This is the time traditionally reserved for harvesting. We are but a few weeks away from winter, and we must prepare for the season ahead. Although there are some seasonal winters for which even our best preparation may not be sufficient, we must do our best to prepare each and every time we are presented with the opportunity to do so.
Harvesting ca be defined as the collecting and sorting of a seasonal crop which has been grown from the planting of a seed. The farmer plants seeds in a field which has been prepared. In time, we hope, that the seeds will spring up and germinate, then grow into plants that produce a good harvest which is varied and diverse.
In education it can be said that we harvest a student's understanding after planting the seeds of learning in the ample fields of their minds. We hope that what a student understands is that all knowledge can be interconnected and applied to find the solutions which present and future challenges will require so that they may be met and overcome.
Collecting in education can be defined as the gathering of a student's prior knowledge for the purpose of presenting it to the public. If we want to make sure that our students understand what they have learned, we must attempt to collect it as a whole and in its entirety. Collecting will be a continuous cycle that takes place over the years.
Sorting in education can be defined as the arrangement of a student's prior knowledge by information in subject matter as both quantity and quality. We need to be able to measure, in multiple standards, the growth that a student has done, over the defined time of the season. Sorting will allow us to analyze and envision overall education.
Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator
