FNED 546 Weekly Blog Assignment #2 – The Broken Model (from The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined) by Sal Khan

QUOTES REFLECTION

Sal Khan’s The Broken Model is a searing condemnation of the “normal” education system in the United States, starting right away with criticism of the actual concept of “normal.”

 “Normal is what you’re used to. It seems to be part of human nature that customs and institutions come to seem inevitable and preordained. This sense, even when it’s illusory, gives a stubborn staying power to habits and systems that have been around a while – even after it’s become clear that they’re no longer working very well.” (Page 61)  

Khan uses this description of normalcy to highlight issues he has with the current (long-standing) structure of the U.S. school system, originally championed by former Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education Horace Mann. It was based on the Prussian model which some believe instilled values like promptness, attendance, obedience to authority, and scheduling time according to a bell schedule – all of which would prepare students for employment in the soon-to-arrive industrial age. Khan makes two separate points in this chapter:  

“There are two related points I’m driving at here. The first is that creativity in general tends to be egregiously underappreciated and often selected against in our schools. The second point – and in my view this is nothing short of tragic – is that many educators fail to see math, science, and engineering as ‘creative’ fields at all.” (Page 98)

Aside from the stifling of creativity and original thought, Khan takes issue with the very concept of testing, saying:

“Tests measure the approximate state of a student’s memory and perhaps understanding in regard to a particular subset of subject matter at a given moment in time, it being understood that the measurement can vary considerably and randomly according to the particular questions being asked.” (Page 92)

As the creator of the online Khan Academy and the Schoolhouse.world non-profit initiative, Khan continues to provide avenues for students to acquire knowledge independently and at their own pace, before working in teams to utilize their learnings in a concept known as “flipped classroom.”

I’m not well-read enough to take a stand on whether the U.S. educational format needs overhauling, but any system that’s been in use for over 170 years could certainly benefit from some introspective review. I think Khan deserves credit for not just pointing out a problem, but illustrating (and making a reality) his option for a superior system.

REFLECTION: Khan also makes a good point that “…those who prosper under a given system tend to become supporters of that system. Thus the powerful tend to have a bias toward the status quo.” Is the simmering unrest about wage and wealth inequality in America tied to the continuation of the basic educational construct in American schooling?

Comments

  1. RobersonApril 1, 2026 at 8:05 AM

    I particularly appreciate the way you linked Khan’s critique of the traditional educational model to broader social issues, such as inequality. I have cited Bourdieu and Passeron on my blog; they worked on a key concept: "social reproduction." This concept sheds light on how schools perpetuate social inequalities. The observation that "normality" is merely a reflection of our habits—rather than of what is optimal—strikes me as particularly pertinent today. Furthermore, I agree that a 170-year-old system warrants re-examination, especially given that creativity and intellectual flexibility have become essential for today's learners. The "flipped classroom" model proposed by Khan appears to be a promising step forward in refocusing education on mastery and curiosity, rather than on mere rote memorization and conformity.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FNED 546 Weekly Blog Assignment #7 – What to Look For In a Classroom (Alfie Kohn)

Image
  FNED 546 Weekly Blog Assignment #7 – What to Look For In a Classroom (Alfie Kohn) & CLASSROOM TOUR – Middle School video (Megan Forbes) REFLECTION I enjoyed reading Alfie Kohn’s “What to Look For In a Classroom” chart-icle and it heartened me to see so many of the “good signs” reflected in the third grade classroom I am currently volunteering in. The room has multiple comfortable areas for learning, including two “learning centers”, one of which is a half-pentagon table with chairs around it. There’s also a large space for gathering at the front of the classroom. Two huge bulletin boards on the walls are covered with the latest writing and art projects from the entire class. There is a well-labeled area with books available for signing out, plenty of art supplies in a closet, and a few bins of wooden blocks and connective blocks for abstract building. Beyond these things that mirror Kohn’s suggestions, the physical layout of the desks in the room is very carefully arr...
Read more

FNED 546 Weekly Blog Assignment #1 - Privilege, Power, and Difference by Allan G. Johnson

Image
QUOTES The author takes great care to approach the subject of privilege in America gently. It’s the kind of incendiary topic that tends to make the oppressed angry and the privileged incredulous. I found this quote to sum the concept up clearly and concisely: “To be white in America means not having to think about it.” We could say the same thing about maleness or heterosexuality or any other basis for privilege. Page 25   I found the Diversity Wheel image from Workforce America to be really interesting. Per the author’s suggestion, I got busy labeling myself came up with: male/English-German/white/52-year-old/heterosexual/physically able/married/father/middle-class professional/Master’s degree/Christian. I am all of those things, but I never really looked at myself as the sum of my labels before. I think that’s the point of the exercise though – I like to think I’m kind, thoughtful, funny, and trustworthy but you wouldn’t know any of that just by looking at me. That’s a ke...
Read more

FNED 546 Weekly Blog Assignment #11 – Transgender Guidance & Woke Kindergarten

Image
  FNED 546 Weekly Blog Assignment #11 – Transgender Guidance & Woke Kindergarten QUOTES The video from “Woke Kindergarten” and the straightforward text from the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education gave us perspective on how to work with transgender and gender nonconforming students in two very different communication styles. As befitting the series title of “Woke Kindergarten”, the video was paced slowly and clearly, with animations and breaks for viewers to consider the questions asked by the host as they reviewed the book “It Feels Good To Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity” by Theresa Thorn. It recaps the concepts of transgender, cisgender, binary and nonbinary identifying people. The video is clear and doesn’t dive too deeply into any one area – it’s an overview that’s easy to understand. While gender identity can be a “hot button” discussion in some places, I thought the video did a really good job of explaining different gender ide...
Read more