Public schools teach math and science much better when the teachers DON’T have a degree in education

wordpress ^ | September 17, 2012 | Dan from Squirrel Hill

[FredZarguna]

If by “proficient” you mean “full of crap,” we agree. Given the state of educational outcomes, modern educational theory (I use the term loosely) can’t be much more than a lot of hot air.

[Gabz]

The article is about teachers with and without Education degrees not about union teachers.

I left a state (Delaware) where the teachers are unionized and moved to a state with far better schools, not even thinking about them not being unionized, just knowing the schools were better. Heck, I wouldn’t even have put our daughter in the local Catholic school in Delaware, as it was as bad as the local public school.

I’m glad you found what was best for your children. I found what was best for our child. I don’t have an issue with that.

My issue was your generalization, and broad brushing of ALL public school systems based upon your own personal experience. I would love for my daughter to be attending my HS Alma mater - but I prefer her NOT growing up in the cesspool that NYC has become.

[struggle]

>>If by “proficient” you mean “full of crap,” we agree. Given the state of educational outcomes, modern educational theory (I use the term loosely) can’t be much more than a lot of hot air.

(Should I vent some more...yes.) You are absolutely correct. There is no educational theory or method more effective than a good teacher that connects with students, is prepared, and judges his students fairly and competently. Teaching is about people transmitting information to one another, not about how or what methods by which it is transmitted. People learn in different ways.

The saddest thing are the stupid and meaningless methods teachers are forced to endorse to make curriculum heads (M.Ed. folks) happy. Word walls, Depth of Knowledge, Thinking Maps, and now Core Curriculum - by the time a teacher becomes a 7-10 year veteran, he has learned to complete disregard them all as fads that will pass away shortly, only to be replaced by a new educational fad that cost valuable funding and time.

[JustSayNoToNannies]

Amazingly, you have the same experience and credentials that I have: BS Math, PhD Physics,

Very suspicious ... has anyone seen a picture of the two of us together? ;-D

My daughter's math teacher in middle school actually sent a note home to me that said, "Your daughter says that you told her that 0/0 is not defined. That's only in algebra. In the rest of mathematics, 0 divided into anything is always zero."

WTF!?

<groan> More than once I've had to tell my daughter, "If that's what the teacher says, that's how it is in that class - but here's the real truth ..."

[FredZarguna]

Very suspicious ... has anyone seen a picture of the two of us together?

Don't personally believe in the "Many World's" Interpretation, but if I did I might suggest that one of us has slipped through from an alternate Feynman Path.

We could also be like Dr. Doom and Rama Tut, but this begs the question: Are Kang The Conqueror and The Scarlet Centurion also FReepers, and if so, what are their handles? And would it be good, or bad -- like "crossing the streams BAD" if they discover that they are also us(/you/me.)

[ Statistically, I suppose the odds would be worse -- a lot worse -- if we were both Wimmins' Studies undergrads with PhD's in post-modern feminist literature posting on the same thread at FR. But I don't think Dr. Doom is a feminist in any event... ]