H.Potter/Do you think school needs to change its emphasis on learning from theory-based to application-based?

Question

I saw Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix 3 nights ago. I'm a Potterhead and I thought the movie was the Bee's Knees. My Mom, younger brother and I were discussing the movie afterwards for a good while and a point came up that sparked a thought inside of me that is ever present in my mind. School. Theory or Application? By the context of Book 5, I'd say J.K Rowling votes for Application and so do I. Defence Against the Dark Arts is real and it's raw : a metaphor for the challenging aspects of life in our own world. The Ministry of Magic via Dolores Umbridge promotes teaching D.A.D.A through theory, through copying the text, all in a safe, risk-free way. L-A-M-E. Harry and Hermione echo the sentiments of all students who have ever had to endure this sorry excuse for learning, "How does this teach us anything?" Answer : It doesn't. I love Hogwarts (as do Potterheads worldwide). It's magical because there is magic, but, even more essentially, because what is learned is useful.

Answer 1

This completely depends on the subject. History and literature should obviously be tought by reading.  Math by doing problems. Languages by speaking, reading and writing the foreign language.  Science, a combination of reading (to get the background) and lab studies (application based).  Harry Potter's D.A.D.A. isn't really the equivilent of any academic course, however, it is very analogous to a self defense course.  Obviously no-one would teach self-defense with a book.  Application works as a teaching method, however it is more expensive and time consuming than reading books.  Another lesson to take from Dolores Umbridge is to question authority, and to continually strive to make progress.

Interesting lpoint. Thanks.

Answer 2

I hope you take that passion to it's heights. Become a teacher and apply that gusto!

I totally agree with you that way too much time is spent in books just memorizing facts and not enough time in real world activities in our school system. Don't get me wrong I truly believe that we must all read a lot. But you can read till your brains fall out and not have a l**k of common sense that will help the reader apply that information to some of the simplest tasks. Now a days there is nothing but theory taught. It's all a bunch of memorized facts that hardly anyone is teaching our youth how to apply to virtually any field.

Answer 3

In all fields of life,teaching differs from acknowlegement.For children to be taught,both the theory and the application should be studied and understood ,hand in hand,to create a people who are capable to search ,to face life and to produce.Sociology confirms that,,the past and the new,the academy and the applied creates people who are ready for future carreer of nations.....Dr sherif lanson khalil of Egypt

Answer 4

I love Harry Potter and I think  application is way better than theory.