Four day school week
May 30, 2019 08:09:53 #
My father used to say "If you think that education is expensive you really need to compare it with the cost of ignorance". Having said that there is a point beyond which the task is complete i.e. an individual has the necessary knowledge to find a job, perform the job and extend that to a career. In the UK university attendance has been expanded from 5% to almost 50% with massive expansion of existing ones and "promotion" of technical colleges to that status. The current population of students have been "sold a pup" in that the standard of lecturers, lectures hasn't been maintained; now everyone else has a degree of the same questionable value and they will be paying back loans into their 50's. Given the basic necessary educational toolbox any young person would be able to decide on what and how they can discover information for themselves. I see too many of them failing to find employment, living in a bedroom hiding in a virtual gaming world in which they feel secure and are in total control so that they aren't inclined to meet the scary challenges of the real world. I pity them for what we have allowed to happen to their education.
May 30, 2019 08:10:16 #
DJ Mills wrote:
In grad school, a wise old prof told us that the quickest way to guess a student's relative IQ was to listen to the vocabulary of the student's mother.
Family and the impact that two parents have on their children will produce better-educated student. I don't think to pay teachers more money equates to a better-educated child. For the most part, the teachers have July and August off and two breaks each a week long.
May 30, 2019 08:14:44 #
While the students go to school only four days a week, the school day was lengthened so the student get the same amount of instruction. I am not certain that lengthening the school day is conducive to learning. I think my concentration would be greatly diminished towards the end of the longer day. I was a B+ student when I attended high school some 50 years ago. In college, I was a nearly straight A student majoring in physics. I am convinced that I learned much better by spending roughly 15 hours a week attending classes and spending the rest of my time studying and doing homework.
I believe our schools spend too much time spoon feeding students and not enough time challenging them to develop their own learning skills. Physics certainly honed my problem solving skills; something that has served me well in the world of IT. My daughter graduated from Berkeley as a business major and I have seen that she (and her college friends) also have developed outstanding analytical skills. One of the four basic principles at the Berkeley Haas business school is 'challenge the status quo'. Unfortunately too much of our public school education concentrates on maintaining the status quo.
I am less concerned about the amount of time spent in the classroom and believe that, because technology is advancing at warp speed, we need to re-evaluate our educational system to meet the challenges of today's world.
I believe our schools spend too much time spoon feeding students and not enough time challenging them to develop their own learning skills. Physics certainly honed my problem solving skills; something that has served me well in the world of IT. My daughter graduated from Berkeley as a business major and I have seen that she (and her college friends) also have developed outstanding analytical skills. One of the four basic principles at the Berkeley Haas business school is 'challenge the status quo'. Unfortunately too much of our public school education concentrates on maintaining the status quo.
I am less concerned about the amount of time spent in the classroom and believe that, because technology is advancing at warp speed, we need to re-evaluate our educational system to meet the challenges of today's world.
May 30, 2019 08:17:09 #
traderjohn wrote:
Family and the impact that two parents have on their children will produce better-educated student. I don't think to pay teachers more money equates to a better-educated child. For the most part, the teachers have July and August off and two breaks each a week long.
That's a tired old myth. Teachers work long weeks during the school year, often have to spend summers maintaining their certification (unless they are in private or charter schools that don't require certification), and their pay is based on 9 months, just spread out over 12. They are underpaid for their skill level and education.
May 30, 2019 08:28:49 #
May 30, 2019 08:32:16 #
Most schools nowadays, especially universities, are nothing more than indoctrination centers for the left.
May 30, 2019 08:41:28 #
cbabcock wrote:
That's a tired old myth. Teachers work long weeks during the school year, often have to spend summers maintaining their certification (unless they are in private or charter schools that don't require certification), and their pay is based on 9 months, just spread out over 12. They are underpaid for their skill level and education.
The reality is students are not in school July and August also a couple of week-long breaks.
That is not "a tired old myth". More money does not make for a better-educated student. In NYC the average teacher makes about 60K. Average teacher. There is also a pension and of course SS and Medicare. if you know of any HS student ask them to write a few sentences with a pen or pencil. Ask them to read longhand.
May 30, 2019 10:01:26 #
cbabcock wrote:
Privatization of schools is just another way for the private sector to divert money from the educational effort into the pockets of the capitalists. Charter schools pay big bucks to big business for curriculum. Those businesses make the decisions about what is taught and how, and it's mostly conservative thought. DeVos is pushing for more money to be diverted into big business, doesn't care about actual education.
In Ohio we have many "charter schools" that in theory could offer a better education but in practice 1/2 or more are just a money grab from the public schools. Many have ego boosting names such as "School for the gifted and talented" with kids that get a pat on the back if they can spell their name correctly.
I understand the attraction to send your kids to a "good" charter school but as the brighter students are taken away from public schools the talent level of the public school students and teachers is lowered. Eventually the public system will be a complete failure and somebody else's problem. We need to face the problem headon and straighten up the public school system for the benefit of society. I understand the problem but don't have a good solution but someone out there does. To start I suggest that the parents get off their ass and get involved in their child's education. It is one of the most important things you can get them.
May 30, 2019 10:21:41 #
Picture Taker
Loc: Michigan Thumb
Why don't we make school a voluntary choice. If you don't goto school we will support your for life. That is the proper way to make a kid SPECIAL. We send them to school now and they don't want to work. My way we will save having to pay so many teachers. PS We recall entitled to iPhones so we don't get upset.
The world is free--- I think all the kids need a year or two of military service, to understand life and appreciate it.
The world is free--- I think all the kids need a year or two of military service, to understand life and appreciate it.
May 30, 2019 10:30:12 #
In my view, children should come to school socially educated at home, school should, in the first 3 years in reading, handwriting , basic mathematics,and a secondary language, here in Canada it would be french or english, that would prepare them with basic skill to live and work, from 4th year on, geography and history would added until 8 th year where advance math, science, would be brought in as optional material,( at this point student would be ready to choose a career path and pursue study toward that goal
May 30, 2019 10:36:21 #
Wuligal
Loc: Slippery Rock, Pa.
cbabcock wrote:
Many 16 year olds show better knowledge of actual facts than the supporters of the current president.
Can you be specific please? Give me names, times, places and an actual event along with validated quotes.
May 30, 2019 10:54:27 #
will47 wrote:
Most schools nowadays, especially universities, are nothing more than indoctrination centers for the left.
Don't confuse being open minded and considering many options with being a liberal.
May 30, 2019 10:56:18 #
Wuligal wrote:
Can you be specific please? Give me names, times, places and an actual event along with validated quotes.
He is just a lame liberal. Nothing to see here, be kind to yourself and move on. You will be a happier person.
May 30, 2019 10:57:47 #
pendennis wrote:
Classroom education is vital. However, it can onl... (show quote)
Meaning no offense to your thinking, I cannot disagree more. Our class sizes are too large for your Socrates mentor style of education. Teachers are already pushed to the limit with class sizes to do that type of education. Also we have a number of teachers who are not for the students but more for the money. Yes I know I will get negative feedback from others for seemingly putting teachers down. But my family was into teaching for years. I know exactly how SOME teachers are. Some are tremendous and work hard to educate their students. Others not so much. If a teacher is not really into their students do we want that teacher teaching our children for years? I sure do not.
If you like your style of teaching then do home schooling. For the masses it will never work.
Dennis
May 30, 2019 11:03:47 #
cbabcock wrote:
Many 16 year olds show better knowledge of actual facts than the supporters of the current president.
That is absolutely the dumbest most ridiculous statement I have heard so far this year. Apparently you are a vagina hat wearing person who has no common sense.
Look around Bucko at some of the 16 year old kids now who are making tea from used tampons, eating Tide laundry pods, who go to parties with the other 16 year old kids and bring home medicines stolen from their parents medicine cabinets. Then they put all the pills together in a bowl, grab a handful and take them to see what will happen. You mean THOSE 16 year old kids?
Dennis
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