"For My next Trick..." - Your Humble President

[Ryann]

If we had more industry here that actually PRODUCED PRODUCTS for sale then we could install vocational programs in schools that gave the "hands on" type of kids skills they could use to go out into the world and manufacture quality products that people wanted to buy.

Instead we have a system geared toward administrative skills so companies that outsource productivity to other countries can employ American people to "manage", "consult", and "oversee" operations from afar. Meanwhile, the working class kids get to work at Taco Bell or collect unemployment.

[z31maniac]

And we wonder why we're falling behind everyone else in the world when it comes to educating our children....

oh, I see where you're getting this whole anti-education vibe from. http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201009010042

I think Glenn Beck is out of his mind, just to make that clear.

However, you've failed to get the point. The "No Child Left Behind" bullcrap initiated by Bush has failed miserably, along with teachers that are rewarded for seniority instead of merit.

So again, how does more time in a crappy situation = better results?

[dkbmxer002]

And we wonder why we're falling behind everyone else in the world when it comes to educating our children....

it's sad and pathetic.

[ACMF74]

No, more education is not a bad thing, but the extra's that will undoubtedly be taught will be not based in knowledge, but in placing ideologies and mentalities that have nothing to do with core "education" based teaching.

It is your parents responsibility to help in the early childhood development and teaching, not the Education Complex. Even though I know it sounds stupid what I'm saying, there is supposed to be a disconnect. It takes a Village to raise a child, not it takes a building full of mouthpieces spouting "Systematic Principles" to raise a child.

Exactly, and you can apply this to quite a few more examples. Parents today rely too heavily on other institutions to teach them morals/education etc etc. The breakdown in family morals is one of the key components that's killing this country.

[mrsleeve]

Oh for the love of FUCK some of you are dense.

Especially since the NCLB thing, teachers at all levels have had to DUMB DOWN the material they teach, to the lowest common denominator, so every one can pass. If they dont, their job is jeopardy, and the funding for the school is as well. So as manic has pointed out how is LONGER in that dumbed down situation gonna do any good????

Not only that the teacher and school have to make sure the kid passes or they lose funding, they dont want pissed of parents coming in mad as wet hornet wanting to know why their little dip shit is being held back. SO they pull the race card, then threaten and some times try to bring legal action against the teacher and the admin, and the district.

Like I said before its more to do with the family's using the system for a day care and are not involved.

Those of you that dont have kids or are of an age where you are still kids your selves dont see it yet. Give it a few more years and you will. Why do you govt's are trying to pass laws about making it harder to home school your kids??????????? Think about for a while. Its not protect the kids.

It is better to tolerate that rare instance of a parent’s refusing to let his child be educated, than to shock the common feelings by a forcible transportation and education of the infant against the will of his father- Thomas Jefferson


Oh you want our next generation to be watching shit like this????????????????????????? My mom has refused to show this shit, and other media aids of the same ilk.


Look who funded this thing, and then learn about who else they fund and back. Its disgusting

[Raxe]

Families families blah blah families. It's not going to happen and the next generation will be twice as bad as it is now. Stop blaming it on parents because they won't get any better.

[mrsleeve]

families families blah blah families. It's not going to happen and the next generation will be twice as bad as it is now. Stop blaming it on parents because they won't get any better.

THEN WHO THE FUCK DO WE BLAME IT ON?????????????????????????????????


Its not the states/govt's job to raise your fucking kids..............................THATS YOUR FUCKING JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dont want to do it then dont fuck and have rug rats.

[joshh]

^^^Exactly.
Start meeting your child's friends parents and you'll understand why many kids are failing in our school system. Or seeing what their parents let kids get away with.
Try educating a kid about what's right and wrong when many of the kids in their school smoke pot in the school bathrooms. Or are allowed to roam freely late at night on school nights etc.
Parents are the foundational failure or propped up help to a child. You can't expect a parents failure to be cleaned up by a school system that pays teachers on "time served".

[Farbin Kaiber]

I have to disagree with you sleeve, it is not a parent's job. It is a parent's "responsibility", an entirely different level of understanding lost in this country.

The majority does not even do their job right, how could we hold them to doing a "good" job with their kids. The system in which we all function within the boundaries of has epically negated the morals and concepts/contexts/precepts of life we held so dear just a generation or so ago. Generation X's bleary eyed look at slacking had been passed down to that generation's children, who are stuck updating Facebook about what color underwear they are sportin' opposed to doing some of the basic things they won't be able to do on their own, like chores.

[87e30]

There is merit to shortening vacation break. While I agree that re-structuring the teaching system would be beneficial as well, MORE of the same school is indeed still beneficial.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell has a good section on education.

The fact that we advance children at a younger age starts a separation gap that inevitably extends through out their schooling until they are finished. This may stunt people at an early age that are simply younger and just need a little bit of time to catch up. However, by prohibiting them from more "advanced" education they are demoralized from an early point.

Also, the book provides data for wealthy, middle class, and poor students' test scores when given the same test in the beginning and end of the school year. Surprisingly, poor students scores improved the most through out the school year, while they dropped off drastically over the summer. Where as well off children dropped less knowledge over the summer which put them ahead of the poor children the next school year.

Point being, if a child is not motivated by either himself, or parent, to utilize his brain by reading or learning over the summer, then he/she is placed at a disadvantage the next year, and this pattern continues. Thus, removing the long summer break should in fact give everyone the opportunity to retain information, spend less time "catching up" in the fall, and actually become educated.

It certainly can't hurt. While this may be a "bad" system, by all means, tell me what system you went through. And your parents? And those you know? It must be teaching us SOMETHING. With out the summers to get lazy, kids will have a better chance of remembering something.

More homework and actual work would be a good step, as well.

[KenC]

High school teachers make a little more than 33k per year, and often have to spend their own money on supplies.
Too much money is spent on administration of public institutions. If you want professionals in the classroom, pay professional wages.

Tenure also needs to go.

[z31maniac]

High school teachers make a little more than 33k per year, and often have to spend their own money on supplies.
Too much money is spent on administration of public institutions. If you want professionals in the classroom, pay professional wages.

Tenure also needs to go.

I agree teachers should be paid better. OK is notoriously low on the pay scale.

However, I wonder if nearly 3 months guaranteed vacation every year is already reflected in that salary? (It seems to be, and I think it is something to be considered.)

A good friend of mine, and his wife, are both teachers and for the years since we graduated college at least one of them gets a part-time job in the summer to make extra money.

I make a sizeable chunk more than $35k/year, however, I'm at work during that 3 month summer and the two weeks around Christmas, spring break, etc.

If you removed that 4 months of pay (just an example since I wouldn't be working) you get down to around what a teacher in OK makes.

[Farbin Kaiber]

^ Just because school is out, nothing says you can't work. Very true point. Didn't think of it that way before.

[jasonsnoddy]

im currently going to community college, and i see a definite difference between professors who have tenure,and professors who are trying to get tenure. you can really tell the new guys are trying hard, while some of the tenured old farts are half dead people who barely pay attention to the class and just do proofs all day (using my calc class as an example). i agree, the best way to improve education is to eliminate tenure.

just like any other job, you have to actually try if you want to keep it.

[ACMF74]

same goes for Unions...