Seeing the "Connectedness" of Things Social and Moral Imperatives for the Future of Our Schools ERNEST L BOYER In Independent Q A ^ E must not and cannot have a value-neutral education. Communicating values is at the heart of everything we do. But how are these values to be defined? What are the larger purposes of education we should seek to accomplish? The social and moral imperative of education is best fulfilled ay students gain perspective, as we help them see the connectedness of things, an insight that touches the very foundation of morality, whether it be personal, social, or religious. I believe that all worthy values we pursue in education are best expressed in the imperative I call connections. This is true whether the connections relate us to the past, through history; to the world ot nature through science; to one another, through the school community and social studies; or, ultimately, to the eternal. How can we in schools help our students gain this larger v.sion? Here are some suggestions. first, we teach connections through the curriculum we choose. L HJgh Z " *7 l ljh°0l:- Educat A '° Rep0rt 0Tl Africa, n F n 1 1 , T u ° S Qfneg,'e Foundation for the Advancement or Teaching, we suggested a core of r t APRIL 1985 6 School common learning for all students to which two-thirds of the secondary school experience should be devoted. This core should include our shared use of symbols, our sense of history, our membership in groups or institutions, our relationship with nature, and our shared activities of work and leisure. These central themes are universal experiences that shape the life of every individual, While students should discover that they are individuals, they should also discover that they are connected to a larger community That is the centerpiece of formal learning. The use of language provides an illustration. Is it possible in our language courses not just to teach vocabulary and syntax but also perhaps the power of lancuace which ultimately should lead to' genuine understanding? Our shared use of symbols connects us to one another. Through our common education, students should be asked to *•••••••••••••••• °yer " President, Carnegie Foundation for the Advance- Ernest L B 0/ TeachinS> Washington, D.C. Condensed from Independem School,XUV (October 1984) 9-14 learning for all students, two-thirds of the seconol experience should be Hiis core should include *d use of symbols, our story, our membership in institutions, our relationnature, and our shared >f work and leisure. These smes are universal expert shape the life of every tudents should discover are individuals, they 3 discover that they are to a larger community, e centerpiece of formal "he use of language prostration. Is it possible in ge courses not just to bulary and syntax but s the power of language, nately should lead to lerstanding? Our shared >ols connects us to one rough our common edlents should be asked to yer is President, Carrion /or the Advance aching, Washington, fed from Independent ' (October 1984), 9-14. IMPERATIVES FOR SCHOOLS 15 consider the quality of the message Students should move beyond they send. the narrow disciplines to see conAs we introduce our students to nections. Through a core of comthe natural world through science, mon learning, whether through the they should learn to understand languages, the sciences, the social that every form of life depends on sciences, or history and literature, all other forms. They should come we should convey social and moral to see the importance of the ecology imperatives to our students. of the planet earth. School Climate Through history as part of the learning core, students should learn We also convey values to our stuthat while we have separate roots, dents by the climate we create in we also have a common heritage. the school. Building connections The study of history should include must begin within the school itself, not only our own traditions but with a sense of community among non-Western studies, too. This the administrators and the teachers world view has been scandalously and the students. And this has less neglected in the public schools. In to do with size than with compelour debate about quality in educa- ling vision. tion, it is important that our vision If education is to exercise a moral be global, not just national. Failure force in society, it must conduct its to see connections that cross nawork in a moral context. Learning tional lines is to educate for ignomust occur in an academic comrance in a dangerous and interdemunity that is held together not by pendent world. pressure or coercion but by shared The study of history should in- purpose, by simple acts of kindness, clude the study of religion. Students and by the respect group members cannot know the history of art have for one another. without discovering religious inIn the end, of course, teaching spiration. They cannot know litera- matters most. This is another imture without knowing how religion perative in our search for the ethihas shaped great writers. They cal and moral perspectives of educacannot know music without grasp- tion. ing the power of religion. At every Good teachers have a message to turn in sociology, psychology, theconvey. They communicate with ology, and economics, one must care. Above all, great teachers are deal with the reality of religious sensitive and self-revealing. Thinkfaith. The quest for common learning back on teachers who truly ing is unimaginable without knowchanged my life, I had four. What ing that the sense of the sacred, the did they have in common? In addisearch for enduring values, have tion to knowing their material and been central threads in the fabric of communicating clearly, they were human experience. able to reveal themselves to me. APRIL 1985 16 THE EDUCATION DIGEST They were confident enough to tell the work that needs to be done and me that they were not two-dimen- the sense of drift so many young sional but three-dimensional peo- people seem to feel? We have not ple. They laughed, they cried, and found ways to relate the energies of occasionally, they said, "I don't youth to the needs of people. A serknow." vice program for all students would Great teachers are believable as uniquely bind our youth together. human beings. I have had teachers We could help them see connecwho were knowledgeable but de- tions between the campus and the ceivingly closed about who they need of others—a social and moral were. They did not cause me to be imperative for our schools. moved authentically. Great teachers For American education, reform make connections between the curis the order of the day, and the most riculum they teach and the convicessential issue is teaching values to tions of a student. our students. The question is, "Which values?" and "Are we doing A Youth Problem it intentionally or not?" Through We shape values by helping stu- common learnings, students should dents see connections between what explore universal experiences that they learn and how they live. Yet, it bind us all together. Through school is possible for students to finish climate, they should learn what the high school and never be asked to spirit of community is. Through participate responsibly in life, to great teachers, they should see conspend time with older people who nections between school content are lonely, to help a child who and their own convictions. And hasn't learned to read, or even to through voluntary service, they help clean up the streets. We have should learn to understand that, to not just a school problem but a be truly human, one must serve. youth problem, a generation of Nearly 40 years ago, Mark Van young adults who somehow feel Doren wrote, "The connectedness unconnected to the larger world. of things is what the educator conThe Carnegie report proposes a templates to the limit of his capacservice requirement during high ity. No human capacity is great school—volunteer work in or out of enough to permit a vision of the school. Students could tutor younger world as simple, but if the educator students in or out of school, work in does not aim at the vision no one the library or cafeteria. They could else will, and the consequences are volunteer at parks, hospitals, mu- dire when no one does. . . . The seums, nursing homes, day care student who can begin early in his centers, or synagogues or churches. life to think of things as connectIs it too much to hope that we ed . . . has begun the life of learnmight find a way to bridge the gap ing." This is the social and moral between the young and old, between inipcrative of education. • APRIL 1985