E.D. Hirsch

Dear Mr. Hirsch,

I absolutely agree that there is certain content knowledge that all students need to learn. I also agree that it should be uniformly paced within our nation, so that all students across our nation can have the same educational opportunities. I also agree that having this core curriculum will provide students, who frequently move, with many more opportunities to be successful. Imagine how much easier a transition for a student would be to go from one district to the next? These are wonderful thoughts Mr. Hirsch! However, there are some aspects of what you discuss that I do not agree with.

What I think your discussions lack most is the discussion of pedagogy. Pedagogy is most frequently described as the art of teaching. Your descriptions make me think of a classroom as an on-going drill. A classroom should look more like a laboratory, where students are questioning, responding and searching for answers. Inquiry based learning helps students learn the why of what they are learning, rather than simply the what. Students in a math class will understand why the denominator in a fraction is what it is, rather than just repeat 2/4=1/2 because of rote memorization.

While I understand that over the years your views have changed slightly, I continue to believe (as you do) that there should be a core curriculum in place. It doesn't have to be yours, just one that is similar in comparison.

Thank you for being so passionate about your prescription for school reform. I look forward to reading your most recent work

Sincerely,
Mary Giacomarro