Throughout my schooling, I have seen and been subject to the Tyler rationale. I had always felt I was just a number in a classroom, not a student who learned differently. Tests and essays were the main forms of evaluation. These types of evaluations are stressful and daunting for high school students and do not give a good chance to show knowledge. Well in middle school and elementary, I would find myself falling behind in classes but didn’t see how my teacher could help. The feeling of being rushed was present throughout all of my schooling. I would just start to understand the topic then we move on to a brand new topic. Now with my knowledge of the Tyler rationale, my teachers were being paid to teach knowledge in the most efficient way possible.
The school system didn’t prepare me for life after high school. When I got out of high school I could take tests, write essays and know how to cram for a test but didn’t teach me how to do a job interview or how to save money. The Tyler rationale focused on students pumped out students who followed the rule, came to class on time, didn’t miss class, and were good test takers. This limits students to the idea that the only thing to do after high school is college or university. The Tyler rationale is only made for one perfect type of student and leaves those who don’t fall into that category to fall behind and feel as if school is not a place they belong. This type of schooling leaves many limitations for most children throughout their whole life.
There are some benefits to having such a structured curriculum and schooling system. Structure does help students learn how to behaviours they will need throughout life. Having a structured pace does insure students will be prepared for the next grades to come. This timeline of school does give students the chance to have hiccups in their life before they are adults. Having students work in classrooms with other students their age helps students gain social skills by working and socializing with their peers. The student-teacher relationship also helps students gain social skills with adults.
I have to agree with everything you stated, although there are benefits to having students know good morals, be on time and follow the rules, Tyler’s Rationale limits the idea that there are students that learn in different ways and can’t learn through hour-long lectures or sit down and write entire essays in one sitting. There are exceptions to every rule in the world, but there does not seem to be an exception with how school is taught and I believe that is not okay.
I felt that you explained what the Tyler rationale was very well, without having to give an actual definition. I believe that many students are just like you, meaning that they have been targeted by the Tyler rationale pushing them behind. I hope that with the knowledge of how poorly this effects students we can make a change and allow students to feel like they are heard and not rushed when they are slow learners. By once being the target, you will be a great candidate for those students who also may feel targeted as you know how they feel.