Based on some things I have said in my recent articles, one might conclude that I am being somewhat esoteric.
I will therefore give the dictionary definition of the term: Intended for or understood by a chosen few; of or for an inner group of disciples or initiates, etc.
This is supposed to have been true when humanity was in more of an infant state than as at the present time.
It has been said that now “the door is open for all that will” meaning that anyone may search for knowledge on their own. It is still hidden until one finds it. Much of it was contained in sayings and parables from long ago.
Humanity was virtually mental simpletons at the time and it served its purpose. Different peoples had their own guidance and knew nothing about what was given to others as needed. Not everyone knew about the Adam and Eve story. They had their own.
We have come a long way (though still just a drop in the bucket) and have greatly ‘expanded’ on our comprehension of these sayings. Yet there are still those who see them as the absolute ‘last word’ of God-verbatim and are falling behind; frozen in time. They even like it that way. To each their stuff.
I have mentioned before that each time we come into a temporary physical existence we have our individual aptitudes and achievements, etc.
When we begin our education, it is different for each of us. Various subjects will be easy for a time as we intrinsically already know it and to a different degree for each.
From that point it becomes work. One may also deduce that I am also referring to ‘the common core’ and ‘the race to the top.’
They should say which of the definitions of race they mean.
When I was in school, at one time I learned that to find the area of a circle I had to square (any hint) the radius and multiply the result by PI: Pea in a pod or apple pie (Yankee go home) in the sky-whatever you wish.
This formula is data!
One day I asked myself what this formula means.
First, I realized that squaring the radius was the same as length times width to get the area of a square. Knowledge! Multiply that by 3.14 (actually 3.14159265+).
Ah, so that means I need three of those squares plus 14 or so percent of another one to fill the circle.
Knowledge! If I want a square with the same area as the circle, take the square root of the area to get one side then to prove it multiplying length times width.
I wonder if my teacher actually understood this or was just teaching data from the book. If I want a rectangle with the same area, choose an amount for the length or width and divide that into the area to get the other part. Knowledge!
One could also get the circumference of the circle by multiplying the radius by 6.28. Nothing sacred about it. This is simplistic stuff meant for demonstration. There are other things truly mind boggling such as designing, building and programming a computer. Yet, each step of the way has to be understood.
How many of you know that the 120 or so volts in your outlets is root-mean-square voltage which meters read out and that is the direct current (DC) equivalent.
The peak voltage of the sine wave of the AC is RMS times 1.414 which in this case is 169.68 volts. Reversing this is multiply by .707. Comprehending the math is more complicated than the circle story above yet not as difficult as comprehending and determining the volume of a chicken egg.
Once something is understood, that is knowledge. A little knowledge is worth more than a lot of data. It is solid ground. It can be expanded using logic and reason. It is time consuming but the result is mental growth and development. Much more time is required than that contained in a school day. Too much data only leaves a person in a maze of confusion.
An example of logic is assuming that even on a far galaxy, one plus one still equals two. Also, it seems logical to assume that at least in our solar system, the same table of chemical elements exist. No need to send a space voyager to mars to see if there is water. If there is hydrogen and oxygen it is possible. The rest depends on the weather.
The Common Core is a flawed approach. It is first necessary to determine what a student actually knows and then nurture that students development. Progress should determine the grade unless there are other problems. If there are, they have to be the focus. This is to say that the welfare of the people is the duty of government.
Big Brother will not succeed. Government by the people (all the big brothers and sisters) will be proven and this dilemma will be resolved in proper fashion.
Charles Samek
Mineola
