Posted on 03/29/2009 5:59:20 AM PDT by aberaussie
We had the same experience. I taught Saxon Math through Algebra II. Then the community college professors took over.
“The kids will still know. You can’t trick kids. They’ll know who is left back and who is advanced.
This is as dumb as not keeping score at kids’ soccer games. The kids always keep score.”
I agree.
I can see he merits of allowing children who excel to move at their own pace. However, there are some problems. Does anyone remember the open classroom concept quite a number of communities tried in the 1970s or 80s. I don’t believe there are many of those schools ending up being a productive way to encourage learning or keeping track of what learning was taking place.
European schools do test kids early and based on the outcome. Those children will be put on a prescribed academic track. Unfortunately, and particularly for boys, that can also narrows opportunities pretty early in a child’s development.
Not everyone should or needs to go to college. But speaking as a parent of a son who developed academically on the later side, the element of competition can be useful. His class mates were for a time ahead of him, and that fortunately compelled him to focus and eventually thrive academically.
In my experience with public schools (3 kids) you’ve got to be a very involved parent. Public schools are generally pretty inconsistent, always experimenting with concepts (seems like every few years), and we found huge gaps in our children’s learning experience. Teaching styles vary, and they are constantly changing theories on what and how to teach. There are lots of distracting “special programs” breaking up their focus.
I don’t know what the best teaching method could be, but it’s evident what most public schools are doing now isn’t working. They’ve been asked to provide all things to all people, not to mention being forced to be the parent to those whose parents refuse to take responsibility in raising their own.
College for some can be such a huge waste — waste of money, waste to time (with the exception of hard sciences, maybe). Really what kids learn in 4-5 years could be probably taught in 2. Today’s college experience can be so mired in the boring and plodding status quo, everybody know the answers before the questions are asked.
Not necessarily. This could mean 10 and 11 year olds in a class with 7 and 8 year olds. Too much of an age discrepancy.
I do agree it tends to dumb down the teachers breed as well. The one size fits all education, produces equally dumb graduates. There are two retired school teachers in the neighborhood, and both retired frustrated with the system ...
When I asked my old friend Stuart, why he liked to teach, he said something like, I like the way the student reacts when he finally figures it out. That's my satisfaction knowing I made a difference. I wish I had taken closer notes of Mr Cady’s musing, but sadly all I have is the memory left.
Instead of talent rising to the top, the dregs will sink to the bottom.
It took me 37 years to find Free Republic...just think about how “behind” I am in everything. I was one of those kids who tried really hard but did not get it. Luckily I went to Catholic School were they were patient with me and I finally did get it. It is sad how they want to dump the “take a bit of time” kids.
Is there a difference between this and the ‘open classroom’ that was in vogue about 30 years ago?
I have to think...What benefits the Unions? That might be the motive.
Exactly! Teachers are cooperating and even outright promoting evil educational practices and then expect to be held in esteem as if they were reincarnated Mother Teresas! Unbelievable!
If schools are rotten then why are teachers actually helping to make them that way? They should quit.
Yes, I blame teachers. If they know better they should flat out refuse to cooperate, even if it means they get fired. If they don't know better then we should call them what they are: STUPID USEFUL IDIOTS!
( Yes, I am shouting!)
I wish my parents had homeschooled me. While I was only slightly ahead in math (lead growing with age), after the first grade, I was reading from five to six years ahead of grade level. School sucked for me. I used to get really creative in distracting myself from boredom and was getting in trouble for stupid things frequently (like skipping recess to go to the library.)
The answer to this question is very simple.
They should do what other professionals are expected to do by their licensing boards and by their fellow professionals. They should quit. They should refuse to participate in malpractice even if it means they are fired from their jobs.
I think you are a tad harsh in your judgment.
Professionals who knowingly hurt children through malpractice, or outright ignorance, should be judged harshly.
Do you pay taxes? Are your taxes used by the federal government to fund abortions here and overseas? Isn't it incumbent upon you to stop contributing to a system that murders babies? So why don't you stop paying your taxes? You are just helping the baby-murdering system by going along with it, you butcher...
Absolutely. However, condemning with a broad brush is far different than judging harshly. You tend to espouse the former, while only claiming the latter.
This is not even new but has been tried back in the early 70’s. Whatever....
50 percent? You are way off. I am willing to bet that 90 percent of people don’t know. I saw a little clip in one of my classes where they interviewed Harvard grads and only 1 out of 10 got it right.
And, honestly, to be fair, I think a lot of people learned it but have forgotten b/c it matters so little in one’s daily life. As my one friend said to me, “Who cares?”
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