Do you think there are some children who just can't be educated?

[bluestateguy]

Sometimes I think the answer to this question is a qualified yes.

[ixion]

1. Are all children going to be rocket scientists? Of course not.

But all children can be educated to one degree or another.

[Donnachaidh]

2. if you think it's a yes, then I think you shouldn't be a teacher

:wow: just :wow: that in this day and age kids can be pigeonholed and dissed in such a manner.

[proud2BlibKansan]

26. +1

[slackmaster]

3. No, every person who is conscious can be educated to some degree

Obviously some kids are more educable than others.

[donco6]

4. I've never met one yet.

Perhaps if you described what they're like . . . ?

[glowing]

5. Some may only make it to brushing their teath or hair or dressing, but its learned behavior.

Some children aren't going to apply themselves as well. Some are going to recieve less of an educational experience because of where they live and who they where born to. Other's are going to be super genius and astonish us... Some will become ignorant republicans with a give me, me, me attitude.

[Ozymanithrax]

6. Unless they are comatose, they can learn...

Now there are children that are not reached by our current education system. If the system fails to reach them then the system can not teach.

[HeresyLives]

7. Like the British?

"Do not obtain your slaves from Britain because they are so stupid and so utterly incapable of being taught that they are not fit to form a part of the household in Athens." (Cicero, Letters to Atticus, IV.15)

[Cleita]

11. Wow! Cicero was a racist and a snob. LOL! Not only does he point an

accusatory finger at the Brits but also makes an unflattering reference about the Greeks.

[HeresyLives]

15. A man of his time.

But he certainly got it wrong. :)

[mzteris]

8. you aren't a teacher, I hope!?!

ALL chidren can be "educated" - unless they're seriously developmentally disabled - in which case, they probably aren't in school.

[spedtr90]

34. They're in schools

or a teacher goes to them.

Example: intellectual level 6 months, additional visual disability, teenager
School district must provide services.
Goals include responding to touch or sound, measured by student's head movement.
Mandated alternative tests must presented in some form, and the pass
or fail scores included in district AYP numbers.


Everyone can learn something, but the range is broad.
Tests are not made for nor are they approriate for some children.

[Cleita]

9. Your question is missing something. Some children can't be

educated by mainstream methods, but that doesn't mean that they can't be educated by other means.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Birthmark]

12. The answer to your question is...

...readily apparent. A quick look at Business Administration majors confirms that there are indeed some children that can't be taught (or haven't been, anyway.) But most of them go on to become productive citizens despite that.

[haele]

13. There are children who don't want to be educated as the US views education.

They feel it's a waste of time - and usually they're the children who live in the emotional moment; assuming everything is disposable if it isn't "perfect". Usually, they get that opinion from their parent(s) or caretakers.
There are also some fearful children who want to live in their own reality - education scares them, so they play dumb or mentally "run away".
There are some children who so crave a false sense of respect so much stubbornly resist anything that "opposes" them or seems hard, so they'll either fight to not be educated or they'll ignore any attempts to teach them anything. They'd rather live under a bridge than admit they don't have control.

In other countries, most children who fall in the first or third categories will usually do well in apprenticeship or trade school, where there is an immediate, tactile gratification that will allow them to emotionally justify continuing to master a craft or trade that they can support themselves in.

Does that mean these children can't be educated? No. They can be educated - but they don't respect "book learning" education or efforts with long-term rewards enough to make the attempt, and there's no way to force them to learn.

Most times, children like that finally get their heads on straight by the time they finally strike out on their own as "adults" and learn the world isn't just about them. But if they become damaged enough through self-medication or abuse (either self-inflicted or inflicted by others) -without a lucky break, they're going to be either in jail or otherwise committed, living marginally as a loner one step above or at the point of living under an overpass; or a social parasite living off of and abusing friends and family - and there's pretty much nothing that can be done by any educational system, teachers or lay-persons, until they decide they've had enough and they can be part of a society.

Haele

[Journeyman]

14. Why not? There are plenty of adults incapable of growth. . .

[FBaggins]

16. Is this a trick question leading up to an answer of "Duncan" ?

:)

[stray cat]

17. yes - although unlikely to include 93% of students not learning basic math skills

[Hannah Bell]

39. but likely to include the 2% of posters posting the same propaganda over & over

"incapable of learning"

[DrDan]

18. no - to some extent, all can be educated

barring very extreme circumstances

[ZombieHorde]

19. I have worked in group homes and some of the clients were unable to handle formal education.

One of my clients had alcohol fetal syndrome so extreme he could not figure out how to walk or feed himself.

[jwirr]

20. My daughter is profoundly developmentally disabled. She is 52

years old and cannot talk, she no longer walks. However, everyone of us who have worked with her over the years know there are things she learned. Walking was one of the biggest and that ended when at about 14 when a combination of medications and falling finally encouraged her to sit down and not get up. She has learned things like sipping out of a straw. Shaking a noisy toy. Squeezing a noisy toy. There are other things but I cannot remember them all. While most people would say she is not educable she has benefited from being in the company of other people and physical therapy.

[femmocrat]

31. .

:hug: There is a special corner of heaven for parents of disabled children.

[no_hypocrisy]

21. No. And there's a "but".

But there are individuals who require an individualized teaching program as they will not respond the "group" or class teaching plan. Seemingly rudimentary concepts need to be explained so that THEY can understand it. Sort of like mental dyslexia, the way they process concepts is different from standard comprehension.

Best case example: All "experts" believed that Helen Keller could not be taught anything: civility, awareness of her surroundings, or schooling of any kind. It took a formerly blind teacher with determination to open the world to Helen. Both Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller were role models for me as a girl.

[YvonneCa]

22. No. But not all are ready for the same...

...skill at the same tie. That is why teachers are important. ;)

[Catshrink]

24. Apparently teachers don't matter

it's just another job.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=219&topic_id=20798&mesg_id=20992

[YvonneCa]

27. But you and I both know...

...they SHOULD matter.:)

[Catshrink]

28. Yep...

How can we convince someone that there's more to teaching than spewing information? The only way I see to do it is let them try it -- but they won't for fear their cherished belief that "those who can't do teach" will be discredited. That's why I call them "armchair teachers" but they don't even understand that. It's futile.

[YvonneCa]

29. I disagree it is futile. We teachers have to continue to TEACH...

...by speaking truth. Not everyone will agree, or understand, or believe us. But some WILL. I think that group is growing. Our voices are getting louder and they are not just on DU.

My teacher colleagues are so busy teaching, they have no time to speak up...or they are unaware, or in fear of repercussions.

So I will speak.:)

[mzteris]

37. some teachers

do a better job than others. . .

[WVRICK13]

23. Yes

They are called Republicans.

[YvonneCa]

30. ...

... :7 That's pretty funny...

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. No

[Fire1]

32. "Our childrens do learn." G.W. Bush. LOL!!! n/t

[AnneD]

35. Some are unteachable.....

the GOP still haven't learned that tax cuts aren't the answer to all our problems and they haven't learned to count election day ballots.

[mzteris]

36. here's to hoping you're not a teacher,

either.

EVERYONE is "teachable" to some degree, unless they're in a PVS.

[AnneD]

38. My Bad.....

I thought the joke would be self evident. But anyhow, try to lighten up a tad-you can't take your self too seriously. I learned THAT from the kids.

[Hannah Bell]

40. some people are just incapable of learning.

or getting a joke because they're blinded by their agenda

[eppur_se_muova]

33. Bu**sh**.

That's George W. Bu**sh**. :evilgrin: