American Public Education

[freeztar]

Theory5,

I felt the same way in high school. It really pissed me off!
But, college is right around the corner and you will likely be relieved of such feelings. I know I was.

[lemit]

Originally Posted by freeztar

Theory5,

I felt the same way in high school. It really pissed me off!
But, college is right around the corner and you will likely be relieved of such feelings. I know I was.

I wasn't. (Except in journalism.)

--lemit

[dannieyankee]

I got this quote from the Wikipedia page of American Education:
"15 year olds ranked 24th of 38 in mathematics, 19th of 38 in science, 12th of 38 in reading, and 26th of 38 in problem solving.[79] In the 2006 assessment, the U.S. ranked 35th out of 57 in mathematics and 29th out of 57 in science. "

I am not sure whether or not other countries have students like this, particularly in Europe, but in America the attitude is 'School sucks'. There are so many unintelligent students wasting space in public classrooms, and I blame some of these problems on a number of things.

1) The Media.
2) The poorly organised education system.
3) Lack of Government control in education.
4) Greed of schools
5) Incompetence of teachers
6) Lack of specialised skills in public schools.

I'll address each issue individually, starting from the bottom up.

The fact remains that many elementary and middle school teachers are not prepared to teach appropriate classes; one teacher will explain basic arithmetic, phonics, reading, and a bit of history and science. Teachers should get a more extensive training system, with less focus on being a babysitter and more focus on teaching a more advanced, structured class. Kids should NOT be leaving elementary knowing 5 + x = 7 with x = 2 as the extent of their advanced mathematics. The way I see it, elementary age children should be learning 5x + y = 3, 1x + 4y = 7, and be able to solve for both x and y. The separation of what constitutes as advanced and what does not is a major problem.


Schools are trying to make money off their students. Simple as that. The Government needs to be able to provide PROPER FUNDING for each and every school; School Districts would pay the salaries; government pays for everything else, with PROPER EDUCATIONAL BOOKS AND DEVICES. For example - recently, the school district chose a book for our AP World History class. That book was the worst out of all the choices, and yet they chose it. For that reason, the REVIEW BOOK - one that students bought themselves - was much more competent than the actual AP Book, which was not in a format that would assist in the development of World History knowledge at the AP level. Why did they choose it? Because it was cheaper than the other books, which had more information in an easier-to-remember format.

In High School (at least where I'm from), the schedule for years goes as follows: 9th grade = Algebra I, Earth Space Science, World History, and basic English I. 10th grade = Geometry, Biology, no required history, and English II. 11th = Algebra II, Chemistry, US Government, and English III. 12th grade = Any other math (required one more year), Any other science (not required), Economics, and English IV.
I propose that a better 'schedule' would be:
9th - Geometry, Earth Space Science, US Government, and a more advanced English curriculum.
10th - Algebra I, Biology, Economics, and a more advanced English curriculum
11th - Algebra II, Chemistry, European Governments, and American Literature
12th - Any advanced mathematics, such as Pre-Cal or Stat, any science, such as Physics or advanced Bio/Chem, World History, and British Literature

That way, the Algebras follow each other, the sciences remain at the level of difficulty as well as a more proper math for each subject, the social studies are in general, based on the difficulty of each class ,and you actually learn more about English in each class, covering most grammar and vocabulary skills in 9th and 10th and actually learning about poetry and interpretation in 11th and 12th.

Finally, the media - students are far too caught up on all the press coverage of popular celebrities and TV shows CENTRED SOLELY on dating and high school teens.

The lax uniforms and school policies allow for students to bring their iPods and other media devices to schools. Students with poor respect and manners are kept in the same classroom as those who are not, thus keeping the more able and willing students from being able to succeed, because there is not enough separation between students. There are basically a few LOOSE classifications for students - Regular, ESE, Gifted/AP Gifted, and Honors/AP.

I propse this: Regular, for Students WILLING and DESIRING to learn more and advance themselves,
Honors/AP for the students both willing and able to handle a more advanced curriculum, which WILL be provided, contrary to some modern Honors classes, Gifted/AP Gifted for students WITH both a desire to further themselves AND an advanced IQ (you can't only be high-IQ worthy, you also have to be WILLING), ESE for those who are willing to learn but have some learning disabilities (not retarded, just not as intelligent as the normal population), and then Specialised Education for those who are not willing to learn (this is both a basis of all required knowledge of high school and a sort of therapy program, one that discovers why a student does not want to learn and how to help them as much as possible. Might require psychologists and patience.)

I also propose a sort of 'tougher uniform policy'. Sure, for PE students can change into t-shirts and basketball shorts, but in school, that classic button-up shirt and tie should be mandated. BOTH boys and girls have the option of wearing pants or shorts, but they would be required despite gender, to wear the tie and have a jacket with the school logo.

Maybe it's just me, but American schools have these 'cliques' not seen in other places such as Britain. Maybe that's a big problem?

[Theory5]

The lax uniforms and school policies allow for students to bring their iPods and other media devices to schools. Students with poor respect and manners are kept in the same classroom as those who are not, thus keeping the more able and willing students from being able to succeed, because there is not enough separation between students.

Sounds like you are saying the conformity is the same as doing better...... I know what you mean though when you say that other kids are keeping the ones who can suceed from suceeding. Its all about what other kids think about them :-/

[quote]ESE for those who are willing to learn but have some learning disabilities (not retarded, just not as intelligent as the normal population)[/qoute]
Careful, there. A learning disability does not automatically mean that they are not as intellegent as the 'normal' as you put it, people. ADHD is classified as a learning disability yet it does not affect my intellegence. There are hundreds of thousands of people that are smarter than average even though they have learning disabilities.

[dannieyankee]

[quote=Theory5;266158]Sounds like you are saying the conformity is the same as doing better...... I know what you mean though when you say that other kids are keeping the ones who can suceed from suceeding. Its all about what other kids think about them :-/

ESE for those who are willing to learn but have some learning disabilities (not retarded, just not as intelligent as the normal population)[/qoute]
Careful, there. A learning disability does not automatically mean that they are not as intellegent as the 'normal' as you put it, people. ADHD is classified as a learning disability yet it does not affect my intellegence. There are hundreds of thousands of people that are smarter than average even though they have learning disabilities.

Well, I personally believe that a large majority (probably up to the 90 percents) of ADD/ADHD patients are just kids who don't like math or science or whatever class they're in and their parents say that 'no, my child isn't immature, he just has a disability'. But that's another debate altogether.

I realise that not all mental problems do not make you unintelligent; people with autism could be geniuses, for one - and schizos could be masters at something. What I meant was impairments of logical and comprehensive thought, as in a sort of repression of the mind, one that does not allow you to advance very far, such as mental retardation, quite a few autistic cases (not the genius kind), down syndrome, ect. Things that can actually cause you to have social and mental impairments. Forgive me for my generalisation.

And I didn't mean conformity; I respect kids' rights. However, I believe that in a learning environment, your priority isn't to speak out on your beliefs or express individuality, which is what schools are becoming - school is for school. The mall, the cinema, the park, those are places of self-expression, where your main priority is your friends. However, in school, it's becoming more and more of a 'hang-out', where kids show off their most recent skater shoes, their wicked sweatshirts, their cool jeans. At least in my school, kids fight for no uniform under the impression that they deserve freedom of speech. Well, I agree. They do. But school is not a public forum of expression. It is a school, an environment of learning.

[coberst]

Public policy is to restrict the view of citizens to those matters that will best enhance GDP. GDP is not enhanced by independent critical thinking citizens.

William Graham Sumner, a distinguished anthropologist states the ideal:

“The critical habit of thought, if usual in a society, will pervade its entire mores, because it is a way of taking up the problems of life.”

Just as a critical habit of thought pervades the entire mores of a society so does a naive habit of thought pervade the mores of a society.

Quickie from wiki: “Blinders, also known as blinkers or winkers, are a piece of horse tack that restricts the horse's vision to the rear and, in some cases, to the side. They usually are made of leather or plastic cups that are placed on either side of the eyes, either attached to a bridle or to an independent hood. Many racehorse trainers believe this keeps the horse focused on what is in front of him, encouraging him to pay attention to the race rather than other distractions, such as crowds. Additionally, blinkers (then usually known as winkers) are commonly seen on driving horses, to keep them from being distracted or spooked, especially on crowded city streets. A “set of winkers” can refer to the whole bridle, particularly the heavy bridle used on draft horses.”

Our culture and its associated educational system prepare young people for the work place so that as they reach adulthood they can easily assimilate into a work force that will help to maximize production and consumption, i.e. they will help maximize GDP. Our educational system graduates young people with a “set of winkers” sturdily attached to the cultural tack that will restrict the individual’s intellectual vision to those personal and community activities that will best enhance national GDP.

As a result our citizens are not prepared to deal with the complexities that result from our ingeniously developed high tech culture.

[dannieyankee]

Originally Posted by coberst

Public policy is to restrict the view of citizens to those matters that will best enhance GDP. GDP is not enhanced by independent critical thinking citizens.

William Graham Sumner, a distinguished anthropologist states the ideal:

“The critical habit of thought, if usual in a society, will pervade its entire mores, because it is a way of taking up the problems of life.”

Just as a critical habit of thought pervades the entire mores of a society so does a naive habit of thought pervade the mores of a society.

Quickie from wiki: “Blinders, also known as blinkers or winkers, are a piece of horse tack that restricts the horse's vision to the rear and, in some cases, to the side. They usually are made of leather or plastic cups that are placed on either side of the eyes, either attached to a bridle or to an independent hood. Many racehorse trainers believe this keeps the horse focused on what is in front of him, encouraging him to pay attention to the race rather than other distractions, such as crowds. Additionally, blinkers (then usually known as winkers) are commonly seen on driving horses, to keep them from being distracted or spooked, especially on crowded city streets. A “set of winkers” can refer to the whole bridle, particularly the heavy bridle used on draft horses.”

Our culture and its associated educational system prepare young people for the work place so that as they reach adulthood they can easily assimilate into a work force that will help to maximize production and consumption, i.e. they will help maximize GDP. Our educational system graduates young people with a “set of winkers” sturdily attached to the cultural tack that will restrict the individual’s intellectual vision to those personal and community activities that will best enhance national GDP.

As a result our citizens are not prepared to deal with the complexities that result from our ingeniously developed high tech culture.

The culture of the US is that 'We the GREATEST country ever, but you're so, so screwed if you try to leave.' They don't educate us like the rest of the world (who, by the way, can be considered 'more intelligent'.) They make it nearly impossible for someone to transfer countries - try moving to England with your license. Get a new one, apparently. Your Bachelor's degree? Not really as high as it is in the States.

We really should be able to 'Europeanise' the states - not government-wise, necessarily, but education-wise. It's the GDP that believes that the power of ONE EFFING NATION overrules the power of like TWENTY.

[lemit]

Originally Posted by dannieyankee

The culture of the US is that 'We the GREATEST country ever, but you're so, so screwed if you try to leave.' They don't educate us like the rest of the world (who, by the way, can be considered 'more intelligent'.) They make it nearly impossible for someone to transfer countries - try moving to England with your license. Get a new one, apparently. Your Bachelor's degree? Not really as high as it is in the States.

We really should be able to 'Europeanise' the states - not government-wise, necessarily, but education-wise. It's the GDP that believes that the power of ONE EFFING NATION overrules the power of like TWENTY.

Wait. You state the obvious truth that we're the greatest country in the history of the world, and for that matter in the history of the universe, but then you suggest that we should adopt an educational system that must necessarily be worse than ours?

Where did you learn to think like that?

Oh, yeah. Sorry.

--lemit

[dannieyankee]

Originally Posted by lemit

Wait. You state the obvious truth that we're the greatest country in the history of the world, and for that matter in the history of the universe, but then you suggest that we should adopt an educational system that must necessarily be worse than ours?

Where did you learn to think like that?

Oh, yeah. Sorry.

--lemit

I lol'ed.

But yeah, that's basically how the US runs (corruptly) the education system. It's quite difficult for someone who lives here to move out, simply because they insist that the US use different standards for EVERYTHING.