It's Not About Teachers

[yellowwood]

I regret that the discussion of education in this country has devolved into a defense of teachers.
It's not about teachers.
It's about the system in general and the fact that it is failing children.
Those of us in the education field know that there are problems.
We also know that there are some teachers who should not be teaching, but it's not about that.
How about:
Having fewer administrators?
Having a longer school year?
Having a longer school day?
(For instance, children in my town only have 4 1/2 days of school a week because a half day a week is scheduled for teachers' meetings.)
Fewer holidays?
Less emphasis on competitive sports whihc are very costly?
How about better use of technology? Like software that teaches math? in an interesting way?
Other ideas?

[zipplewrath]

1. Parents

How about parents that pay attention?
How about parents that support the teachers?
How about parents that turn off the TV and check on homework?
How about parents that actually look at report cards and paperwork sent home from school?

[BeFree]

2. Yeah

How about we charge every parent $1,000 per child?
Then, those parents who do work to make all children better students get paid?

The money would come from the parent funds, and those parents who don't give a crap will end up paying someone who does?

[NoNothing]

3. And if a parent can't or won't pay, then what?

You kick their kid out of school?

[BeFree]

6. Republicans would imprison them

We democrats will look for a way to help them succeed.

Failing that, the kids take out a student loan, and their parents are socially castigated.

And those kids who have deadbeat parents are looked after by parents who do care about kids. And they get paid to do so.

[young but wise]

9. +1

[yellowwood]

17. You Teach What You Get

Yes, parents are frustratihg; the culture is frustrating. So what do we do? We do the best you can with what we get.

We can't do a lot about parents, but the school culture can be changed.

What are some positive ways that wc can do that?

[zipplewrath]

19. It's the purpose of the longer school day

The reason that a longer school day is a constant point of discussion is because it puts kids under the direct supervision of educators. They can then use more time to direct students to do actual work and study. The purpose of "home work" is to extend the number of hours spent studying. When home work is not done, it means it has to be done in the school.

[Greyhound]

4. How about acknowledging that we already know exactly what needs to be done

to get our kids a great education and prepare them for any future?

Triple the per/student expenditures.

Pour more money into the facilities and resources available to the teachers and students.

Double teacher salaries to start.

Reduce administration positions and salaries by 50% to start and proceed from there (added bonus, get the excellent teachers that abandoned teaching because it is the only path to career advancement back in the classroom).

Use the curricula from places like Exeter, Trinity, Lakeside, etc.

There is no mystery here, we know and have known forever (almost all of the top prep schools were founded in the 19th century), what it takes, and it is cheap in the long run.

What possible results can we expect when we value accountants over teachers?

[blondeatlast]

10. +1, abso-effin'-lutely! nt

[WinkyDink]

13. "Use the curricula from places like Exeter, Trinity, Lakeside, etc." EXACTLY x 1M!! Let's hear Obama

on CURRICULUM!!!!!!!!!!!!

[madfloridian]

5. The power players have MADE it about teachers.

And they have hurt the ability of teachers to make a real difference. The insults toward teachers are really painful.

How about responsibility on the parts of children and parents also?

We don't hear a word about that.

[Pathwalker]

7. How about schools that were built AFTER the Great Dpression?

Or after the creation of air-conditioning? Your ideas are good, but some school buildings are so old they need to be torn down and new ones built.

[dkf]

8. Try instituting a longer school day or year and then tell me if teachers are the problem or not.

[the redcoat]

11. No, it's not about teachers

It's about trying to remove the importance of unions.

The rich are worried about losing their money, so they've made a list of all the threats to their 2-class society and are systematically trying to break them down. They're even able to turn lower class weak-minded Americans against their own self interest.

[WinkyDink]

12. Ah, yes. More computers for more electricity! The heck with the blackboard!

[COLGATE4]

14. The Rethugs always have to have someone to blame for

whatever ill, real or preceived. It's the Mooslims. It's the Libruls. It's the Lamestream press. It's the teachers. Nothing new here - just the desire to return to the 'good old days' of 1880, where all these assholes' parents walked 40 miles to school (one way) and it was uphill both ways, etc. etc. Fits their victim scenario to a tee. "It's not OUR fault schools are failing - it's the damned unions.":sarcasm:

[lumberjack_jeff]

15. We're dancing around the issue.

We do a good job educating girls. It isn't "children" who are being failed.

[seabeyond]

16. i drive out of the garage at 6:30 a.m. with oldest and pick up after 5:00

and then he does homework. how much longer would you like to make his day.

granted, the beginning and the end of the day is cross country, but if you make his day any longer, i will have to take him out of his sport and there are too many valuable consequences to him doing cross country that i would hate to see him lose, because they want our kids to have a longer day.

[MilesColtrane]

18. It's union busting couched in "Dear God, think of the children!" scare tactics.

Plain and simple.

[Hannah Bell]

20. how about addressing POVERTY & PERMANENT UNEMPLOYMENT & INCOME DISTRIBUTION?

Since parents' income is the factor that most closely correlates with school performance?