Letters to the Editor

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun
The New York Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

‘Education Theorist to Speak At Manhattan Institute Confab’

Mr. Andrew Wolf believes that E.D Hirsch’s philosophies regardingthe development of a mandatory core curriculum will assure knowledge acquisition in our schools [“Education Theorist To Speak At Manhattan Institute Confab,” May 4, 2006]. Knowledge is power and there can be no dispute about its importance – but knowledge must be absorbed in a relevant manner. Isolated snippets of information floating in a realm of irrelevancy fail to engage the mind and certainly do not ignite the imagination. The goal of education is not to force-feed data but to nurture an understanding of why information is vital, fascinating, necessary, and – above all else – meaningful. Truly progressive education enables data intake.

There is no conflict between intense focus on content, knowledge, and scholarship (and, yes, even the perennial reading-battle scapegoats of phonics, spelling, and penmanship are important) and a system of education that values process as a means to product, exploration as a means to discovery and, most critically, that views errors as a natural (when did this word become blasphemous) part of the learning process. Children do learn naturally and this is not a romantic notion; it is a highly predictable and pragmatic tenet of child development. It is our task as educators to harness that learning power to our curricular goals.

HELENE RIBOWSKY
Educational Consultant


Please address letters intended for publication to the Editor of The New York Sun. Letters may be sent by e-mail to editor@nysun.com, by facsimile to 212-608-7348, or post to 105 Chambers Street, New York City 10007. Please include a return address and daytime telephone number. Letters may be edited.

The New York Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.


The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use