Those who blame teachers for the state of education (class, scholarship, costs)

[Ivorytickler]

I'm curious as to how those who blame teachers for the current state of education think teachers should fix education (if we are to blame, we can fix what we broke). Please be specific in your answers. For example, if you think we need more critical thinking, give examples of what you'd like to see happen in schools that would promote critical thinking beyond what we do now (classroom discussions, research projects, hands on labs...).

Some questions on my mind (because I don't have the answers) are:

How would you handle teaching 180 students a day and meet individual needs? (Remember, you only work 7.33 hours per day and not one second more so whatever you do, must be prepped for AND graded in one 50 minute prep J/K)

How would you motivate students who are not motivated by grades?


How would you handle students who need to be challenged sitting in the same class with students who need their hand held?

Please be specific in your answers. Sweeping statements of what is wrong don't help us fix it. If teachers are to blame, then teachers have the power to fix what they are to blame for. I'm game to fix the parts of education I can. What are your suggestions?

[miyu]

Honestly I don't think it is all on the teachers. Some teachers are inefficient and a few have given up. But you can also largely blame students and parents, administrators, and the public's overall lack of regard for educational needs. I think students should not have their hands held at all - learning is a privilege that some of the rich spoiled kids and the unmotivated kids should be made to miss so they can learn to appreciate it. I think the largest amount of public blame on teachers and school administrators is for inefficient allocation of funding / pensions and the scandals involving facilitated cheating on standardized testing, which obviously is a rare event. But largely, lack of learning can be traced back to the individual student and their disinterest.

[TabulaRasa]

But what causes the disinterest? What makes some students love to learn and imbues them with intellectual curiosity, and causes others to be completely ambivalent (best case scenario) or utterly resentful and resistant (worst)? I have ideas, but am always interested to hear others' takes.

[Ivorytickler]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

But what causes the disinterest? What makes some students love to learn and imbues them with intellectual curiosity, and causes others to be completely ambivalent (best case scenario) or utterly resentful and resistant (worst)? I have ideas, but am always interested to hear others' takes.

My answers would be, parents, genetics and peer group in that order. Parents set the tone for learning. Genetics determines your limits. The peer group is a strong motivator.

Stress is sky high in my high school right now because of the state testing going on. Most students want a high score. In the last school I worked in, we, literally, had kids who came in, put their name on the test and put their heads down. They couldn't have cared less.

I think teachers can try to make things exciting but in a day and age when kids are plugged in, it's hard to compete with high resolution graphics. What used to be really cool chemistry experiments are now pretty lame compared to the special effects kids are used to seeing on TV and in movies. I get asked, several times a year, "When do we get to blow something up?". So I did the exploding pumpkin but they were bummed that they didn't get to do it themselves, which is too dangerous so they never will.

[lhpartridge]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

But what causes the disinterest? What makes some students love to learn and imbues them with intellectual curiosity, and causes others to be completely ambivalent (best case scenario) or utterly resentful and resistant (worst)? I have ideas, but am always interested to hear others' takes.

I think that in many settings, disinterest is the norm. So the question becomes "What causes the interest?"

[TKramar]

You can't. Students that want to learn will do so, above all odds. Children that aren't interested can't be made to be interested.

There will be incredibly intelligent children that don't want to learn, and really dumb kids that want to learn everything.

Your best students will be those who are both intelligent in their own right, and also motivated to learn.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by TKramar

You can't. Students that want to learn will do so, above all odds. Children that aren't interested can't be made to be interested.

There will be incredibly intelligent children that don't want to learn, and really dumb kids that want to learn everything.

Your best students will be those who are both intelligent in their own right, and also motivated to learn.

[spotrod]

Originally Posted by Ivorytickler

I'm curious as to how those who blame teachers for the current state of education think teachers should fix education (if we are to blame, we can fix what we broke). Please be specific in your answers. For example, if you think we need more critical thinking, give examples of what you'd like to see happen in schools that would promote critical thinking beyond what we do now (classroom discussions, research projects, hands on labs...).

Some questions on my mind (because I don't have the answers) are:

How would you handle teaching 180 students a day and meet individual needs? (Remember, you only work 7.33 hours per day and not one second more so whatever you do, must be prepped for AND graded in one 50 minute prep J/K)

How would you motivate students who are not motivated by grades?


How would you handle students who need to be challenged sitting in the same class with students who need their hand held?

Please be specific in your answers. Sweeping statements of what is wrong don't help us fix it. If teachers are to blame, then teachers have the power to fix what they are to blame for. I'm game to fix the parts of education I can. What are your suggestions?

Ivory here is my take on this after really thinking about how the other side is seeing this. And you know my husband is a teacher and I have worked in the school system also!

Lets start with the tax issues:

NOT all children in public schools have parents that pay taxes! In fact I would guess about 40% or more do not help fund education. Some states higher due to the Illegals receiving all the benefits of an American! So the burden falls on the middle to upper class.

Then we have those that need SPED which cost more then the average child due to SPED extras as in speech , Esol ect.. most ( not all) of these children parents do not pay taxes as in they are the welfare and or disabled.

I know free and or reduced lunch is very high and that costs the districts alot of money as well as transportation. Again your poor & welfare

Now lets look at the Private school vs public schools

Private schools do not have transportation to pay for..you pick up and bring your child to school.

Private schools do NOT feed your children, you supply the lunch.

Private schools do not have Free after school daycare

Private schools do not have to keep EVERY child

Private schools do not have ESE children

Private schools can operate cheaper because Public schools have to transport children

Public schools have to feed children for free

Public schools have to accept everyone

Public schools have free/ cheap after school care for Elem.



Lets do away with public schools, parents can pay for education and if they do not want to then its on them. This way if the Illegals want to educate their children then they pay for it. If the welfare people want to educate their children, then get a job to pay for it . We can do a lottery and give out scholarships to the children of the working poor who can pass an academic test, in which the parents would have to be involved and teach the kids at home to prep for said test!

However if you think the gov't is going to cut our taxes in half just because we do away with public schools, think again! They will find other things to do with OUR money! We will just pay them GREAT salarys and benefits for life instead !! Oh wait they already have that

[Milleka]

Originally Posted by Ivorytickler

I'm curious as to how those who blame teachers for the current state of education think teachers should fix education (if we are to blame, we can fix what we broke). Please be specific in your answers. For example, if you think we need more critical thinking, give examples of what you'd like to see happen in schools that would promote critical thinking beyond what we do now (classroom discussions, research projects, hands on labs...).

Some questions on my mind (because I don't have the answers) are:

How would you handle teaching 180 students a day and meet individual needs? (Remember, you only work 7.33 hours per day and not one second more so whatever you do, must be prepped for AND graded in one 50 minute prep J/K)

How would you motivate students who are not motivated by grades?


How would you handle students who need to be challenged sitting in the same class with students who need their hand held?

Please be specific in your answers. Sweeping statements of what is wrong don't help us fix it. If teachers are to blame, then teachers have the power to fix what they are to blame for. I'm game to fix the parts of education I can. What are your suggestions?

Did you happen to see Jon Stewart Monday night? He nailed it.

[Milleka]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

But what causes the disinterest? What makes some students love to learn and imbues them with intellectual curiosity, and causes others to be completely ambivalent (best case scenario) or utterly resentful and resistant (worst)? I have ideas, but am always interested to hear others' takes.

Education has to first be valued in the home.