Education & Learning

Trouserpress wrote: Epignosis wrote: 3. Zero tolerance for bullsh*t in high school.  I mean this.  You go to school and dick around?  You are wasting taxpayers' money.  You are robbing other students of a valuable eduction.  You are not cute.  No detention, no suspensions, no writing sentences 100 times.  You get two warnings, and after that, you are out.  See you at McDonald's. I missed this whilst I was writing my post (had to take a call in the middle of writing it) and I agree with you on a lot of your points, though obviously we're talking about different countries with different systems. However, I wanted to pick up on this one as I fundamentally disagree with it, though I can see exactly why you've come to this conclusion. What particularly worries me is that it doesn't take into account why students might "dick around" and whether there are fundamental problems that need to be dealt with there. The thought of a student with really severe problems beyond their control (unstable family scenario or whatever) being denied an education just because they dealt with their problems in an immature fashion doesn't sit comfortably with me at all.

First, your comments in your first post are spot on and really hit home for us in the US as well. 

I did not do a very good job explaining #3.    Let me elaborate if may.  You are absolutely right about problems at home.  I of all people would understand that (given where I taught).  At the same time, it simply isn't fair that students who are doing well have to put up with poor behavior (the same is true for teachers- teachers should be free to teach with minimal disruption).  Perhaps problem students could be moved to an educational facility where they could learn as well as build character and get whatever special attention they need (I worked at a charter school that did this).  The spirit of my #3 is simply that teachers and other students should not have to suffer on account of foolishness (whatever it's cause), that is all.  I apologize if it came off as too harsh or not understanding.

This is going to be a long and rambly post, so apologies in advance..

Some of you may have been aware that year I mentioned in passing that I was training to be a teacher. Specifically, I was training to teach Media Studies - a subject with a poor reputation in the UK, but in my opinion an increasingly vital aspect of any young person's education (but that's perhaps best left for another debate).

Well, I abandoned my training roughly two months ago for a number of reasons, some of them not remotely related to the nature of the job I was undertaking, but there were aspects of the UK education system which played a definite role in my final decision to quit.

In the seven months I spent working 4 days a week in two typical UK schools (both state schools, one in a rural area, the other inner-city) I got to see an awful lot...

I saw a lot of very dedicated, overworked staff battling an overbearing and complicated ever-changing system obsessed with assessment to the detriment of actual teaching. Teachers are no longer expected simply to deliver lessons - they are managers, counsellors, organisers of special activities, child-minders, and more besides. The amount of responsibility and the competing demands on their time is immense. I had naively entered into teaching expecting it to be a secure job - turns out it's a career, a life choice. To be a successful teacher you have to be dedicated to improving the lives of young people and pretty much nothing else. Whatever happens, I hope this thread doesn't turn into parents bashing teachers without having the faintest understanding of the extraordinary work they do under immense pressure and endless constraints.

Additionally, I saw a lot of dissatisfied students, many who simply had no wish to be there, no understanding of the importance of their education and absolutely no respect for each other, let alone most teachers (who I strongly believe must earn the respect of their students, not to simply expect it). I honestly think the situation is worse than it a mere five/ten years ago. Teachers have to persuade students and justify every single piece of work they set, they have to manage with vastly oversized classes, provide for children with all kinds of learning difficulties and prepare lessons which will challenge the very brightest students without alienating and frustrating those who are likely struggle with often simple work. Teachers can no longer expect A level (16-18) students to bring a pen to lessons.

I've already touched on the biggest problem I think our education system is facing, and it's one that isn't likely to change under our new government - assessment. The British "league tables" system has meant that schools are now engaged in a constant battle for points. Every school wants to achieve the best possible results in order to maximise enrolment for the next year (every student is worth a lump sum added to the school's budget, let's not forget). This has resulted in a number of damaging things. Firstly, it's pushed teachers and schools towards training kids to pass exams. That's a very different thing to educating. Schools and teachers will do literally whatever it takes to ensure they get the highest possible pass rates because failing to do so carries with it all kinds of problems. This helps to render those results more or less meaningless, and a very poor reflection of an individual's level or learning or ability within a subject. Secondly, this grades-focussed approach has lead to the micro-management of day-to-day assessment. Students are all assigned target grades based on often spurious statistical data and their "achievement" is assessed merely by checking to see whether they are "on target" or not.

I could go on for some time, I feel like I've barely scratched the surface here, but I'd better leave it for now.

I have very strong opinions about schools in the US.  I've seen things from both sides (as a student and as a teacher).  Here are my thoughts:

1. Schooling should not go beyond age 16.  Six years of elementary schooling, then four years of secondary schooling.  Done.  Move on.

2. Many of the courses required in public schools prove to be worthless to the majority of students.  How many of us use any math higher than basic algebra, for example?  Public schools are essentially universities in themselves, and I do not think this is helpful.  Course requirements should be pared down (more on that in a minute).

3. Zero tolerance for bullsh*t in high school.  I mean this.  You go to school and dick around?  You are wasting taxpayers' money.  You are robbing other students of a valuable eduction.  You are not cute.  No detention, no suspensions, no writing sentences 100 times.  You get two warnings, and after that, you are out.  See you at McDonald's.

4. No forced mainstreaming.  That goes for kids with mental / behavioral issues or kids who can't read / speak / understand English.  A teacher shouldn't have to dumb down lessons to accommodate others with special needs.  I got so sick of having to jump through a million hoops to satisfy the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and IEPs (individual education plans).  Teachers can't even concentrate on the other 80% of the class.  If you have special needs, you should be accommodated elsewhere until you can handle the rigor of regular classes like everybody else.

5. No state standardized tests.  This is not to say they aren't good for anything, but after a lot of thought (and supporting them), I think we're better off without them.  They cost a lot of money, and it's gotten to the point that teachers teach the test only, students freak out, and failing once means failing for the year.  Bullsh*t.  Teachers should be trusted to provide a rigorous curriculum, and held accountable if they do not (I knew teachers who gave word searches for extra credit that effectively passed students who goofed off all year.  What good is that?).

6. Minimal homework.  I mean this too.  Would you like to go to work for 7-8 hours, then be sent home with 3 more hours worth of sh*t to do?  No.  Children should have time to be children.  Other than some assigned reading, an occasional essay, or maybe a half-dozen math problems, no homework.

7. Here are basic classes students should be required to take and pass:

-Algebra
-Geometry
-English (Grammar and Language)
-Literature
-Science (a general class on the scientific method, basic physics, biology, and chemistry)
-US History
-World History
-Civics (this should go in depth with the Constitution, US government, law, taxes, and all things pertaining to citizenship in the US)
-Life Skills (basic class dealing with avoiding/managing debt, how to balance a checkbook, how to budget, how to get a job, what to do if unemployed, how to do a basic tax return)
-Physical Education (gym)
-Health (nutrition, first aid, learning about and preventing disease including STDs, etc)
-Religion (Islam, Judaism, Christianity with an emphasis on the Bible, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc)

That's 12 requirements.  If a school uses a semester schedule (which I support- 4 classes a semester instead of 7 or 8 all year), and students go for four years, that's  32 courses.  That leaves 20 electives students can take to customize an education- foreign languages, art, music, higher level sciences, maths, histories, literature, mechanics, theater, etc).

Computer skills should be integrated into the curriculum where appropriate.

8. Decent lunch with reasonable portions.  Three chicken nuggets with a side of green beans, a roll, and a cup of milk is not enough for a 14-year-old male.

So, who believes in God?














Kidding Jim, kidding!