Urgently Need Feedback: Amherst & Hollis

[BF66389]

I think this goes to the general issue of a lack of Math and Science teachers in general. Simply put WHAT is the draw to teaching if you have solid Math and/or Scientific skills? If your passion is english, history, etc...$30k/year may be competitive because these fields typically don't pay well- your only real choice (unless you're really good/really lucky) is to struggle. In contrast if you have mathematic/scientific talents- its very hard justifying struggling financially just because you really want to teach. Fortunately some folks do it, but its tough.

I'm not advocating higher taxes in any way shape or form. I am however demanding that emphasis be shifted to THE most important teaching resource- teachers. No printing white board will ever replace a fantastic teacher; yet we spend the $5k on the board instead of adding it to his/her salary to attract the best.

[lisa g]

MathTutor, thanks for the links - I read that letter by Mr. Falcone a while ago - he is right on. The bills being proposed to restrict homeschoolers are infuriating.

I honestly think that parents should be personally responsible for teaching their children first and foremost. This should be a high priority for parents. Why have children if you cannot take the time to teach them? There is no way I am going to rely completely on schools to teach my children. School is there to assist me, but it is really their secondary source of education. That said, there is no way I want to see more money dumped into public education.

BF - I know you were using the white board as an example - but my kids have not seen a white board yet here. In fact this is the first time they have ever had real chalk boards in their classrooms. And we are asked throughout the school year to contribute all kinds of classroom supplies, etc.

I honestly suspect that public school here - at least in our district - is promoting language arts while offering the fuzzy ED Math curriculum to create a bunch of mid grade level students who will probably become humanities majors. Only without the critical thinking part or vocabulary that is so necessary, and insert the agendas of the publicly funded system. It really is frightening to imagine so many undereducated bloggers.

[Susan_in_New_England]

I went to AMS when I first moved up here from the South. Very snooty, and extremely clique-ish about sums it up. Students going to Bishop Geurtin, the private school, flaunted the fact, and those who had to be bused to Milford (no Soughegan High 25 years ago), called their Milford school mates "hicks," and Wilton students also bused in at the time were called much worse. Very sad behavior, in my opinion. The determining factor seemed to be old vs. new money. Much of Amherst had once been that; "old money", but the influx of new residents were new money. My family, hailing from Georgetown, Annapolis, MD, and Alexandria, VA were old money, so I just didn't understand the chip-on-the-shoulder snootiness of Amherst people at the time. There still seems to be some of that one-upmanship going on, but Amherst is much more split now, politically. Hollis is still old school, rural for the most part, and friendly. I have been looking to buy in the area myself. I'm not satisfied with the education my children received during their time at AMS, and worry over what I hear to be a general feeling of dissatisfaction with the high school.

[MathTutor]

If you want to learn more about the math programs in the NH schools and why the Lynch Dept of Education is failing NH students, check out these web sites:http://nhworldclassmath.webs.com/ make sure you go to the VIDEOS on this site and don't miss the link to the Baltimore Curriculum project. The math profs will explain why your child will fall behind the rest of the world if they are in a NH public school that uses the FUZZY math like Bedford or Hollis.worpress.com