I've been a middle school teacher for about 6 years now but for how much longer who knows? Whenever the subject of education comes up it's always about the children's needs and never about their or their parent's responsibilities. You hardly hear mention of teachers and their needs but you hear plenty on how today's teachers are failing our kids. Bush made it a point to specifically help out doctors with their unfair malpractice insurance premiums but no mention was made about teachers who far outnumber doctors and certainly need more help than doctors. What needs to happen to fix our educational system?
How do we fix education?
- Thread starter Medellon
- Start date
- Oct 30, 2000
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been discussed recently in 2-3 threads here.
Those threads were originally about other issues and became highjacked temporarily
Those threads were originally about other issues and became highjacked temporarily
CADsortaGUY
Lifer
Key words from your post:
parent's responsibilities
But anyway - It needs a shift in focus. Schools need to quit being our kid's parents - just learn 'em some good info.
CkG
parent's responsibilities
But anyway - It needs a shift in focus. Schools need to quit being our kid's parents - just learn 'em some good info.
CkG
When teachers are making millions a year and giving to bribing Bush then I'm sure you will get some help to but until then STFU and enjoy your 300 dollar tax cut.
- Oct 30, 2000
- 42,589
- 5
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When the parents as a collective within any school system care enough about the quality of the child's education, the problem will able to become fixed.
They need to hold the schools accountable for what is taught and the level of quality.
They need to ensure that the child is learning the information being presented (being involved with ALL aspects of the educational process.
They need to not dump the responsibility of social rearing a child on the school.
They need to provide support to the school system to allow a quality education to be provided.
They = parents.
No excuses - you brought the child into this world, now do the BEST you can for it.
They need to hold the schools accountable for what is taught and the level of quality.
They need to ensure that the child is learning the information being presented (being involved with ALL aspects of the educational process.
They need to not dump the responsibility of social rearing a child on the school.
They need to provide support to the school system to allow a quality education to be provided.
They = parents.
No excuses - you brought the child into this world, now do the BEST you can for it.
KK
Lifer
- Jan 2, 2001
- 15,903
- 4
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Government needs to institutionalize some sort of program to keep idiots from being parents. It's not the teachers or schools fault that some of them are failing, it's the stupid parents fault for not working with their kids to learn the basic fundamentals. You'd be surprised at how many 4th graders don't know their multipication tables, and how many can't read. I don't blame the kids. I think if the parent fails to teach the young ones these simple things then the government should be able to yank that kid from that home. Of course there would be exceptions, but on a case by case issue, it would work.
KK
KK
CADsortaGUY
Lifer
- Oct 30, 2000
- 42,589
- 5
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Key word is collective.
There are children that pull themselves up from the ghetto/slums due to their own initiative and support from the parent(s).
It takes dedication from within the family.
Any parent should have the ability to interact with the local school system if they choose.
when enough people become energized to demand changes within a system, it can/will happen.
They also have the ability (should they choose) to help the child at home with learning.
There is no excuse for a parent passing the buck of responsibility.
Regetfully, it has taken a couple of generations to put the system in the state it is now. It will take even more to pull it out.
The educators I work with echo your thoughts. For example, I've heard stories of parents bringing their lawyers to PTA meetings and parent/teacher conferences. I'm afraid the problem isn't just isolated to the system itself, but rather how American culture has evolved.... or devolved.
Bingo, which is why education has resisted the various 'fixes' we've been trying for the last 20+ years. It all begins at home, with real parental responsibility, and real parental involvement. Unfortunately, those are lacking these days.
I have also known parents who bring their lawyers to parent conferences in the more affluent parts of town. Teachers today are expected to do much more with a lot less than in the past. I am amazed that we seem to constantly have a problem with education year in and year out regardless of which party is in charge. The problem could be fixed if the government truly put forth the time and effort.
Chess9 has the answers....he's our resident 'education expert.' Tell us, Chess9, what is the problem and how do we fix it again? Don't use D.C. or Ohio as an example, as you know they are "unique cases."
Doesn't your first sentence pretty much tell you your second sentence is incorrect? Gov't is part of the problem, not part of the solution. Parents mostly see schools as daycare centers for the kids they want to have, but don't want to raise. The problem could be fixed if parents truly put forth the time and effort.
Education should be funded at the federal level (so rich towns don't have an unfair advantage) which means less taxes go to the town and state and more go to the fed. Teachers need to be paid a fair salary ( the average masters degree holder earns somewhere north of 100k a year yet the average teacher with a masters earns somewhere south of 50K). Finally, teacher/student ratio needs to be addressed. Why don't some teachers care about their students? cuz there's so damn many to worry about.
In short, education needs a lot more money. I suggest we siphon some funding from the massive defense budget (left over from the cold war). Instead of paying lots of defense contractors all over the country to build weapons, we pay lots of educators all over the country to teach our kids things they'll need to know as all our blue colar work goes overseas.
In short, education needs a lot more money. I suggest we siphon some funding from the massive defense budget (left over from the cold war). Instead of paying lots of defense contractors all over the country to build weapons, we pay lots of educators all over the country to teach our kids things they'll need to know as all our blue colar work goes overseas.
How do we fix education? Isn't that the problem. Maybe we don't need to fix education, maybe we need to get rid of it. Maybe we need to fix our questions. Always and in everything we do we are like a horse with blinders on. We limit the scope and so we limit the findings as LR once said. We look for the key not in the dark where we dropped it, but in the light where we can see. The answers to problems are always some third way.
Imagine for a sec, therefore, that we are blind people running around screaming how do we fix education, how do we make people see. I wqnt them to see just like me. Now imagine our children are born sighted and it's education that makes them go blind. Puts a whole new meaning to 'How do we fix education/' no? The answer to so many of our questions are not in answers but in understanding why we ask. The Matrix is a prison for your mind.
To learn is to unlearn, to die to what you know. To die to what you know is to die to what you love. To die to what you love is to suffer deeply. To suffer deeply is to be cleansed. You have always known.
It's the question that drives us.
Imagine for a sec, therefore, that we are blind people running around screaming how do we fix education, how do we make people see. I wqnt them to see just like me. Now imagine our children are born sighted and it's education that makes them go blind. Puts a whole new meaning to 'How do we fix education/' no? The answer to so many of our questions are not in answers but in understanding why we ask. The Matrix is a prison for your mind.
To learn is to unlearn, to die to what you know. To die to what you know is to die to what you love. To die to what you love is to suffer deeply. To suffer deeply is to be cleansed. You have always known.
It's the question that drives us.
Is there any more tired response than "throw more money at the problem"? Take for example the DC public schools. From a DC Control Board report found here:
"Comparisons of the District?s school expenditures with other jurisdictions are difficult because of the many ways in which expenditures are reported. However, the District?s average cost per student clearly exceeds the national average, and it is also substantially higher than many comparable urban school districts and neighboring districts."
So all that money bought great schools, right? Maybe not . . .
"In fall 1996, after extensive study by the Authority?s staff and consultants and after conducting several public hearings, the District of Columbia issued a report entitled Children in Crisis: A Report on the Failure of the D.C?s Public Schools. The full text, as well as other D.C. Financial Authority information and reports are available on the Internet at www.dcfra.gov.
In that report, the Authority concluded that the deplorable record of the District?s public schools by every important educational and management measure had left the system in a state of crisis. DCPS was simply failing in its mission to educate the children of the District of Columbia. In virtually every area, and for every grade level, the system failed to provide the District?s children with a quality education and safe environment in which to learn. "
On the first part Bush is FOS. Limiting tort doesn't necessarily help out doctors . . . just as increased productivity, higher profits . . . doesn't necessarily translate into more jobs for Americans. MedMal is a complex issue but the inflation in healthcare costs has multiple etiologies that will require a broad-based, well-integrated solutions . . . kinda like education.
I taught for a year in an alternative school. At the same time I was teaching MCAT, GRE, and DAT classes for Kaplan. My Duke and UNC students were essentially the same (20-30 per class). My students at Meredith College and UNC-Wilmington were a step down (6-10 per class). But they all got the same quality of instruction (excellent of course) regardless of their abilities . . . albeit the pace and presentation may have differed. And of course they all take the same test at the end. And invariably the UNC/Duke students had higher initial scores and higher final scores than their Meredith/UNCW counterparts. But I taught to the test and that's why students improved . . . they didn't get smarter from 10+ 3hr review sessions . . . they became better test takers. It makes perfect sense for that to be the role of Kaplan . . . it's a ridiculous premise for public education.
How to fix the educational system?
Teachers: Good, well-paid teachers that are fully supported by local, state authorities. States should dump current accreditation/licensure procedures an adopt a national standard established by the teaching profession. The National Board of Education (made up of educators NOT administrators) would function similarly to the National Board of Medical Examiners which produces the US Medical Licensing Examinations. A good teacher in KS should be a good teacher in MA. States could waste their time on BS hoops for licensure but it makes more sense to spend limited resources on making all teachers better (from aids to leads). After graduation from Schools of Ed and passing their Step I boards EVERY teacher spends a minimum of one year as an understudy with a Master Teacher, two years as a probationary Lead Teacher, Step II boards, two years as a Head Teacher, and then Step III boards (including oral exams) before becoming a Master Teacher. Better teachers through better training and support. Naturally, teachers get mad bonuses for passing their boards while failure to pass boards means you need to find a different line of work. Tenure is granted to Master Teachers but can be revoked for failure to educate or failure to acquire sufficient Continuing Education but not for sociopolitical or religious objections.
School Systems: Smaller is typically better. End busing (waste of money). Build smaller, modular schools on the borders of communities for the sake of integration. All administrators must retain their teaching credentials using a modified licensing system. In essence, the superintendent cannot fail an assessment she requires of her teachers. Increase the autonomy of individual schools to develop novel curricula . . . innovation should be encouraged as opposed to top down edicts from people that rarely (if ever) see a classroom. Accordingly, system administration will be dramatically reduced with many responsibilities distributed down to teachers and administrators at the schools.
Developers: Can no longer build within a community unless they build the schools first and the school must meet the district's requirements for approval of any new residential construction. For elementary school, walking should be a realistic option in new communities.
Schools: School days start on appropriate child schedules. Return the arts, mathematics, and physical education to school since these tend to complement the educative process than distract . . . as often cited by twits sitting on school boards. Allow a consortium of state school boards and national foundations to develop a single, multi-modal assessment that EVERY state will use. No test should ever be given if the child does not have an opportunity to learn from the results. States are free to raise or lower the standard for passing but they must use the same test. Naturally, states like TX will have a low threshold while states like CT will be significantly higher.
Emphasize extracurriculars but de-emphasize competitive athletics . . . this is a hard pill for this former football, wrestling, and track athlete but schools need to focus on education . . . not entertaining the locals. Children: Universal pre-K focused on basic adaptive skills (primarily social). Universal developmental testing for kindergarteners (early identification of maladaptive behaviors or learning difficulties). Individualized education plans (IEP) for every child. Year-round school with extended school day (primarily for extracurriculars but also supplemental instruction. National Education Assessment given every quarter to assess progress and assist the development of necessary corrections in the IEP.
Parents: If you are not willing to teach your children a respect for knowledge, respect for themselves, and respect for others . . . don't bother having them.
Politicians: More often than not part of the problem not the solutions . . . promote real leaders in education reform . . . obviously Rod Paige is a fraud.
And de-emphasize community relationships, teambuilding, competitive environments etc. with this totally absurd idea.
If kids really are coming out of school stupid then obviously that has to be corrected by not giving them a Diploma saying they passed. What happened to being left back in grades? Are they not doing that anymore? Are they passing kids just for showing up and being counted that they attended?
Yup, the village only gets in the way of me raising my own little perverted psycho. Just like me, a chip off the old block.
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