In my own time things have changed! Unfortunately the study of the classical languages was passe' by the time I started school, but science and technology were on the immediate horizon. My life was filled with "x" and "y" and their relationship and the interaction of forces. Gravity and the effects on physical bodies was the basis of many school problems and my own childhood was filled with thought on the expanse of the universe and endless time.
I graduated with what was then considered a large class in a country school; about 113 students if I remember correctly. Although we were never graded on a 4-point system a quick conversion can easily be made. No one graduated even close to a 4.0! Likewise, my small college class was at the time the second most recognized engineering school in the nation. I graduated with about 400 students. There were zero 4.0 gpa graduates, but there were brilliant students!
"Grade inflation" appears to be at an all-time high. Schools must graduate students with high GPA's to stay prestigious and for financing reasons. Garfield High School in Washington had 404 students, but graduated with 44 valedictorians! All these students had 4.0 gpas! Bullard High School in California is graduating 55 valedictorians! Are students getting smarter or are grades being inflated?
Anecdotally, it's intuitive that bright students are getting brighter, but that grades are getting easier. Those students who soar with the eagles are indeed brilliant, but those who fly with the turkeys also have higher grades than their skills would support. "Why" is not the issue, but the effect is!
I hate fast food restaurants! Why? Although many workers are high school educated, a quantity are even college graduates; but they demonstrate little intelligence. Sure, there are brilliant people working the fast food industry, but I'm generalizing. Not only do many often fail to listen to the order, but neither can they get the order right nor make proper change! Maybe it's unfair to pick on low-skilled workers. I had similar experience with college students working under my direction in industry. Few listened, fewer applied knowledge and wisdom was scarce!
It does seem that most young people can name and sing popular songs, know all the musicians, sports figures and movie stars. Young people are not stupid! They live in a rapid world. All knowledge is as fast food. It's served and eaten, but not digested! Students learn enough to pass the class, maybe excel in grades, but do little pondering and critical analysis. They are fed the information the media culture supplies, "drink their Kool-aid" and do little first-hand critical thinking!
Not only do I believe that grades are inflated, but that the young who do excel in grades still have a problem with constructive cognition. Sure, having learned technology at a young age, they have an advantage, but they're missing the slow technique of reading, contemplating, learning and applying. This is most obvious in the study of Holy Scripture! God's Word is read by few, studied by fewer, contemplated by even less and is rarely applied. Many think they know what the Bible says, but what they really believe is what their perception of what the Bible should say!
It was said of Bezeleel Exodus 31:3 "And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship..."
The Lord told Moses that he filled Bezeleel with the spirit of God. As a consequence Bezeleel was given wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Later verses indicated that all those aspects were demonstrated by skill in the practical. (I believe that Bezeleel could easily make change and pay attention to orders!). We gain knowledge if we read Scripture (God's word), and understand the knowledge we gain. We don't read the Bible to be entertained, but we are to read it so that we gain in knowledge and understanding, and also to become more wise. In our wisdom we also seek joy in the Lord!
Understanding is a key to life!
We have the story of the eunuch who was reading scripture:
Acts 8:29 "Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
Understanding requires input. We must receive knowledge. To receive knowledge a person must train themselves to listen. With that we still may need guidance! Yes, we do learn by listening to others! (Back to an original point. Many don't have an attention span to listen to what's being said. In this fast-paced age they is an auto reaction to words. The person subconsciously perceive that they know what is going to be said!) If anyone desires understanding, in contrast to "good grades" listening, questioning, considering and applying are paramount. No steps can be skipped. Critical thinking requires pertinent questions.
How many today look at the stars and wonder about the creation? They have been force-fed evolution. Does the modern student question the discontinuities in that theory? No. Many just believe it or accept it because that's what taught. They get the "A" in parroting, but an "F" in cognition! Even with the "A" grade, they're still being dumb-downed. They become a micro-processor. They can take in information (if they still have the self-control to listen) and they can replicate it for a grade, but something is wrong inside their mind. They just accept! With God's Spirit, we are to contemplate true knowledge. We are to ask critical questions as the eunuch was about to do. We need guidance!
I worked hard to make my grades. An "A" was hard to come by and not many received all "A's". However, with the struggle to retain all the information with which my mind was bombarded, I did learn essentials with a high ability to apply what I learned. No, I wasn't a valedictorian, but in real life, I competed evenly with those high achievers. I'm nothing special. I was called a "dumb Kentuckian" all my life! God blessed me with the ability to listen, apply, analyze and gain the corresponding wisdom. The wisdom of God leads to success. I'm certainly not what the world calls "successful". I don't have riches nor influential friends. Even close friends are unfortunately few! However, I have faith, joy and assurance that the truth of God is sufficient! I know God's plan and his plan for me! My part of the plan is to take time to talk to Him and he will speak back; through his Holy Word; the Bible!
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