#8: Education

[DarthPika]

Another thing that bothered me: many colleges have a strong, left wing, opinion.
Usually, I wouldn't say anything about this (because everyone is entitled to their own opinion), but the professors not only don't keep those opinions to themselves, they force their students to accept those opinions as facts, and when a student questions the opinion of the professor, they are either embarrassed in front of the class by the professor, and/or, their grades are affected, sometimes severely.

But of course it goes the exact other way as well. If you get a highly conservative teacher then you are forced to learn however they teach. I doubt that you would have any complaints if the Colleges were extremely conservative though.

As far as mandatory classes go, things like health and gym should be mandatory, just as Math and Science are mandatory. You say that you shouldn't have to take health or gym because you are bad at it, it is boring, and you won't ever need it. Doesn't the same apply to Math and Science for a decent amount of people?

For a college class, health should NOT be a requierment. I'm there so I can study for a major, not so I can learn how to keep in good shape. >_>

Science and Math are important, and used in many jobs. Health, not so much.

 

[Fridge]

For example:
Well, in 6th grade of elementary school, we had to do topography. One of the, in my opinion, easiest subjects...just like everything else was easy on the mind for me. Anyways, at the end, we were given a verbal list of Dutch cities and towns.
Teacher: I want you to learn for tommorrow where Assen, Driebergen, Sittard, and Epe are.
Me *raised my hand*: Which Epe(N)?
Teacher: What do you mean with which Epe? There is only one!
Me: No there are 2 Epe(n)'s. 1 without an N and one with an N.
Teacher *being seriously and obviously annoyed*: Okay, if you think you are right, show it to me.
*She rolls down the map of Holland while I walk towards the board with the map*
Me: There is 1 in Gelderland *points at it* and one in Limburg

The next thing I remember is her being angry and me being send out of the classroom. I bet she didn't like being corrected by a child in front of the class. But hey, even when I was little I expected to learn stuff with quality, not something as vague as this.
I did suffer from her bullying me for the rest of the school year. Like when I was bullied during recess, she would ignore everything I say or purposely ignore me whenever I raised my hand.

That's terrible and wrong. That's why I emphasize that the wrong people go in to teaching and its true, or at least they need to be kind and expect corrections and not think that they're always right. Everyone always has something to learn from others and it's pure truth.

- Luigi

Interesting...

My theory is that because teachers spend their lives shouting at children, they start to think they are superior to everyone else. The more time you spend in control of and bossing about others, the more important you feel. Self important = arogant = bad teacher.

 

[DawnOfXatu]

Well that theory only applies to one kind of person, one which wishes to acquire power. According to a Hindu view on the cycle of the soul (which makes actual sense) there are a few different stages of the soul. There are those who want money and power, those who want to help others, those who want to devote themselves to religion, and those who want to be truly enlightened (in that order). What we want for a teacher are those who want to help others, and maybe a couple of those who want to be truly enlightened, what we don't want is religion and a need for power in our schools. The reason why the school system is going under so much fire right now is because of those who have power in business, they want to find a way to teach the kids to become more money and power oriented, which is simply wrong.

 

[afstandopleren]

agreed. Current system is more focused on money making then anything else...well, almost anything else cuz people just seem to think it's fun or normal to push useless info down kids throats.

We have a saying in Holland: 99% van de mensen zijn fietsbellen. Which means as much as 99% of the people are stupid/ignorant/etc/etc/etc.. Seems to fit perfectly in this subject.

 

[Zyflair]

Ok, so instead of just complaining, what do you guys suggest to fix this mess?

 

[afstandopleren]

-better research in ways to educate.
-Get rid of the current school system.
-PWN Noob teachers by sacking them and banning them from ever teaching again.

Anyone want to add something?

 

[DawnOfXatu]

Ok, so instead of just complaining, what do you guys suggest to fix this mess?

As I said in an earlier post, it would make more sense to make schooling less mandatory, thus giving us less people to cater to when it comes to standardized testing and college competition. As a country we need to get rid of the stigma that only people with college degrees can make money. Once those who don't want to be educated are gone, we can make the system more challenging, giving those who actually stuck around a more rigorous learning experience combined with a government funded college education. Instead of keeping poor kids without a lot of money out of college, we should keep those who don't deserve to be there out of college. As for how we would fund such a thing, slightly higher taxes coupled with the economic boost that we would gain from adding even more buyers and sellers into the public at an earlier age.

Our current school system is not bad in and of itself. It just lacks the ability to handle such a large amount of people when the government is looking to cut funding. As for teachers, there is no way to keep the good teachers and get rid of the bad teachers. Tossing out the ones that do something legitimately wrong (fixing grades) is alright, but past that it just becomes some kid crying over spilled milk.

 

[Paper PokeMaster]

I think it's a bad idea to make some jobs not require a college degree. Would you want a doctor who was never educated about what their job is giving you surgery, when you might die if you don't get it?

 

[LuckyLuigi7]

I'm so glad they changed the legalistics in my state just recently so you can graduate early if you passed all your high school credits. I knew this was what happened years and years ago and then it wasn't there for a while and finally it's back. I'm not sure I'll do it but it's a nice option. I am passed out of some classes so it might be the option for me.

- Luigi

 

[ragingphantom]

From my experiences (yet again) I've only had one teacher who actually brought up the subjects of "education" and "competition between your classmates" in class and on a weekly/daily basis. He'd remind us that we were competing for the same jobs (apparently) and that it was a race for everybody to have the best resume and credentials and blah blah blah. He was also trying to drill into our heads the philosophy that there was no true selfless act, that you do something "good" like volunteering to feel good, therefore being a selfish act. Of course I disagreed but didn't speak up, because he would either try to fake logic or joke his way out.

And guess what? Almost nobody liked him as a teacher. Mind you this is 8th graders I am speaking of. To fix this mess how about training teachers to let students voice their opinions instead of either shooting them down or avoiding the topic? And I agree that the current system is about making money. You know what my parents grew up with? A system that taught discipline (I'm sure if some of yall have older parents they would know what I'm talking about). I really don't know if that past system with discipline (this was back then when paddling was allowed in schools) is worse than today, with nobody learning respect for each other.

 

[Noob Sandwich]

what the f*** do you want, a cookie?

i understand where you're coming from but you acting kinda conceited.

 

[safariblade]

@lolmonster
dude seriously?
i was in GT (now in high school, so AP) and my sister is in special ED
when you look at it my way, its different. just stop being so selfish and grow up

mods: sorry for the harshness, but oh well

 

[Lolmonster]

I feel sorry if you were offended, but I'm genuinely concerned how the schools are flawed. I feel as if I didn't get a chance.

 

[DawnOfXatu]

You are 12. The reason why you feel that you didn't get a chance is because that nobody gives a chance to a bunch of Elementary School kids. Elementary schools are made to make sure that everybody knows the same important stuff, after Elementary School and Middle School comes the part of education where people want to see what you got.

 

[DarthPika]

I feel sorry if you were offended, but I'm genuinely concerned how the schools are flawed. I feel as if I didn't get a chance.

Kid, trust me, it get's a lot harder.

 

[apophys]

The worst problem with the school system is that the teachers are dumb. I've even experienced a stupid teacher firsthand (btw, she was promoted).

 

[Shining Suicune]

Our district has special ed. classes. The special eds are in a normal class sometimes, and then with a special ed teacher. If most vtake 5 mins. to do 0+6(really happened), why not use our trillion in wasted tax to just make the special ed teachers full time. Here it's 1/2 review, 1/2 something random. 5 years later, I still do basic fractions. I'm a model student, AND am going to an alt. Jr. High so I can be a whole level above AP and Honors class rooms. About 10 kid's made it, and I am not in the class with 30 people who did this in elementary school. About 6 of those made it. The WASL is so easy it's not funny. And this year my teacher actually said "No computers on the biggest report of te year. I burn my homework, and HILLARY CLINTON Screwed the school with no child left behind. Honestly, most kids are lost causes anyway. I have NEVER seen a special ed kid held back or even pushed back a grade, while the district won''t let the ten Geniuses at my school just graduate at 12(We should have at 10 tho) I learn more by going atiquing than in school. I've never needed a teacher giving me depresion or Homework, just a good book. I honestly am forced to pay attention, but I would just p/o the teacher and go home early, but my parents would bustme in. I got the top 1% in the state and omy only subject that I'm average at is science, but I love physics. But I have to take a random curriculum instead. And Iknow more about computers than the computer lab teacher. I get hated on because of that. I'm aloner and don't have many friends. I stick to myself because Ihave to. /rant

I see Lolmonster's point, I should know, I'm twelve too. The school system is Magikrap. They think "shut up" is inappropriate, but I heard a teacher cuss, but they don't get $hit done to them. That's sort of hurtful for someone of your intellect to get such an education, but you don't. I used to like school, but now it just sucks. Our bi*** of a counselor thinks she's principal, taking charge of every last thing. I flipped her off, though, so I got even.

 

[DarthPika]

It's quite obvious that neither one of you are as smart as you like to think you are. Trust me, you really don't know everything like you think you do.

 

[Pokequaza]

Our district has special ed. classes. The special eds are in a normal class sometimes, and then with a special ed teacher. If most vtake 5 mins. to do 0+6(really happened), why not use our trillion in wasted tax to just make the special ed teachers full time. Here it's 1/2 review, 1/2 something random. 5 years later, I still do basic fractions. I'm a model student, AND am going to an alt. Jr. High so I can be a whole level above AP and Honors class rooms. About 10 kid's made it, and I am not in the class with 30 people who did this in elementary school. About 6 of those made it. The WASL is so easy it's not funny. And this year my teacher actually said "No computers on the biggest report of te year. I burn my homework, and HILLARY CLINTON Screwed the school with no child left behind. Honestly, most kids are lost causes anyway. I have NEVER seen a special ed kid held back or even pushed back a grade, while the district won''t let the ten Geniuses at my school just graduate at 12(We should have at 10 tho) I learn more by going atiquing than in school. I've never needed a teacher giving me depresion or Homework, just a good book. I honestly am forced to pay attention, but I would just p/o the teacher and go home early, but my parents would bustme in. I got the top 1% in the state and omy only subject that I'm average at is science, but I love physics. But I have to take a random curriculum instead. And Iknow more about computers than the computer lab teacher. I get hated on because of that. I'm aloner and don't have many friends. I stick to myself because Ihave to. /rant

I see Lolmonster's point, I should know, I'm twelve too. The school system is Magikrap. They think "shut up" is inappropriate, but I heard a teacher cuss, but they don't get $hit done to them. That's sort of hurtful for someone of your intellect to get such an education, but you don't. I used to like school, but now it just sucks. Our bi*** of a counselor thinks she's principal, taking charge of every last thing. I flipped her off, though, so I got even.

No offend, but I agree with Darthpika, you're only 11. Wait till you get older and you'll understand the whole crap system behind a school.

 

[dmaster]

We should get rid of old teachers? Are you kidding me? At least three-quarters of all my best teachers, the most understanding, knowledgeable, and instructive, have been over the age of forty-ish. With age comes experience and responsibility, and experience can help you get along with young students better than being a just-graduated-former-student can.

Whoops. I forgot to comment on this. Yeah, I completely disagree with that. If you don't believe me, you don't have any compassion for the teachers. I mean, what? You want them to stay at the school forever and never retire? They already don't make enough money. Get all of the old teachers out and replace them with younger, (not 20s but more like 30s) fresher ideas. And the old teachers are the meanest. I have experienced that firsthand last year with the first teacher I have ever had. I'm sorry, but your argument only works for you. :F And rarely for every single other person.

dmaster out.