A phenomenon that Slavoj Žyžek refers to as an ironic distance is created by educational standards. One way to think of this is as a law that is disregarded by everyone, even those who are responsible for enforcing it. When seen from a different perspective, the ironic distancing might be interpreted as a social policy that is generally accepted but seldom implemented in reality. The first one conjures up images of speed restrictions on highways that are constantly disregarded by drivers and are only sometimes enforced by law enforcement and other authorities. Specifically, the latter calls to mind the existence of obvious racism in a country that claims that it has remarkable civil rights legislation on the books. Lastly, one may consider ironic distancing to be analogous to the religious leader who participates in sexual relations that are not sanctioned behind closed doors, while at the same time teaching one thing and acting in a manner that is quite the opposite. In the realm of education, standards and the ironic distance The standards movement in the United States is one of the most prominent and commonly held themes in the field of education in the United States. Making the assertion that it is difficult to learn unless both the student and the instructor have an understanding of the topic that is being taught and received by the learner. The idea that it is impossible to determine whether or not learning has taken place until a standardized exam is developed to evaluate learning. In all respects, this argument is founded on a very outlandish proposition. There is no question that instructors need to be aware of the subject matter that they are teaching. They need to be completely knowledgeable about their matter. Students, on the other hand, are unable to comprehend something that they have not been exposed to. It is not helpful for pupils to grasp what they have not yet learnt if daily learning requirements are written on the board. One of the fundamental assumptions that underlies the standardized exam is that the process of learning follows a linear trajectory. As a matter of fact, learning is a messy thing to do. Flashes of insight, sometimes known as “Aha” moments, are important for learning. If one were to construct a graph of learning over time, rather of seeing a straight line showing progression, one would see a wavy line. It is also important to note that not all children (or people) learn at the same rate. On the contrary, each of us processes information in a unique manner and at a distinct rate. The assumption that a tool that is administered at a predetermined moment in time is capable of capturing evidence of learning is a completely incorrect one. Standardized exams, on the other hand, have a tendency to correlate better with intelligence tests rather than with accomplishment assessments. When we consider the ironic distance, we find that the language does not live up to the performance that was supposed to be delivered. For the most part, those who work in education are fully aware of this truth. Not so with politicians, on the other hand. It is paradoxical that educators are forced to operate within the limits of this environment, which is characterized by the absence of a voice that is acknowledged as being authentic. The kids are the ones who are negatively affected by this policy. Another chilling impact that standards in education and student alienation standards have on schoolchildren is that they make them feel alone. Take into consideration for a minute the first-grade student who is six years old and does not quite meet the level of expectation. A failure label has been placed on him or her. Ask yourself how it is possible for a kid of six years old to be considered a failure in any definition of the term. As a result of the separation that standards allow for, they produce a master class as well as a class of kids that feel alienated. In a democratic republic, this is not even somewhat acceptable. It is not the children that fail in school; rather, it is the politicians who fail the schools, which then fail the kids. Raise your voices—put a stop to this insanity—and do it now. ———————————— The retiring professor of language and literacy as well as secondary education is Roger Passman, who has a doctorate in education. Before he began teaching at the post-secondary level, he worked as a middle school teacher in a public school system that served a major metropolitan setting. His areas of interest include but are not limited to the teaching of writing, student-centered teaching and learning, and education policy respectively. He has presented the findings of his study on a global scale, as well as co-authored a book titled Teaching Writing in All Classrooms, published over two dozen articles in academic journals, and published more than two dozen papers. Authoring the Progressive Education Now Blog is something he does now that he is retired. Any and all authors who contribute are always welcome. Please get in touch with Dr. Passman at Writer Request if you are interested in contributing to the blog.
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