you are misinformed mech and elect engineers make the same as a teachers (if lucky) most are out of work they never had a pension, pay a large amount for thier benefits. I am sorry the bad economy is hitting you guys it hit the rest of us 5years ago. Be lucky you have a job. You should thank each taxpayer persoinally for your benefits and pension. I am paying per year $5,000 year for health covearge and no pension and I could be fired. I am lucky I work for large company.
@dannj62 I'm talking about average teacher salaries, including my own, compared to engineers. NJ is an exception, not the rule on teacher salaries. A PhD teacher in my district will never make the salaries you allege NJ teachers make. But, again, salaries are subsequent to the work that teachers are expected to do, yet receive little appreciation for that work. Are there bad teachers? Yes! Teaching is not business. I can't reject bad students, like a business can reject bad raw materials.
Cont. as for engineers having to pay insurance, etc. Organize, fight for those benefits, just like teachers did. It's your right as an employee. Of course, you can't because corporations have too much power, today. You'd be shit canned and another schmuck would gladly take your place, because workers lost all their power and rights since economic globalization was won by the rich and powerful. We americans don't realize that we have the same power as the Egyptian people, but we will, soon.
dont believe the liues teachers in NJ make $70,000 to $125,000 per year, with full benefits, and a pension. No body except govt workers have pensions! We all have career problems why is this profesions problems our problems.
@dannj62 So, it's ok for a mechanical or electrical engineer with a four year degree to make twice that $, but not ok for a teacher to make NJ salaries? I started out teaching made $23k yr. I was 40k in debt from student loans! It's like the comedian Gallagher said, we pay a guy $50/hr to work on our pipes, but we pay a sitter $1/hr. to watch our kids. Or worse, we pay athletes and actors huge sums of money because...what? they're famous? It's a matter of priorities.
Because he gave a damn . He worked endlessly to make sure we understood the work . He didn't send us down to the resource room . Resource room just gives you the answers and thats all. Its too bad i and many others at that school didn't have more teachers like him .
Teachers start becoming less valuable after about five years; therefore, young teachers should earn the top salaries, then start dcreasing their pay after the fifth year until the 15th year when they should be phased out! You read it here first !
@DrKerrPhD, is that a self-given title? I see why you'd feel that way, but I think we blame teachers for doing something they were taught to do, told to do, indeed, expected to do. empower teachers to think critically, and you'll see a huge change instruction and learning.
Teachers are pawns. Differentiation is mixing kids with 60 IQ's with the 140 kids. How are you supposed to differentiate that? can you teach 5 different lessons at once? Please! We would go back to segregation if we weed out the dummies. Sorry but it's absolutely true. The issues in minority communities are so much deeper than cops shows you.
Teachers are pawns, but IQ scores are also BS for the most part. There are many schools that successfully deal with the range and diversity of student abilities and experiences. It's called "individual instruction, or democratic education. It works. The Gates Foundation has/is funding democratic schools all across the country. The schools use "best practices" rather than traditional ed. It empowers teachers and students, and also parents to take control of teaching and learning.
Probably teachers are not doing their best because they teach other subjects which are not their major. Most elementary teachers teach several subjects. Teachers should teach specific subject based on their major field of education.
Teaching elementary you need to realise that there are really 3 types of teachers 1 early childhood(EC) (0-8yrs) Primary(P)(8yrs 12yrs) & Secondary(S) (12yrs+) EC teachers are trained in teaching the basic processes of learning in all subject areas.(P) are trained to continue these learning processes & to add factual information. It is not till(S) that teachers must teach high fact content & that is when you need to specialise. All EC & Primary teachers must also have a specialty subject anyway
I'm a TX high school student. Ed used to be divided three ways: Remedial (Special Ed & kids who are borderline drop-outs), Regulars (about 70% of students used to be enrolled in this category), and Pre_AP/AP, which I know is national (5-20% of kids used to fit here).
We no longer have remedial. It's spec ed, Reg, and AP. Problem: remedial kids entered regulars-dragging it down. AP classes are now anyone who plans on college.
Why do this?: Remedial classrooms are more expensive to the state
p7, tracking kids into remedial, avg and AP is the easy way out for schools. IF a classroom is heterogeneous and run properly, there's a way for students to earn AP credit even while they attend classes with avg and remedial students. The AP students bring up the the others. But, I want to be clear: just because a kid is good at testing doesn't make him any smarter than one who isn't good at testing. Testing skills can be learned. cont.
p7, cont 2. As for remedial being more expensive, I took remedial courses in college, because I was out of school for 11 years. Some people need remediation. They deserve it as much as anyone. My preference would be what is called progressive or democratic education, which is catching on in schools across the nation. The Gates foundation is funding start ups. These schools have the potential to reduce drop out rates by 30% and increase college bound students by 40-50%.
@p7cfly11 I myself was a tx hs student . I was remedial . I had this writing class and the teacher gave us the same work he gave the pre ap students, it was hard but i liked that the teacher gave us the same amount of work . I didn't like that we didn't get the college credits the ap students got when we did the same work . That teacher told us the reason he didn't make our work easier . He said in the real world , thier are no modifacations. Thats the only teacher in h.s i truly respected.
they only work 9 month! if you factor that in they make as much or more than equivalent professionals. this video is just covering up for unions which are dragging everyone down.
Is some large corporation paying you to say that unins are "dragging everyone down?" Apparently you have no idea what unions do. They protect workers. They don't decide curriculum, testing standards or other educational content, If you want to blame someone, blame politicians, government and corporate power that has a record of influencing education policy for the past 25 years.
I am a non-union teacher. I agree and I disagree with your perspective on a 9 month salary. If you strictly look at contracted hours and contracted salary, it is actually fairly decent pay in most circumstances. The real "problem" (at least for me) is that the demands of teaching extend well past the contracted hours - so while it looks good on paper, it is actually not that great. Will I still teach? Absolutely. I love it. But I can't think of many who would complain about higher pay.
I have a masters. They work 10 months not 9. Even factoring that in, teachers make way below the norm for their degree level. Now they are raising class size limits and cutting basal readers. Look it up before you bitch.
michelle, good question, but I don't think the answer is in private schools, unless it's a Montessori school, or a progressive high school. However, if a parent is up to the challenge of homeschooling, I find it a viable option, because home schooled kids by and large are 5-7 years more advanced than public school children. And, create times when socialization can occur. If you are willing to fight for change in your local school, then by all means, end your child and educate at home too.
You are completly correct i grew up in a suburban town and even within my own high school the division between the poor kids and the more well off kids was clear. The richer kids would attend Advanced Placement classes which were taught at a higher level or should i say the level ll classes should have been taught for those who wanted to continue on to college. The poor kids would go to the regular level classes which were a complete joke.
fragment, that's called "tracking" amongst us ed theorists. I went to a racially mixed school in the central city. About 13 years ago I taught there for awhile and the Honors and AP classes were full of white kids form the more affluent part of the district. The poorer black and white kids were in "basic" classes. To an untrained eye, this seemed normal, accepted. So, even within a economically mixed school, tracking can take place. There are a few progressive schools doing it differently.
We need free thinkers like you in government. It amazes me how many Americans are ignorant of the blight that is threatening this country. I cringe when i think where our nation will be in 30 years. I would like to hear your opinion on the state of the nation as a whole and what you forsee for the future of America. What, if anything, can be done to prevent the social decline that seems inevitable?
Euro, thanks. I have great optimism for US people. For example, you call me a free thinker. The fact that I exist, a "free thinker" is amazing to me, since I am a product of the poor white working class. Other signs of change include the Christian right are starting to care about the poor and environmental issues. And, people are looking for a candidate to inspire hope, like Obama, even though I think he will greatly fail in that regard, but failure is good! He'll piss off more people.
I'm afraid that someone will try to take Obama's life if he gets in office. There is a lot of paranoia against Muslims and people who are perceived to be Muslim. I wish him the best if he is elected because he has a very difficult path ahead of him. You should run for office. Have you ever considered a position as a school board administrator or a teacher's union rep? I think you could make a difference by educating people on this issue.
Euro, Again, thanks for your encouragement, but I have learned the hard way that those who work within the rules of the system cannot affect change as much as those working outside the system. Being an outsider means accepting one's role as a leader only by virtue of your ideas being appreciated and respected. I don't ever want power for me; I want the power to go to the good ideas I ocassionally may have.
I agree it's all coruption. I've been in a bad area attending ghetto skool and teatchers there most of them were bad and cared less and the kids were in a low grade level of learning I moved to a good area and attendeing a good school and let me tell you I was so far behind i had no ideah how ignorant they were keeping us.. to you teatchers stand up it starts with you..learn from poor countries that rank better because they don't dumb down education based on race and finacial stading.
Give them some motavation MOENey plese!! and allow creativity..more money more teachers= good and get rid of those who are not doing good and let teathcers make decision and parents not outsiders and include STUDENTS..and learn from neigboring countries..I agree with you.
jelacio, none at all! Beyond the enormously wasteful and evil use of $billions on Iraq and the corporate masters who suck us dry of tax dollars, is the lack of concern, appreciation and respect for education. As I say over and over, traditional public education is designed to to create enlightened citizens in a democracy, but docile, domesticated humans who will not question power or authority. Thanks.
Everthing stated here is true and we all know it. The problem lies in how we change the system. This problem took about 40 years to create and it will probably take 50 years to fix it. The problem is that we don't really want to fix this because we will have to make some decisions that aren't politically correct and in 21st century America political correctness is more important than the truth.
I changed the system with my everyday actions in the classroom. Teachers have the power to change it, but they are products of the same system, so they are uncritical of their role as teacher.
You're right. I was a teacher for 13yrs, 12 in Ontario Canada and 1 in the Bronx. Except for Ontario teachers being paid well... the situation is the same. Inclusion classes (30-40students), poor materials, bad training & programs like "Success for All" contribute to problems. I've since left teaching. Contrary to what many think it was NOT because of the students. It was poor admin and unions that do NOT support the efforts of teachers, and govt's that stick their heads in the sand.
princess, my spouse is from Canada and the bulk of Canadians I know are more critically enlightened than americans. I disagree though that the gov't is ignoring problems. No, they take an active role in dumbing down education, ensuring that teachers cannot think for themselves and that students will only learn what they're told to learn.
Brilliant, positively brilliant explanation. Peacelf I hope more people grasp your explanation. I have been wondering about placing my daughter in home education instead of public school. Most of the children that have been home educated that I have seen return to a public school and are classes ahead of what they "should be." What is your opinion on home education?
I have a good opinion of homeschooling, but I find the term redundant. I hope EVERY parent is teaching their children at home! whether the children attend public schools or not. In my opnion, I would send my children to public schools, and at home teach them to think critically about their education- something the teachers most likely won't do.
We participate in home education now before she is in public schools, however her father was a troubled student with dyslexia, who did not at all receive the right type of education. In fact most of his teacher's discouraged him from learning. Or having hopes to even continue in school activities. With teachers who give up quickly and discourage those who wish to learn. This is something I do not wish to place on my daughter who shows signs of dyslexia as well.
katrina, an important point. However, I still think you give too much power to schools and maybe peer pressures, which can easily be overcome with good critical parenting. In particular with children with special needs, things have changed since your husband was in school. Early diagnosis and active advocation for your daughter are important, as well as teaching her to think critically. I know you want to protect her, but the world is what it is, and the only way to change it is...
peacelf, my wife, following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother, just went back to school last year to acquire her teaching credential. What you said confirms my understanding of what she is going through as she picks her way through the minefield of education indoctrination in the era of "No Child Left Behind". For her efforts she'll be paid a very small percentage of what a major league baseball player is paid. But then again all she'll responsible for is the future of this country.
WMN, see my comments above. Moreover, she probably won't need HGH:-) My wife is still teaching, but she has had a terrible time finding decent employment due to the lay offs in public schools (and the growth in low paying, under-performing charter schools). My only advice is that she be true to herself, not be bullied into thinking she can't teach democratic citizenship and critical thinking (whatever age).
Shhhh. We do not say "class" in polite society. You, Sir, should write those books yourself. You have nailed it. I have lived at every level of this society, including the subproletariat and in close encounters with the Wealthy. I've seen genius and stupidity everywhere; class-based education protects privilege, the most extreme example being President George Bush. Thanks for your disciplined approach to this question.
It's a dirty business, but I thought I could make a difference. And, I did, but at great expense to my sanity and integrity. Nonetheless, I was very appreciated by students, consistently vorted most inspiring teacher.
if we actually had competition for High School enrollment, then the entire system would instantly improve. all the unmotivated slugs would never hold back those who genuinely want an education.
competition, competition, competition! That's bs! Charters schools offer options for kids, but they're failing just the same as public schools. Because of what I said in the vid
The best thing that could happen to the teachers would be to get rid of government run education. If we had the school vouchers, the best teachers would get rewarded for their valuable skills.
Bullshit. My wife and I are both teachers. She earns shit working in a charter school and a day care center. I would ask you to look at the facts. Since for-profit and nonprofit charter schools, there is proof that they do worse than public schools on standardized tests (which I oppose). There is no evidence that competition works to improve educational outcomes, except to make education privateers wealthy. Again, the wealthy want to steal from the poor, including their education dollars.
the answer to education is not eliminating capitalism, bc capitalism DOES NOT EXIST in public schools anymore. that IS the problem. it amazing how contradictory you are in your comments. on one hand you blast NCLB, clearly a "everybody can achieve at the same level" anti-capitalist pos, but then, on the other hand, say we need to eliminate capitalism.
Capitalism exists in every institution in america. If you do not see that, then you aren't looking. No, everyone is not the same, but progressive education offers a way for kids to learn individually.
the truth is that teachers quit, get jaded, get bored, stop caring not bc we do not understand the culture, but are disgusted by it. there is no value placed on education from those so-called lower classes; as such, those are the students that perform the lowest. parents regard schools as a daycare, do not back the authority of the teachers and effectively kill any chance of genuine thought.
I grew up in the central city and was one of "those students" you refer to. I also taught in the centralcity for 13 years. I helped many new middle class teachers connect with their students by teaching them to see the students' experiences as a starting point for instruction. Most white middle class teachers do not have a clue about the lives of urban blacks.
stressed, thanks for the comments. I'm sure i was pretty clear about the problems in public schools (yes, i write it down before I speak). I'm not sure what the communist mindset is? and the numbers?
you are misinformed mech and elect engineers make the same as a teachers (if lucky) most are out of work they never had a pension, pay a large amount for thier benefits. I am sorry the bad economy is hitting you guys it hit the rest of us 5years ago. Be lucky you have a job. You should thank each taxpayer persoinally for your benefits and pension. I am paying per year $5,000 year for health covearge and no pension and I could be fired. I am lucky I work for large company.
dannj62 1 year ago
@dannj62 I'm talking about average teacher salaries, including my own, compared to engineers. NJ is an exception, not the rule on teacher salaries. A PhD teacher in my district will never make the salaries you allege NJ teachers make. But, again, salaries are subsequent to the work that teachers are expected to do, yet receive little appreciation for that work. Are there bad teachers? Yes! Teaching is not business. I can't reject bad students, like a business can reject bad raw materials.
peacelf 1 year ago
Cont. as for engineers having to pay insurance, etc. Organize, fight for those benefits, just like teachers did. It's your right as an employee. Of course, you can't because corporations have too much power, today. You'd be shit canned and another schmuck would gladly take your place, because workers lost all their power and rights since economic globalization was won by the rich and powerful. We americans don't realize that we have the same power as the Egyptian people, but we will, soon.
peacelf 1 year ago
dont believe the liues teachers in NJ make $70,000 to $125,000 per year, with full benefits, and a pension. No body except govt workers have pensions! We all have career problems why is this profesions problems our problems.
dannj62 1 year ago
@dannj62 So, it's ok for a mechanical or electrical engineer with a four year degree to make twice that $, but not ok for a teacher to make NJ salaries? I started out teaching made $23k yr. I was 40k in debt from student loans! It's like the comedian Gallagher said, we pay a guy $50/hr to work on our pipes, but we pay a sitter $1/hr. to watch our kids. Or worse, we pay athletes and actors huge sums of money because...what? they're famous? It's a matter of priorities.
peacelf 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
close all public schools.. its wrong to rob people to fund the education of someone else's kid
longfootbuddy 1 year ago
Because he gave a damn . He worked endlessly to make sure we understood the work . He didn't send us down to the resource room . Resource room just gives you the answers and thats all. Its too bad i and many others at that school didn't have more teachers like him .
crazyhorse1369 1 year ago
Teachers start becoming less valuable after about five years; therefore, young teachers should earn the top salaries, then start dcreasing their pay after the fifth year until the 15th year when they should be phased out! You read it here first !
DrKerrPhD 1 year ago
@DrKerrPhD, is that a self-given title? I see why you'd feel that way, but I think we blame teachers for doing something they were taught to do, told to do, indeed, expected to do. empower teachers to think critically, and you'll see a huge change instruction and learning.
peace
peacelf 1 year ago
Teachers are pawns. Differentiation is mixing kids with 60 IQ's with the 140 kids. How are you supposed to differentiate that? can you teach 5 different lessons at once? Please! We would go back to segregation if we weed out the dummies. Sorry but it's absolutely true. The issues in minority communities are so much deeper than cops shows you.
surrealsociety 2 years ago
Teachers are pawns, but IQ scores are also BS for the most part. There are many schools that successfully deal with the range and diversity of student abilities and experiences. It's called "individual instruction, or democratic education. It works. The Gates Foundation has/is funding democratic schools all across the country. The schools use "best practices" rather than traditional ed. It empowers teachers and students, and also parents to take control of teaching and learning.
peacelf 2 years ago
fuck leachers...oh i mean teachers
calais200 2 years ago
Yeah, and they leach so much! Faggot.
surrealsociety 2 years ago
Comment removed
calais200 2 years ago
Probably teachers are not doing their best because they teach other subjects which are not their major. Most elementary teachers teach several subjects. Teachers should teach specific subject based on their major field of education.
rennelle18 4 years ago
Teaching elementary you need to realise that there are really 3 types of teachers 1 early childhood(EC) (0-8yrs) Primary(P)(8yrs 12yrs) & Secondary(S) (12yrs+) EC teachers are trained in teaching the basic processes of learning in all subject areas.(P) are trained to continue these learning processes & to add factual information. It is not till(S) that teachers must teach high fact content & that is when you need to specialise. All EC & Primary teachers must also have a specialty subject anyway
sentarla 3 years ago
I'm a TX high school student. Ed used to be divided three ways: Remedial (Special Ed & kids who are borderline drop-outs), Regulars (about 70% of students used to be enrolled in this category), and Pre_AP/AP, which I know is national (5-20% of kids used to fit here).
We no longer have remedial. It's spec ed, Reg, and AP. Problem: remedial kids entered regulars-dragging it down. AP classes are now anyone who plans on college.
Why do this?: Remedial classrooms are more expensive to the state
p7cfly11 4 years ago
p7, tracking kids into remedial, avg and AP is the easy way out for schools. IF a classroom is heterogeneous and run properly, there's a way for students to earn AP credit even while they attend classes with avg and remedial students. The AP students bring up the the others. But, I want to be clear: just because a kid is good at testing doesn't make him any smarter than one who isn't good at testing. Testing skills can be learned. cont.
peacelf 4 years ago
p7, cont 2. As for remedial being more expensive, I took remedial courses in college, because I was out of school for 11 years. Some people need remediation. They deserve it as much as anyone. My preference would be what is called progressive or democratic education, which is catching on in schools across the nation. The Gates foundation is funding start ups. These schools have the potential to reduce drop out rates by 30% and increase college bound students by 40-50%.
peace
peacelf 4 years ago
@p7cfly11 I myself was a tx hs student . I was remedial . I had this writing class and the teacher gave us the same work he gave the pre ap students, it was hard but i liked that the teacher gave us the same amount of work . I didn't like that we didn't get the college credits the ap students got when we did the same work . That teacher told us the reason he didn't make our work easier . He said in the real world , thier are no modifacations. Thats the only teacher in h.s i truly respected.
crazyhorse1369 1 year ago
they only work 9 month! if you factor that in they make as much or more than equivalent professionals. this video is just covering up for unions which are dragging everyone down.
tlindfelt 4 years ago
Is some large corporation paying you to say that unins are "dragging everyone down?" Apparently you have no idea what unions do. They protect workers. They don't decide curriculum, testing standards or other educational content, If you want to blame someone, blame politicians, government and corporate power that has a record of influencing education policy for the past 25 years.
peace
peacelf 4 years ago
I am a non-union teacher. I agree and I disagree with your perspective on a 9 month salary. If you strictly look at contracted hours and contracted salary, it is actually fairly decent pay in most circumstances. The real "problem" (at least for me) is that the demands of teaching extend well past the contracted hours - so while it looks good on paper, it is actually not that great. Will I still teach? Absolutely. I love it. But I can't think of many who would complain about higher pay.
tabotimo 2 years ago
I have a masters. They work 10 months not 9. Even factoring that in, teachers make way below the norm for their degree level. Now they are raising class size limits and cutting basal readers. Look it up before you bitch.
surrealsociety 2 years ago
What do we do about this failing education system or do we just send our children to private school for hopfully a better more challenging education?
michelle6694 4 years ago
michelle, good question, but I don't think the answer is in private schools, unless it's a Montessori school, or a progressive high school. However, if a parent is up to the challenge of homeschooling, I find it a viable option, because home schooled kids by and large are 5-7 years more advanced than public school children. And, create times when socialization can occur. If you are willing to fight for change in your local school, then by all means, end your child and educate at home too.
peacelf 4 years ago
You are completly correct i grew up in a suburban town and even within my own high school the division between the poor kids and the more well off kids was clear. The richer kids would attend Advanced Placement classes which were taught at a higher level or should i say the level ll classes should have been taught for those who wanted to continue on to college. The poor kids would go to the regular level classes which were a complete joke.
fragmentedsoul 4 years ago
fragment, that's called "tracking" amongst us ed theorists. I went to a racially mixed school in the central city. About 13 years ago I taught there for awhile and the Honors and AP classes were full of white kids form the more affluent part of the district. The poorer black and white kids were in "basic" classes. To an untrained eye, this seemed normal, accepted. So, even within a economically mixed school, tracking can take place. There are a few progressive schools doing it differently.
peacelf 4 years ago
peacelf,
We need free thinkers like you in government. It amazes me how many Americans are ignorant of the blight that is threatening this country. I cringe when i think where our nation will be in 30 years. I would like to hear your opinion on the state of the nation as a whole and what you forsee for the future of America. What, if anything, can be done to prevent the social decline that seems inevitable?
Eurotrash4367 4 years ago
Euro, thanks. I have great optimism for US people. For example, you call me a free thinker. The fact that I exist, a "free thinker" is amazing to me, since I am a product of the poor white working class. Other signs of change include the Christian right are starting to care about the poor and environmental issues. And, people are looking for a candidate to inspire hope, like Obama, even though I think he will greatly fail in that regard, but failure is good! He'll piss off more people.
peacelf 4 years ago
peacelf,
I'm afraid that someone will try to take Obama's life if he gets in office. There is a lot of paranoia against Muslims and people who are perceived to be Muslim. I wish him the best if he is elected because he has a very difficult path ahead of him. You should run for office. Have you ever considered a position as a school board administrator or a teacher's union rep? I think you could make a difference by educating people on this issue.
Eurotrash4367 4 years ago
Euro, Again, thanks for your encouragement, but I have learned the hard way that those who work within the rules of the system cannot affect change as much as those working outside the system. Being an outsider means accepting one's role as a leader only by virtue of your ideas being appreciated and respected. I don't ever want power for me; I want the power to go to the good ideas I ocassionally may have.
peacelf 4 years ago
I agree it's all coruption. I've been in a bad area attending ghetto skool and teatchers there most of them were bad and cared less and the kids were in a low grade level of learning I moved to a good area and attendeing a good school and let me tell you I was so far behind i had no ideah how ignorant they were keeping us.. to you teatchers stand up it starts with you..learn from poor countries that rank better because they don't dumb down education based on race and finacial stading.
Yadichick81 4 years ago
Give them some motavation MOENey plese!! and allow creativity..more money more teachers= good and get rid of those who are not doing good and let teathcers make decision and parents not outsiders and include STUDENTS..and learn from neigboring countries..I agree with you.
Yadichick81 4 years ago
we have money for Irak
but no money for teachers
any Q ???
jelacio 4 years ago
jelacio, none at all! Beyond the enormously wasteful and evil use of $billions on Iraq and the corporate masters who suck us dry of tax dollars, is the lack of concern, appreciation and respect for education. As I say over and over, traditional public education is designed to to create enlightened citizens in a democracy, but docile, domesticated humans who will not question power or authority. Thanks.
peace
peacelf 4 years ago
Everthing stated here is true and we all know it. The problem lies in how we change the system. This problem took about 40 years to create and it will probably take 50 years to fix it. The problem is that we don't really want to fix this because we will have to make some decisions that aren't politically correct and in 21st century America political correctness is more important than the truth.
Eurotrash4367 4 years ago
I changed the system with my everyday actions in the classroom. Teachers have the power to change it, but they are products of the same system, so they are uncritical of their role as teacher.
thanks. peace
peacelf 4 years ago
You're right. I was a teacher for 13yrs, 12 in Ontario Canada and 1 in the Bronx. Except for Ontario teachers being paid well... the situation is the same. Inclusion classes (30-40students), poor materials, bad training & programs like "Success for All" contribute to problems. I've since left teaching. Contrary to what many think it was NOT because of the students. It was poor admin and unions that do NOT support the efforts of teachers, and govt's that stick their heads in the sand.
princesscub 4 years ago
princess, my spouse is from Canada and the bulk of Canadians I know are more critically enlightened than americans. I disagree though that the gov't is ignoring problems. No, they take an active role in dumbing down education, ensuring that teachers cannot think for themselves and that students will only learn what they're told to learn.
Thanks.
Peace
peacelf 4 years ago
Brilliant, positively brilliant explanation. Peacelf I hope more people grasp your explanation. I have been wondering about placing my daughter in home education instead of public school. Most of the children that have been home educated that I have seen return to a public school and are classes ahead of what they "should be." What is your opinion on home education?
katrinavladden 4 years ago 2
I have a good opinion of homeschooling, but I find the term redundant. I hope EVERY parent is teaching their children at home! whether the children attend public schools or not. In my opnion, I would send my children to public schools, and at home teach them to think critically about their education- something the teachers most likely won't do.
peace
peacelf 4 years ago
We participate in home education now before she is in public schools, however her father was a troubled student with dyslexia, who did not at all receive the right type of education. In fact most of his teacher's discouraged him from learning. Or having hopes to even continue in school activities. With teachers who give up quickly and discourage those who wish to learn. This is something I do not wish to place on my daughter who shows signs of dyslexia as well.
katrinavladden 4 years ago
katrina, an important point. However, I still think you give too much power to schools and maybe peer pressures, which can easily be overcome with good critical parenting. In particular with children with special needs, things have changed since your husband was in school. Early diagnosis and active advocation for your daughter are important, as well as teaching her to think critically. I know you want to protect her, but the world is what it is, and the only way to change it is...
peacelf 4 years ago
That last sentence should read: But then again all she'll [be] responsible for is the future of this country.
WNM52 4 years ago
peacelf, my wife, following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother, just went back to school last year to acquire her teaching credential. What you said confirms my understanding of what she is going through as she picks her way through the minefield of education indoctrination in the era of "No Child Left Behind". For her efforts she'll be paid a very small percentage of what a major league baseball player is paid. But then again all she'll responsible for is the future of this country.
WNM52 4 years ago
WMN, see my comments above. Moreover, she probably won't need HGH:-) My wife is still teaching, but she has had a terrible time finding decent employment due to the lay offs in public schools (and the growth in low paying, under-performing charter schools). My only advice is that she be true to herself, not be bullied into thinking she can't teach democratic citizenship and critical thinking (whatever age).
peace
peacelf 4 years ago
Shhhh. We do not say "class" in polite society. You, Sir, should write those books yourself. You have nailed it. I have lived at every level of this society, including the subproletariat and in close encounters with the Wealthy. I've seen genius and stupidity everywhere; class-based education protects privilege, the most extreme example being President George Bush. Thanks for your disciplined approach to this question.
dougzacharyvfp 4 years ago 2
doug, you're welcome. Thanks for the supporting experiences.
peace
peacelf 4 years ago
Well why'd you sign up to be a teacher then?
c1o2l3l4e5e6n7 4 years ago
It's a dirty business, but I thought I could make a difference. And, I did, but at great expense to my sanity and integrity. Nonetheless, I was very appreciated by students, consistently vorted most inspiring teacher.
peace
peacelf 4 years ago
Good answer, peacelf.
WNM52 4 years ago
Wow. Thank you. It had to be said.
FiveYearTeacher 4 years ago
if we actually had competition for High School enrollment, then the entire system would instantly improve. all the unmotivated slugs would never hold back those who genuinely want an education.
stressedoutatumc 4 years ago
competition, competition, competition! That's bs! Charters schools offer options for kids, but they're failing just the same as public schools. Because of what I said in the vid
peacelf 4 years ago
The best thing that could happen to the teachers would be to get rid of government run education. If we had the school vouchers, the best teachers would get rewarded for their valuable skills.
Supply and demand my friend!
CultureWar77 4 years ago
Bullshit. My wife and I are both teachers. She earns shit working in a charter school and a day care center. I would ask you to look at the facts. Since for-profit and nonprofit charter schools, there is proof that they do worse than public schools on standardized tests (which I oppose). There is no evidence that competition works to improve educational outcomes, except to make education privateers wealthy. Again, the wealthy want to steal from the poor, including their education dollars.
peacelf 4 years ago
I agree with you on that one.
its4amletmein 4 years ago
the answer to education is not eliminating capitalism, bc capitalism DOES NOT EXIST in public schools anymore. that IS the problem. it amazing how contradictory you are in your comments. on one hand you blast NCLB, clearly a "everybody can achieve at the same level" anti-capitalist pos, but then, on the other hand, say we need to eliminate capitalism.
stressedoutatumc 4 years ago
Capitalism exists in every institution in america. If you do not see that, then you aren't looking. No, everyone is not the same, but progressive education offers a way for kids to learn individually.
peacelf 4 years ago
then i listened to the end.
the truth is that teachers quit, get jaded, get bored, stop caring not bc we do not understand the culture, but are disgusted by it. there is no value placed on education from those so-called lower classes; as such, those are the students that perform the lowest. parents regard schools as a daycare, do not back the authority of the teachers and effectively kill any chance of genuine thought.
stressedoutatumc 4 years ago
I grew up in the central city and was one of "those students" you refer to. I also taught in the centralcity for 13 years. I helped many new middle class teachers connect with their students by teaching them to see the students' experiences as a starting point for instruction. Most white middle class teachers do not have a clue about the lives of urban blacks.
peacelf 4 years ago
did you read that or write that. bc you are clearly reading it off the screen.
regardless, however, as a teacher i appreciate the truth you speak.
Don't forget the communist mindset.
+10000000000000000000000000000000000
stressedoutatumc 4 years ago
stressed, thanks for the comments. I'm sure i was pretty clear about the problems in public schools (yes, i write it down before I speak). I'm not sure what the communist mindset is? and the numbers?
peacelf 4 years ago
I think you summed that up nicely. Thank you.
ciscoguru69 4 years ago