How would you change K-12 Schools in America?

[High_Gravity]

Stop shoving politics down the students throats.
Teach them the basics. The basics needed to get succesfully by in life.
Get rid of the revisionist "HISTORY" books....Teach them the truth.
Put those beautiful american flags back in the classroom.
If a kid wants to pray, let 'em pray.....If not, fine.
Fire all the teachers who's students on average are failing.
Do away with unionized teachers.

Thats insane, how are you going to fire a teacher if the kids in his classroom just don't care? alot of times the teacher does try and the kids just don't give back.

We can do that by removing the law that makes attendance required.

Imagine how nice it would have been to get the ass clowns, not just outta your class, but out of the school..

Thats nice for the kids who want to learn but what about the others? where would they go? the streets?

 

[High_Gravity]

Stop shoving politics down the students throats.
Teach them the basics. The basics needed to get succesfully by in life.
Get rid of the revisionist "HISTORY" books....Teach them the truth.
Put those beautiful american flags back in the classroom.
If a kid wants to pray, let 'em pray.....If not, fine.
Fire all the teachers who's students on average are failing.
Do away with unionized teachers.

Thats insane, how are you going to fire a teacher if the kids in his classroom just don't care? alot of times the teacher does try and the kids just don't give back.

The kids don't care or give back or try because there are no consequences due to namby pamby schools and absentee parents. Like a cop without a gun. What is he going to do? "Stop! or I'll say stop again!"

You are absolutly right, where I went to high school I got to see a kid call an English teacher a fucking asshole, I actually seen several kids cuss the teachers out, and they do this because they know the teachers can and will do nothing, a paper tiger.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Anyone consider school is about socialization too? Learning to get along with others, work well in teams and to show up everyday on time. Issues which matter little for the home schooled, but important attributes in the work force.

 

[psikeyhackr]

I'm active in my kids grades. But I see your point. Just b/c my kids would pay attention, most of the time, doesn't put them above the idea of surfing the net when bored.

meh

It was a bad idea.

I found my nitwit teachers boring. Science fiction saved me in 4th grade.

I could sit it class and pretend to pay attention while thinking about stuff I read.

Now a lot of the stuff is free and sci-fi has gone down hill with Star Wars crap but people that think fantasy is science fiction will say its great.

All Day September, by Roger Kuykendall
The Project Gutenberg eBook of All Day September, by Roger Kuykendall.

That is not quite as good as A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clarke but it is the closest thing to it that I have seen in the public domain.

The trouble is that as a kid there was no one to tell me what the good stuff was so it is like stumbling around in the dark. So in this digital age kids are bombarded with HIGH SPEED crappy material. So randomly selecting public domain sci-fi will mean mostly junk most of the time.


City at World's End by Edmond Hamilton - Free eBook

All_Day_SCI-fi - - All_Day_SCI-fi

psik

 

[psikeyhackr]

Anyone consider school is about socialization too? Learning to get along with others, work well in teams and to show up everyday on time. Issues which matter little for the home schooled, but important attributes in the work force.

It is about propagation of the current culture.

So we have had a consumer culture since the 50s. And now we are watching consumerism CRASH. But the laws of physics don't care about people or culture. So if the schools really taught science kids would figure out a lot of the nonsense. I haven't been to an auto show since the 60s. But all of us Good Americans are supposed to LOVE CARS. We have bought our way into slavery going into debt for junk.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B738X-ibz2o[/ame]

Socialization is social control through group think. It tends to seek the lowest common denominator.

psik

 

[Two Thumbs]

Thats insane, how are you going to fire a teacher if the kids in his classroom just don't care? alot of times the teacher does try and the kids just don't give back.

We can do that by removing the law that makes attendance required.

Imagine how nice it would have been to get the ass clowns, not just outta your class, but out of the school..

Thats nice for the kids who want to learn but what about the others? where would they go? the streets?

Where do they end up anyway? The streets? Welfare?

At 14 you preatty much know if your are going to make it to college, you may not know what, but you do know that you will or won't go. It comes from the family that's behind you. If mom and dad don't give a damn, neither will the teen. So why screw up other kids chances by dragging others through a system they don't want to be in?

I know it sounds cruel, but at some point serious change needs to be made for the betterment of the whole.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Anyone consider school is about socialization too? Learning to get along with others, work well in teams and to show up everyday on time. Issues which matter little for the home schooled, but important attributes in the work force.

Good point. but I'm certain I heard a report that homeschooled kids get along just fine if not better b/c they have a stronger sense of family.

 

[High_Gravity]

We can do that by removing the law that makes attendance required.

Imagine how nice it would have been to get the ass clowns, not just outta your class, but out of the school..

Thats nice for the kids who want to learn but what about the others? where would they go? the streets?

Where do they end up anyway? The streets? Welfare?

At 14 you preatty much know if your are going to make it to college, you may not know what, but you do know that you will or won't go. It comes from the family that's behind you. If mom and dad don't give a damn, neither will the teen. So why screw up other kids chances by dragging others through a system they don't want to be in?

I know it sounds cruel, but at some point serious change needs to be made for the betterment of the whole.

Well when I was 14 I had no idea what I wanted to do or where I would end up, I don't think its as clear cut for alot of kids when their teenagers, the priviliged already have plans in place for their children but I had to make my own plan and I joined the Military. My parents could not afford college. For some people it takes time to figure out what their going to do, but I don't think that gives them an excuse to make the learning environment difficult for everyone else.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Thats nice for the kids who want to learn but what about the others? where would they go? the streets?

Where do they end up anyway? The streets? Welfare?

At 14 you preatty much know if your are going to make it to college, you may not know what, but you do know that you will or won't go. It comes from the family that's behind you. If mom and dad don't give a damn, neither will the teen. So why screw up other kids chances by dragging others through a system they don't want to be in?

I know it sounds cruel, but at some point serious change needs to be made for the betterment of the whole.

Well when I was 14 I had no idea what I wanted to do or where I would end up, I don't think its as clear cut for alot of kids when their teenagers, the priviliged already have plans in place for their children but I had to make my own plan and I joined the Military. My parents could not afford college. For some people it takes time to figure out what their going to do, but I don't think that gives them an excuse to make the learning environment difficult for everyone else.

Simular situation. with simular results. I tried to work my way through college, it got down to eat, heat or school. Joined the Navy, they had all 3.

hmm, maybe that was a little harsh. Lets say the schools have the right to long term suspend/expell a kid that constantly causes issues with the other teens. They would have to be able to justify doing so.

That would remove the problem kids, and keep those that can be taught something usefull.

 

[chanel]

I agree with that. NJ outlawed expulsion a few years ago and now judges routinely "sentence" juvenile delinquents to attend school, who might have dropped out otherwise. That's a huge
problem. But what I will say is that our VPs do not have a problem with teachers kicking out disruptive kids. The standard is "interfering with the learning of others" Many schools do not have this cooperation and teachers and students are expected to put up with it. That kind of adminstrative support is a fairly easy fix in most schools. Not all. But most.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Where do they end up anyway? The streets? Welfare?

At 14 you preatty much know if your are going to make it to college, you may not know what, but you do know that you will or won't go. It comes from the family that's behind you. If mom and dad don't give a damn, neither will the teen. So why screw up other kids chances by dragging others through a system they don't want to be in?

I know it sounds cruel, but at some point serious change needs to be made for the betterment of the whole.

Well when I was 14 I had no idea what I wanted to do or where I would end up, I don't think its as clear cut for alot of kids when their teenagers, the priviliged already have plans in place for their children but I had to make my own plan and I joined the Military. My parents could not afford college. For some people it takes time to figure out what their going to do, but I don't think that gives them an excuse to make the learning environment difficult for everyone else.

Simular situation. with simular results. I tried to work my way through college, it got down to eat, heat or school. Joined the Navy, they had all 3.

hmm, maybe that was a little harsh. Lets say the schools have the right to long term suspend/expell a kid that constantly causes issues with the other teens. They would have to be able to justify doing so.

That would remove the problem kids, and keep those that can be taught something usefull.

Are all "problem kids" cut from the same cloth?>

 

[Wry Catcher]

I agree with that. NJ outlawed expulsion a few years ago and now judges routinely "sentence" juvenile delinquents to attend school, who might have dropped out otherwise. That's a huge
problem. But what I will say is that our VPs do not have a problem with teachers kicking out disruptive kids. The standard is "interfering with the learning of others" Many schools do not have this cooperation and teachers and students are expected to put up with it. That kind of adminstrative support is a fairly easy fix in most schools. Not all. But most.

I mentioned much earlier "peer court". Do you recall?

 

[Wry Catcher]

Thats nice for the kids who want to learn but what about the others? where would they go? the streets?

Where do they end up anyway? The streets? Welfare?

At 14 you preatty much know if your are going to make it to college, you may not know what, but you do know that you will or won't go. It comes from the family that's behind you. If mom and dad don't give a damn, neither will the teen. So why screw up other kids chances by dragging others through a system they don't want to be in?

I know it sounds cruel, but at some point serious change needs to be made for the betterment of the whole.

Well when I was 14 I had no idea what I wanted to do or where I would end up, I don't think its as clear cut for alot of kids when their teenagers, the priviliged already have plans in place for their children but I had to make my own plan and I joined the Military. My parents could not afford college. For some people it takes time to figure out what their going to do, but I don't think that gives them an excuse to make the learning environment difficult for everyone else.

The military is one option, I too joined the Navy (but during my sophmore year in college -couldn't take F/T courses and work F/T and didn't want to be drafted into the Army).
IMHO we need polytechnical high schools, not everyone wants to or has the ability to attend college.

 

[uscitizen]

I have some ideas but would like to hear what others think. Please, leave the partisan rhetoric out and offer the best ideas you have.

Make the parents pay the full price for their childrens education. That would give them incentive to make sure they were getting their moneys worth.

 

[Wry Catcher]

I have some ideas but would like to hear what others think. Please, leave the partisan rhetoric out and offer the best ideas you have.

Make the parents pay the full price for their childrens education. That would give them incentive to make sure they were getting their moneys worth.

Isn't the issue a democrcy requires an educated populace, and industry, business and government an educated work force?

 

[uscitizen]

I have some ideas but would like to hear what others think. Please, leave the partisan rhetoric out and offer the best ideas you have.

Make the parents pay the full price for their childrens education. That would give them incentive to make sure they were getting their moneys worth.

Isn't the issue a democrcy requires an educated populace, and industry, business and government an educated work force?

No but a successful democracy does.
I do not see euccation as a requirement in our constitution.

 

[JamesInFlorida]

I don't know about the other 49 states-but in Florida the FTCE (Florida Teacher Certification Exam), you either pass or fail. When you apply to be a teacher at schools-they only see pass or fail. The passing score is a 67%. Why not show the passing grades to the school-I think everyone can agree someone who gets a 95% if more qualified to teach the subject material than someone who scored a 70%. It may be a small step-but I think it's an easy step to take towards making the education system more efficient.

 

[High_Gravity]

I have some ideas but would like to hear what others think. Please, leave the partisan rhetoric out and offer the best ideas you have.

Make the parents pay the full price for their childrens education. That would give them incentive to make sure they were getting their moneys worth.

Thats a terrible idea, I've been to countries where parents have to pay to send their kids to school and the parents that don't care just don't send their kids to school. If your idea was implemented the situation would be 100 times worse.

 

[psikeyhackr]

Are all "problem kids" cut from the same cloth?>

That is the interesting about the Vero Beach Florida incident. The problem kids were put on computers.

Computers as tutors - section I

SECTION VI - Computers as Tutors: Solving the Crisis in Education

psik

 

[uscitizen]

I have some ideas but would like to hear what others think. Please, leave the partisan rhetoric out and offer the best ideas you have.

Make the parents pay the full price for their childrens education. That would give them incentive to make sure they were getting their moneys worth.

Thats a terrible idea, I've been to countries where parents have to pay to send their kids to school and the parents that don't care just don't send their kids to school. If your idea was implemented the situation would be 100 times worse.

I know it is a terrible idea, I was doing a sarcastic dig at all those who whine and cry about socialism.
And those who cry that if is not spelled out in the constitution the govt should not be doing it.