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Who Else's School System Is Flawed?
- Thread starter zflauaus
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Nota bene: You, not anyone specifically, but "you" like "y'all."
Hate to break it to you, but education is for your benefit.
Do you want to be stuck working minimum wage for the rest of your life? Some education is necessary for having some semblance of success in the world.
You're only in High school for four years. Suck it up. Some teachers are worse than others; some actually care and make learning enjoyable. Learn how to deal with authority figures that you can't stand now, it'll really help you in the long run when you have idiot bosses, asking for your TPS report and asking you to work on Thanksgiving.
(Warning: I'm about to reminisce about 6 months in the past)
When I was in high school, I really wish more of my fellow students would realize that. When I was trying to learn at school (because that's what you're there to do), they'd be jabbering on about inane subjects, with no relation to the subject at hand, and held the whole class back. We'd get behind, and behind, and more behind, and eventually, we had to skip a few grammatical lessons so that we would be somewhat on time. When I'd try to further the discussion or whatever we were doing that day, I'd get guff from other students. I'm sorry, I don't want to be your co-worker at Burger King where I don't have to worry about misplaced modifiers because all I'm allowed to say is "Do you want fries with that?" (I also won't have to worry about run-on sentences for the same reason .)
From the ages of about 6 to 18, it's your job to learn. In this country, kids aren't made to go work the salt mines from age 8. In this economy that is shifting from manufacturing to a service-sector economy, education is important. Be able to dispense medicines correctly; do taxes efficiently and correctly; write the computer program to be faster. All those things require some schoolin'.
So, turn off the damn iPod/cell phone and pay attention. Although living in a cardboard box is ecologically friendly, it's not the quality of life fir which anyone aims.
Oh yeah, and up hill in the snow both ways, yada yada yada. All that jazz.
Wow, couldn't have said it better myself. But with all these spoiled kids these days, maybe they should be forced into some slave work so they can see how great school actually is, and that they should stop wasting valuable time.
I'm going to pull an iSaint, on behalf of all the students that actually do what they are told and do not affect the class, thank you.Nota bene: You, not anyone specifically, but "you" like "y'all."
Hate to break it to you, but education is for your benefit.
Do you want to be stuck working minimum wage for the rest of your life? Some education is necessary for having some semblance of success in the world.
You're only in High school for four years. Suck it up. Some teachers are worse than others; some actually care and make learning enjoyable. Learn how to deal with authority figures that you can't stand now, it'll really help you in the long run when you have idiot bosses, asking for your TPS report and asking you to work on Thanksgiving.
(Warning: I'm about to reminisce about 6 months in the past)
When I was in high school, I really wish more of my fellow students would realize that. When I was trying to learn at school (because that's what you're there to do), they'd be jabbering on about inane subjects, with no relation to the subject at hand, and held the whole class back. We'd get behind, and behind, and more behind, and eventually, we had to skip a few grammatical lessons so that we would be somewhat on time. When I'd try to further the discussion or whatever we were doing that day, I'd get guff from other students. I'm sorry, I don't want to be your co-worker at Burger King where I don't have to worry about misplaced modifiers because all I'm allowed to say is "Do you want fries with that?" (I also won't have to worry about run-on sentences for the same reason .
From the ages of about 6 to 18, it's your job to learn. In this country, kids aren't made to go work the salt mines from age 8. In this economy that is shifting from manufacturing to a service-sector economy, education is important. Be able to dispense medicines correctly; do taxes efficiently and correctly; write the computer program to be faster. All those things require some schoolin'.
So, turn off the damn iPod/cell phone and pay attention. Although living in a cardboard box is ecologically friendly, it's not the quality of life fir which anyone aims.
Oh yeah, and up hill in the snow both ways, yada yada yada. All that jazz.
People at my school think that they can get away with the occasional peek in their purse and check their messages and think that the teacher doesn't notice it. They notice it, but they don't act on it.
People are crazy at my school.
That is messed up...I used to be (at least were I grew up) that you could attend the school if your parent worked on campus, unless they were the principal or somehow in charge of discipline. And of course teacher's couldn't have their own kids in their class either (except for P.E. teachers).
i dont know what you are getting at..
it sounds like you think it sucks for kids to either get 3 unexcused days off, or its a good thing?
it also sounds like you think its not fair that teachers get 15 sick days for anything, without a doctors note.
Well, ill go on my assumption that you have never held a full time job with benefits. Teaching is a CAREER, its a full time job, and it comes with benefits. Sick days are a standard benefit, and to try and compare high school STUDENT absences with legitimate TEACHER benefits is truly a sign of ignorance.
i always wondered why high school seemed more of a social even than a place to learn. i was there to learn, and i think the school system needs a bit of fixing, as it seems sometimes lame.
Its bad that you can only get 3 days off of school before they start taking .25 credit off your GPA per extra day. I think its ridiculous the amount of time teachers get off- 15 days a year... out of 180 days. You don't see business executives taking that many days off for being "sick", yes they take vacation time, but teachers have the ENTIRE SUMMER off.
Want to talk about ignorance. I don't know how old you are or if you were a teacher but 90% of my high school teachers are lazy @$$es. Hmmm when do I get papers back.... never. How many sick days have you taken this year.... 3,4,5,6 maybe more. Do you even teach the subject... no you tell us to go home and do it. Do they even know the subject?
And this is coming from one of the top rated schools in Connecticut.
To compare our policy to other schools- in Hartford, CT you automatically get a D or C- or something if you go to like 10 days of school. In some schools they start taking credits off after 28 days of absence.
The way I see it...the summer off is the problem for both teachers and students. It causes a lot of animosity towards teacher from people of other professions...it's one reason I've seen given for low teacher salaries. The teachers' unions would never go for it, but I'd love to see every student in school around 230-245 days out of the year, wouldn't hurt if the school day lasted until 4 or 5 in the afternoon either.
The one thing I hated about school was if you are more then 5 minutes late you are given an absence. What is so important that I missed in the first 5 minutes? If you have 180 days of school and I miss only 15 did I really miss that much time that I can't keep up.
Now kids are spoiled now a days. When I was in school there were no cell phones and the iPod did not even exist.
Now kids are spoiled now a days. When I was in school there were no cell phones and the iPod did not even exist.
it doesn't matter that they have the entire summer off. they really do work some during the summers. furthermore, teachers are adults. some have children, who get sick/hurt and may need to be carted to doctor appointments or cared for at home. life doesn't put itself on hold until the summertime.
and in your previous post you mentioned something about not having more than 3 unexcused/skip/vacation days. since when are kids entitled to vacation time during the year outside of holidays, breaks, etc.? you get summers off too, you know...
28 days of absence is too much, barring any type of serious injury/illness. 10 days of unexcused absence is too much. 3 skipped/vacation/unexcused days is too much.
go to school...it's kind of important. save your fun and vacations for the summertime, like you're saying the teachers should do.
All school are flawed....they teach main to Linguistic and Logical-mathematical, and a little Bodily-kinesthetic and Musical.
Thats four oout of 8, with only 2 being the "main" ones
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences
Here more info about types of intelligences
Thats four oout of 8, with only 2 being the "main" ones
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences
Here more info about types of intelligences
I've missed 1 day of school this year and I've either left early or went in late a few times because I was sick. I am an Honor Role Student. I never feel like I miss anything- and I don't. In world civ usually we are too busy about how not to call people names. Humans have lived on earth for thousands of years and seem to have been able to survive. Sure name calling is bad, but get over it.
I am the kind of person that doesn't like BS.
And btw those teacher that work 180 days and get 15 sick days that never correct papers wages top out at $8x,000 in my town. Not to mention you have a 10 year contract that pretty much cannot be broken and basically once you have the job you have it for life until you quit or retire.
I am the kind of person that doesn't like BS.
And btw those teacher that work 180 days and get 15 sick days that never correct papers wages top out at $8x,000 in my town. Not to mention you have a 10 year contract that pretty much cannot be broken and basically once you have the job you have it for life until you quit or retire.
Schools don't want to do this because it would cost to much and they would just rather teach just enough to get the funding and test scores.
Schools teach for college and forget about the other kids and just assume they will be failures.
The school system has always been flawed. I almost got suspended once in middle school because SOMEONE ELSE TRIED TO BEAT ME UP. (Being the clumsy kid with Asperger's syndrome makes you prime picking on material)
The school had this idiotically stupid no tolerance rule that extended to the point that anyone involved in the fight gets suspended, even if one did NOTHING to provoke the fight and didn't fight back except to try to protect himself.
The advantage to having a disability is that you get some resources to fight idiotic stuff like that. The school doesn't want to get in trouble for suspending a kid with a 504 plan for not doing anything wrong when they can legally fight back.
But the school system was very messed up, I'm not even going to get in to all the details.
The school had this idiotically stupid no tolerance rule that extended to the point that anyone involved in the fight gets suspended, even if one did NOTHING to provoke the fight and didn't fight back except to try to protect himself.
The advantage to having a disability is that you get some resources to fight idiotic stuff like that. The school doesn't want to get in trouble for suspending a kid with a 504 plan for not doing anything wrong when they can legally fight back.
But the school system was very messed up, I'm not even going to get in to all the details.
To be this young and having that mentality, ohh how I missed the irresponsibility of being young and selfish. Thinking hey if they can do I can too!!!!!!
hahah but srsly thats how the world works, sooo enjoy that because once your out that High School playground its not gonna be nice, but then again studies show parents are babying kids way into their 20s so theres no reason for then to mature.
Not pointing at you but you reminded me at my teens and Iam just 23.
haha just enjoy high school, youll see real world aint pretty, well college but thats a diff post.
Keep in mind that teacher making $8X,000 probably has at least 20 years of experience and their Master's Degree. What do teachers start at in your area?...around here, they start at around $36,000 and that's in the areas where the median income is up between $80,000 and $120,000.
This thread is really disheartening.
I guess most of these posts come from drama-driven adolescents with their injustice radar on overdrive, but more than anything I'm struck by the implicit lack of gratitude and the overhwelming sense of disempowerment.
You know what? You think something's wrong at your school? You think teachers are treating you or your peers unfairly? You think disciplinary actions are over the top, or undercooked, or whatever? You have rights, and you have the responsibility to your community to take action against perceived injustice. But, if you're just making up the injustice to feed your own need for drama or martyrdom, well, the milk in my coffee was off enough this morning, thanks.
Are school systems flawed? Of course. Do we need a radical reconsideration of curriculum, compassion, and teacher responsibility? Yeah, we probably do. But I bust my butt everyday for some pretty desperate kids and I resent the brush with which my colleagues and career are tarred, here and elsewhere.
Come off it. Look at the data and see how much time most teachers miss during a given year. And entire summer off? There's curriculum to be written, grants to be written, summer school to be taught, meetings to attend -- just 'cause we don't have kids in front of us doesn't mean we aren't working. Last I checked I'm in every morning at 7:30 and planning most nights until 8 or 9. I work enough, thanks.
Why your continuing desire to smear Hartford on these boards? Your hyperbole only serves to undermine your intent.
Fact is, every bit of time a teacher gets off is necessary "time off." Look at the burnout numbers in teaching -- burnout is real and there are real reasons for it, despite all the "time off." If you really want to ruin American education, then sure, let's go year round. Let's go 'till 5 everyday (because I don't need time to grade and plan, anyway). Then let's see how many teachers we have left five years later.
Thanks for the generalization. Very glad to know that my energy and effort can be so tidily packed away.
@the whiners:
The teaching day doesn't end when the kids leave. In some ways, it just begins. I understand that the work of a good teacher should ultimately be invisible, but let's not pretend teachers and administrators -- who are working for you and have your best interests at heart -- are single-mindedly trying to make your life difficult or miserable.
Take responsibility for yourself (your words, ideas and actions) -- that's one way to start growing up.
I guess most of these posts come from drama-driven adolescents with their injustice radar on overdrive, but more than anything I'm struck by the implicit lack of gratitude and the overhwelming sense of disempowerment.
You know what? You think something's wrong at your school? You think teachers are treating you or your peers unfairly? You think disciplinary actions are over the top, or undercooked, or whatever? You have rights, and you have the responsibility to your community to take action against perceived injustice. But, if you're just making up the injustice to feed your own need for drama or martyrdom, well, the milk in my coffee was off enough this morning, thanks.
Are school systems flawed? Of course. Do we need a radical reconsideration of curriculum, compassion, and teacher responsibility? Yeah, we probably do. But I bust my butt everyday for some pretty desperate kids and I resent the brush with which my colleagues and career are tarred, here and elsewhere.
Come off it. Look at the data and see how much time most teachers miss during a given year. And entire summer off? There's curriculum to be written, grants to be written, summer school to be taught, meetings to attend -- just 'cause we don't have kids in front of us doesn't mean we aren't working. Last I checked I'm in every morning at 7:30 and planning most nights until 8 or 9. I work enough, thanks.
Why your continuing desire to smear Hartford on these boards? Your hyperbole only serves to undermine your intent.
TheAnswer said:
Fact is, every bit of time a teacher gets off is necessary "time off." Look at the burnout numbers in teaching -- burnout is real and there are real reasons for it, despite all the "time off." If you really want to ruin American education, then sure, let's go year round. Let's go 'till 5 everyday (because I don't need time to grade and plan, anyway). Then let's see how many teachers we have left five years later.
MacNut said:
Thanks for the generalization. Very glad to know that my energy and effort can be so tidily packed away.
@the whiners:
The teaching day doesn't end when the kids leave. In some ways, it just begins. I understand that the work of a good teacher should ultimately be invisible, but let's not pretend teachers and administrators -- who are working for you and have your best interests at heart -- are single-mindedly trying to make your life difficult or miserable.
Take responsibility for yourself (your words, ideas and actions) -- that's one way to start growing up.
My parents are both teachers and so is my sister, so I have nothing but respect for teachers. It seems a lot of teacher frustration comes from kids not being prepared (whether day-to-day or year-to-year), I advocate extending the school year to 225 days for this reason...of course, I also advocate doubling (at minimum) teacher salaries. My plan for extending the school day has always included time of students and teachers to prepare for the next day...through mandatory study hall classes and the like.
I dont know what you guys are talking about, but high school is great.
School makes me smile and although I dislike it sometimes, it is a great way to learn and to have fun in the process. Just keep a smile on, joke with your teachers and peers, and life is good.
The quiet kids who hate everything are quite boring....
Teachers deserve respect and are people just like you and I. Even the "meanest" teacher means good. Why else would they be teaching? They really care. I have the utmost respect for my teachers. I just try to have fun. Disrespect and drama are getting way out of hand.
School makes me smile and although I dislike it sometimes, it is a great way to learn and to have fun in the process. Just keep a smile on, joke with your teachers and peers, and life is good.
The quiet kids who hate everything are quite boring....
Teachers deserve respect and are people just like you and I. Even the "meanest" teacher means good. Why else would they be teaching? They really care. I have the utmost respect for my teachers. I just try to have fun. Disrespect and drama are getting way out of hand.
It's not the school systems, but more so society. In today's world, middle and high schools across American have become the populace's perceived panacea to any and all social, emotional, discipline, and financial issues facing youth. Sadly, misinformed students and parents make out our school educators and administrators to be the "bad guys," placing any blame solely on ones school district or school. More often than not, students and their ignorant guardians find it easy to give the headache to teachers, security staff, coaches, and administrators simply because they are not apt to deal with such worries themselves.
It is my firm belief that no school system can escape these issues: seeing as families declining values / morals / ethics are directly proportional to the growing issues in our places of education. No rules or regulations, bars or metal detectors, or robotic security cameras will solve these problems. The true cause is in the "homes" where all the seeds of corruption are first planted.
A sad matter indeed, but one that regrettably has no immediate solution.
It is my firm belief that no school system can escape these issues: seeing as families declining values / morals / ethics are directly proportional to the growing issues in our places of education. No rules or regulations, bars or metal detectors, or robotic security cameras will solve these problems. The true cause is in the "homes" where all the seeds of corruption are first planted.
A sad matter indeed, but one that regrettably has no immediate solution.
I bet if you had it your way, our school system would be military like. No freedom, work like hell, a minor rule infraction gets you a whipping, and year round school going from 7 am to 5 PM with of course 2 day weekends. You would also probably kill winter and spring break or severely shorten it right? You are practically going to teach the kids under a dictatorship. How is extending the school year going to make students more prepared for the day? It is simple weeding out the lazy people who will work at Mcdonalds as a career and the people who do come prepared and become a CEO of a company. Why should we inflate the people who are lazy and don't care about their future to where they get better pay at jobs they don't deserve since they were lazy( and continue being lazy at the job).
Is there a reason I am still waiting to get lab reports and essay from last year?
Is there a reason my world civ teacher hasn't returned an essay that was due 10/24/06. Or the test I took 2 weeks ago. Or the quiz before that.
How come my bio teacher only gives back labs and homework at the end of the quarters.
What about the english essay I wrote last a month ago.
Andy why does it take my math teacher over 2 weeks to correct a short math test. And how come she can't add up scores, or even do the math thats she's teaching/ When we ask her to explain the problem she claims we don't have enough time... even on a 1.5hr double period day.
...
Is there a reason my world civ teacher hasn't returned an essay that was due 10/24/06. Or the test I took 2 weeks ago. Or the quiz before that.
How come my bio teacher only gives back labs and homework at the end of the quarters.
What about the english essay I wrote last a month ago.
Andy why does it take my math teacher over 2 weeks to correct a short math test. And how come she can't add up scores, or even do the math thats she's teaching/ When we ask her to explain the problem she claims we don't have enough time... even on a 1.5hr double period day.
...
Excellent point. Longer school days and an extended year would not only cause student drop out rates to increase at an alarming rate, but as you mention, the number of new teachers would decline immensely.
Most of my family is involved in education. A number of aunts are teachers, and their husbands principals. My family's friends are in part a great majority of my city's principals and serve in other administrative positions. My father works for the school system as a supervisor of building maintenance. I've seen, my entire life, the workings of education from the inside. I suppose my perspective is more of that than an employee than that of a student, but it angers me to no end when people have these ideas that the educational system is flawed.
I will agree that NCLB is in so many ways, the worst thing to be seen in education in a great long while. Along with standardized tests (which in itself, is a fine concept), curriculums need much revision to meet such demands. The ripple effect caused by NCLB has been disastrous for my school system. Serving on the board as a student member for my schools national accreditation, I can't tell you how many issues could be solved should NCLB be terminated, or at the least, heavily modified.
Nonetheless, it's such a complex situation, so far above most students (and in many cases, teachers) heads, that criticism without information (ex. "ignorance") is the only way they know... A natural human response per se.