Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You're teaching Geography? Don't get caught. It has pretty much been discarded as a "need" over the last 20 years.
To reply to something earlier from the "blame the teacher" contingent about how we should "refuse" to teach the mandated curriculum. Do the comparable where you work and see what happens. The same thing will happen to teachers.
Teachers have very little, if any, input to curriculum development. Textbook companies lookt what states have in their overall curricula that are passed down to the school systems for implementation and assemble the books using those. California has the most influence on that due to its size, followed by Texas.
This is so true. the individual teacher has little actual input into the curriculum. They might as well make all schools one giant auditorium, herd all the kids inside, and play a video of the course. We can't teach "critical thinkig" anymore, because it might "criticize" someone.
I wince when I hear about "poor teachers". Hey, its tough to teach those brats, especially when you're not allowed to teach. Instead, you babysit. when half your class has IEP's, and you strain to be "politically correct". At least if you teach math or science you don't have to worry so much about being PC (except teach science and not get into evolution vs creationism). Its all but impossible to teach history, social science, etc, without getting into opinions, politics, etc. The "poor teacher" is probably straining every minute not to trip over some opinion someone would disagree with!
I'm very pro-teacher. I work with many wonderful teachers, and I've seen them in action. Obviously some are NOT so wonderful, though. I actually don't see the PC issue as a problem -- there's nothing like a little controversy and different opinions to spark conversation and debate, and to get kids actually thinking about what they're learning! The debate and opinions is one of the greatest strengths of history in the schools. It's also why teachers need to be on top of their game. It's okay to have opinions about history and its interpretation -- in fact, it's expected. I do agree, however, that it's been too heavily politicized in schools, and teachers are often caught up in a debate that really has little to do with what goes on in the classroom.
Are you a teacher? Do you even know how hard those teachers out there work when they're in the classroom? Do you know any teachers personally and what all they do? Do you even know if teachers are just slacking off on the job? If the answer is no then you lost your point with me.
Quit passing those kids! If they left them back for failing grades beginning in elementary school, people would wake up before they are dummies in high school still with the inflated grades some of them take to college where they need remedial classes. Let's see the return of the "F."
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
