Public Education

[Mojo Chick'n]

I agree, not all public schools are bad. The one down here (KY) where we moved was really good.

The one I had problems with was in Grand Rapids, MI - second biggest city in the state. Years of mis-management meant that the school system was broke, and the state was discussing coming in to take over.

The one elementary school I worked at had the police there every single day - not always because of the kids - but also because the parents would come in complaining and start fist fights with each other in the office. One cop said they ought to just put up a trailer in the parking lot and stay there all day.

meri

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

I'm going to be blunt here. If you think the public education system stinks, maybe you need to find another profession.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
I just resigned this past summer, in part because of what you just said

My stress level has gone down SO much (as well as my income, since I'm subbing while exploring other options...lol). BUT, it has given me much more time for my family...and my chickens

 

[Scoop]

Homeshcooling rocks!

 

[warmfuzzies]

Is it possible that public schools cannot be changed and keep getting worse because SYSTEMS don't work?

People are not machines to be fit into an assembly line, filled with the correct amount of information, and then sent on to enter a life of production. Children are not empty buckets to be filled with a pre-prescribed dose of knowlegde.

I find the whole theory of the 'mandated public school system' to be flawed.

Before the invention of a mandatory schooling age, 99-100 percent of society was literate. In the age of the founding fathers of our country, people learned to read because they wanted to, not because they were told they had to.

Reading was not a huge feat that took years of information-stuffing and humiliation, it was a natural process much like walking and talking. People learned to read with a small amount of guidance and a large amount of will and expectation. And if you are a proficient reader, you will enjoy reading, and if you enjoy reading, the collective knowledge of the world is available to you.

Maybe the system will never work, because we aren't machines. We never have worked well in systems.

 

[Kesta]

i personally have attended public school since i was old enough to go to school. i feel that yes there is that ocassional bad teacher but also sometimes its not the teacher. its the students. im not calling em dumb. im saying they are not focused and some really dont give a flying pig doodle! on the other hand there are those who really try and they often succeed. its not always the students fault but often it is. i have experienced these things first hand even in my advanced classes.i am in algebra this year and frankly my algebra teacher does not teach. he goes up. does a couple example problems. does not explain why he does certain steps then gives us a work sheet on it. as a consequence of that almost every one is very narrowly passing his class.

 

[PotterWatch]

Quote:
Have you read Dumbing Us Down? I completely agree with you. I think the whole idea of school as an "assembly line" way of learning is destined to fail. We all want to be recognized as individuals, but there is no possible way for children to be taught as individuals when a teacher has to deal with 30 kids at once. We don't all learn the same way and at the same pace so to think that one curriculum can be used with all students is ludicrous.

It is also amazing how many people think that traditional school is the only way to prepare children for living in the "real world". As far as I know, school is the only situation where you will ever be grouped together with people your own age and then even sub-divided into groups with people who are at your learning level. I have certainly never had a job like that, nor ever been involoved in any organization that is run that way. People think that school teaches children how to deal with bullies. I think school teaches children how to be bullies.

I have more to say on the subject, but I should probably quit before I get any more vitriolic.

 

[warmfuzzies]

I am reading "The Underground History of American Education."

Here is a link to the online copy you can read. http://www.campaignforliberty.com/edu/education-freedom.php

It is on a Ron Paul website. It is deep but totally worth it!

 

[PotterWatch]

That's the one I'm reading next. My friend is giving me her copy when she is done with it.

 

[Boyd]

no child left behind is as much to blame as anything.