were

The middle school in which I teach doesn’t used a science textbook, and yet our scores were nearly 10% higher that state average. Our campus was distinguished in science also. And, yes, we have used CSCOPE for three years!”


Saying your grades are higher than the state average is nothing to brag about. The state scores are manipulated by TEA. The passing scores on the STAAR/EOC tests are determined after the tests are graded. Thus, TEA decides what is passing.

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