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I disagree. All is needed to keep a child's mind and be academically sound. Music and ART are actually quite helpful to kids, who may have a hard time understanding math and science.
I was a visual learner, meaning I had to see things and visualize how it would work. I took a lot of art classes and music classes and by doing so, it helped me greatly in math and science. I got to do college level Calculus in 10th grade because of having art and music as a background
Sports and PE is needed to keep our students, physically active. Have you seen how many overweight children there are?
Yes,I know about the overweight kids in the schools. But ,its not the school's responsibility to teach about nutrition,its up to the parents.
Ain't gonna happen. The main reason is because the systems can't afford it if "longer school year" means more days in class. In MD increasing the school year by 20 days (1 month, 200 days or so in class) would mean a salary bump of $5K to $10K per teacher.
Fighting against that, in addition to many teachers, would be the industry, at colleges, that's grown up around teachers having to attend classes in the summer to retain their certification. If by "longer school year" you mean that you get rid of summer and do shorter breaks throughout the year while keeping the 180 days in class then you aren't "increasing" the school year, just rearranging it.
Since teachers already insist that they work "full time," why in the world would you have to pay them an extra $5 to $10K per year to work full-time?
As far as I can see, teachers work part-time and get full-time pay. Most professional jobs in the private sector require 60 or more hours a week as a standard now, with the only weeks off being the ones you have earned as vacation.
The disparity between public employees and private-sector employees has gotten ridiculous. Teachers are still public employees, despite this irrational idea that anything "for the children" must ignore all sanity and financial reality. Go to a Town Meeting and watch as local officials spend hours arguing over a $500 one-time expense that is necessary, while the School Budget is adopted WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSION whatsoever. Does that School Budget really not bear ANY cutting, while senior citizens and the newly-unemployed are losing their homes because property taxes are insane here in NH?
Throwing money at education, as we have done for the past 30 years, has been proven not to help with increasing student learning or achievement. If we wanted to reform education, we need to do some major reforms that will be 100% opposed by those in the Education System: for instance replacing "education majors" who have no real-world experience at all, with former professionals that who would be happy to trade their 80-hour work weeks for a teacher's salary (engineers, business entrepreneurs, researchers, journalists, etc.).
Obviously, if we were going to re-capture our previous international stature, we will need to abandon the farm-based partial school year and reform education to deal with the changing modern world.
This is a bad idea, a very bad idea. How are we supposed to extend the school year and have longer school days if we can barely afford to fund the school year and day lengths that we already have? What about places like Long Island where the schools are funded by property taxes that are already through the roof? How do you expect us to afford this Mr. Obama?
Seriously, go away. Just resign. Go back to Chicago and leave the rest of us alone.
This I definitely agree with. Many more, more important things on the plate of the US right now. People without jobs can't send their children to school.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alphamale
How do you make American parents instill respect for education and teachers into their children?
Have you ever taught in an inner city school where most of the children are sent to school woefully unprepared and often abused in one way or another and spawned from single parent homes where education is never discussed?
How about a wealthy suburban school, where the students have way nicer cars than their teachers and have a sense of entitlement?
I know many teachers. They all face these issues. Pressure from parents and pressure from administration, with no assistance from anyone.
And you? Wave a magic wand, extend the school year, throw more money into a failing system and magically we will be graduating geniuses.
Great question. Apply at least a fair wage to 'minimum'. Not sure what that would be now, but before the bottom fell out, 7.25/hr. could have easily been 11 - 12/hr. Things shouldn't have to be difficult for any WORKING American. No matter what job they do. It's difficult to show respect when respect for ANY workers is shunned by 'difficult wages'.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jerseygal4u
Some posters are claiming that the kids aren't as smart as kids from the past.
Has anyone forgot that the schoolwork has become harder? A lot of parents have said they don't understand the childrens homework because its too hard. I don't remember having spanish class in kindergarden but that's what they are teaching in kindergarten now.
The kids aren't dumber,the work is harder. Id bet many of you who were "A" students in the 50's would surely be "C" students in 2010.
Heard this crap before. The majority of young people I speak to, do not have a clue on many a thing. Saw this in Florida, when I lived there.(almost 10 years) Now in New York,(3 years) it hasn't improved. I'm constantly (rhetorically) asking, "What the hell are they teaching kids these days"? And I'm 41. (in November)
Quote:
Originally Posted by JazzyTallGuy
I don't see how you can say with any level of objectivity that one party is unilaterally to blame. A child that has the potential to be a good student can be undermined by a bad teacher. A parent that is not actively involved in their child’s education or imparts the value of education is a detriment to that child achieving to the child's full potential, unless that child has extraordinary abilities to overcome that.
This is one post I can agree with you on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jerseygal4u
What we need to do is cut out the unnecessary things like gym,sports teams, and art classes then students will begin to learn with 6 hours in the school day.
O.K.. So you would remove from our wonderful existence... learning health and fitness... sporting games... beautiful painting and all other forms of the arts... and music? Wanna burn books too? What do they teach kids these days? Ooops... said it again.
As I said above, extending school days/years, while a great concept, isn't really something to be concerned with at this point.
The problem with the schools is not that the school year needs to be longer, but that the children need to be more disciplined. When two or three children act up in a class, the teacher's attention is totally taken by them and nobody in the class ends up learning anything good.
Since teachers already insist that they work "full time," why in the world would you have to pay them an extra $5 to $10K per year to work full-time?
As far as I can see, teachers work part-time and get full-time pay. Most professional jobs in the private sector require 60 or more hours a week as a standard now, with the only weeks off being the ones you have earned as vacation.
The disparity between public employees and private-sector employees has gotten ridiculous. Teachers are still public employees, despite this irrational idea that anything "for the children" must ignore all sanity and financial reality. Go to a Town Meeting and watch as local officials spend hours arguing over a $500 one-time expense that is necessary, while the School Budget is adopted WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSION whatsoever. Does that School Budget really not bear ANY cutting, while senior citizens and the newly-unemployed are losing their homes because property taxes are insane here in NH?
Throwing money at education, as we have done for the past 30 years, has been proven not to help with increasing student learning or achievement. If we wanted to reform education, we need to do some major reforms that will be 100% opposed by those in the Education System: for instance replacing "education majors" who have no real-world experience at all, with former professionals that who would be happy to trade their 80-hour work weeks for a teacher's salary (engineers, business entrepreneurs, researchers, journalists, etc.).
Obviously, if we were going to re-capture our previous international stature, we will need to abandon the farm-based partial school year and reform education to deal with the changing modern world.
Yea BABY.
Just the same as drug counselors should have been recovered addicts/alcoholics. Not just read on the subject. There is not much more, more irritating, than when someone THINKS they 'know', only because their nose spent a certain amount of hours in a book.
Someone above pointed out that the school work isn't harder. Well,sorry but the schoolwork is harder these dyas. Did you have spanish class in kindergarden? Algebra in 3rd grade?
Why do you think so many teachers go on conventions? Or have workshops? Its because they themselves don't understand the work.
My kids are in public school, and I am a big supporter of the public school system, but I heard something the other day which sadly rang true that the main difference between public and private schools at the moment in this country is how invested parents are in their children's education. I see it every day at my children's school, zero parental involvement in homework, not showing up for parent-teacher conferences, excusing bad behavior, etc. I don't think it's the only problem, but I definitely think it's a biggie.
Yes,I know about the overweight kids in the schools. But ,its not the school's responsibility to teach about nutrition,its up to the parents.
Its not about nutrition (although health classes and school lunches can be geared to be more health conscious)
Fact is, KIDS do not get the exercise they need. THey sit around playing video games, or are stuck in a classroom all day. All of these combined leads to obesity in our children.
PE and any type of RECESS or outdoor activity is about the ONLY exercise that kids get these days.
If they can't get it at home due to personal/financial/other reasons, at least school is the one place that can guarantee some type of physical play.
Someone above pointed out that the school work isn't harder. Well,sorry but the schoolwork is harder these dyas. Did you have spanish class in kindergarden? Algebra in 3rd grade?
Why do you think so many teachers go on conventions? Or have workshops? Its because they themselves don't understand the work.
I had Japanese classes since pre-school.
I was already taking algebra in 3rd grade, but the school had no placement for me and had to hire a tutor, for me to take a class after school
Learned 3 musical instruments by the time I hit junior high.
Its not about nutrition (although health classes and school lunches can be geared to be more health conscious)
Fact is, KIDS do not get the exercise they need. THey sit around playing video games, or are stuck in a classroom all day. All of these combined leads to obesity in our children.
PE and any type of RECESS or outdoor activity is about the ONLY exercise that kids get these days.
If they can't get it at home due to personal/financial/other reasons, at least school is the one place that can guarantee some type of physical play.
Not buying it. Anyone can walk down the street,or even walk around the backyard.again,if they are sitting around playing video games its the parent's fault.
I think I know how we could solve the obesity in children problem-take away school lunches. Its not the goverments job to provide meals in school. No obese child should be eating a free lunch.
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