Chapter 3 is entitled "Hindered by Reform Math and Other Major Trends in K-12 Education: The Analytic Child at School." Katharine Beals opens with a vignette of Josh (a middle schooler) announcing, "I hate school!" to his dad, Ben.
"Take a look at the projects they just assigned us," Josh scoots the folder across the table. Ben takes it and peers inside. "There's a sheet for each subject," Josh says. "Take a look." Ben pulls out several sheets and pages through: "Design a Playground," "Decorate a Tissue Box," "Construct a Diorama."
"That's a lot of art homework," remarks Ben. "What about your other subjects?"
"Dad, that's the point," yells Josh. "These are for my other subjects."
"Which ones?" Ben pages back through. Everywhere the same phrases keep popping up: "Be colorful." "Be creative."
Finally, we get to a non-art assignment:
"Write a three-page paper that includes a description of a movie, television show, or a book that involves a scientific concept, a summary of the scientific concept, and an explanation of the actual concept and how it is used in the movie, television show, or book."
Hello, Google, my friend!
Ben and his wife enrolled Josh at the math and science magnet not only because their son excels in math and science but because he's never been
that motivated about writing, and is even less inspired by the arts-and-crafts activities that dominated his elementary school classes.
Much of the third chapter is devoted to the gospel according to
Kitchen Table Math, with special emphasis on the confusion and exasperation of a left-brain child dealing with art-and-math and English-and-science, particularly when the proportions are 3 parts art or composition to one part math or science. Actual math-y and science-y kids like to take those subjects straight up, no ice. As a former (and perhaps future) language teacher, I think Beals may be downplaying too much the importance of vocabulary, culture, and communication in foreign language study. However, her description of a French textbook where the verbs are presented without the conjugation pattern gives me the pedagogical shivers. I'd have to see the book to judge for myself. I'd add that we have had a brush with foreign language issues ourselves. C was doing very, very well in Spanish last year during 1st grade. She was absolutely nailing the vocabulary. I was so pleased. Then, unfortunately, in the spring, the class's focus switched to practicing a Mexican folk dance for a big end-of-the-year performance. C had a very hard time learning the steps. At some point in the midst of all the drama, her interest in Spanish ebbed away. That was so sad, especially considering that the dancing was probably meant to kindle interest in the subject.