dumbed-down schools

[testdepth]

Yep

Sent our kid to a private classical school K-8
Then to a public high school

It blew my mind watching the first graders at this private school diagram sentences

Most 8th graders at a public school cant do that

If you have a boy you should seriously consider a private school
There is nothing harder for a young boy than to sit down and be still and be quiet for eight hours a day

Most kids are pretty bright and like to learn but school is very boring for boys

I started sleeping in the 6th grade because it was so boring

I could sleep in the classes and still pass because I read the book and comprehended what I read

In today's public school system you would have been classified as ADD and your parents counseled to have you medicated for it.

I think any child male or female that is very intelligent will be bored in public school as most of those programs are taught to the level of the most ignorant in the class. My ex-wife's daughter was attending public school in San Diego when I was stationed there. It was to easy for her and did not challenge her to learn more. I had a parent conference with her teacher to specifically ask her to give my daughter more homework or more challenging homework. The teacher said she could not do that because the school and curriculum does not allow her to. I told her my daughter is bored and not challenged in your class and this is not providing a good education for her. Basically she and the system is set up to teach to the most ignorant in the class and that's when I pulled her out and placed her in private school.

 

[BanjoJohn]

You think the local teachers care what you want or think ?

That kinda went right over your head. Most public school teachers don't care, they just want to get paid.
If the parents aren't involved making sure that the kids are actually learning something, the school system will just bump them along through school until they graduate for participating.

 

[testdepth]

That kinda went right over your head. Most public school teachers don't care, they just want to get paid.
If the parents aren't involved making sure that the kids are actually learning something, the school system will just bump them along through school until they graduate for participating.

I have 4 girls and all have been home schooled. That started with my oldest daughter when she went to the local public middle school and 6 months into the school year I requested a meeting with her literature teacher (she had been at the school 4yrs) and the principal. I was told by the Principal that this teacher had no complaints in the 4yrs she had worked there.
Here is the reason for the request:
6 months into the school year and my daughter was given 1 book to read. The only test given was thrown out by this teacher because she said it was too hard for some kids.
No vocabulary tests, no spelling tests, no questions to be answered at the end of each chapter in their literature book and no book reports.

In contrast my daughter's best friend had a different teacher:
One book per week to read. Answer all 25 questions at the end of each chapter in the literature book, spelling test every week, book report every week and vocabulary quizzes every week.

At our parent meeting the teacher, Vice Principal of Language Arts and the Principal were there. My only goal was to have my daughter moved to the other teacher. The Principal swore up and down all his teachers teach the same curriculum and defended this teacher even after she admitted to throwing out the single test she gave because it was too hard for some students. I pointed out that what you just told my daughter and every other kid that actually studied to pass your test was "why bother" if it's too hard you'll just throw it out. I asked to have her moved and in unison they responded how they thought it would be bad to move her 6 months into the school year. At that point I looked at my wife and said "we are done here, the meeting is over". I looked back at them and told them "I'll be back Monday to clean out her locker". Every parent should be involved in their child's education and not just send them off to public school assuming they are actually being educated. Look at the homework your child is being assigned or not assigned.

 

[palmettomoon]

When I was a young guy working at a service station pumping gas I came across one guy who was in his mid 40's and he was illiterate. He would hand me his check book so I could fill it out for him and sign his name. Heck of a nice guy and I still remember him to this day, Buddy Holly.

As a teen I worked for a wholesaler and pulled many orders for illiterate shop owners. They could count money and do math but couldn't read. Illiterate doesn't necessarily mean not smart. I always felt sad for anyone that couldn't sit down and quietly enjoy a good book. I tutored foreign students in college to help them with English.

 

[palmettomoon]

I have 4 girls and all have been home schooled. That started with my oldest daughter when she went to the local public middle school and 6 months into the school year I requested a meeting with her literature teacher (she had been at the school 4yrs) and the principal. I was told by the Principal that this teacher had no complaints in the 4yrs she had worked there.
Here is the reason for the request:
6 months into the school year and my daughter was given 1 book to read. The only test given was thrown out by this teacher because she said it was too hard for some kids.
No vocabulary tests, no spelling tests, no questions to be answered at the end of each chapter in their literature book and no book reports.

In contrast my daughter's best friend had a different teacher:
One book per week to read. Answer all 25 questions at the end of each chapter in the literature book, spelling test every week, book report every week and vocabulary quizzes every week.

At our parent meeting the teacher, Vice Principal of literature and the Principal were there. My only goal was to have my daughter moved to the other teacher. The Principal swore up and down all his teachers teach the same curriculum and defended this teacher even after she admitted to throwing out the single test she gave because it was too hard for some students. I pointed out that what you just told my daughter and every other kid that actually studied to pass your test was "why bother" if it's too hard you'll just throw it out. I asked to have her moved and in unison they responded how they thought it would be bad to move her 6 months into the school year. At that point I looked at my wife and said "we are done here, the meeting is over". I looked back at them and told them "I'll be back Monday to clean out her locker". Every parent should be involved in their child's education and not just send them off to public school assuming they are actually being educated. look at what homework your child is being assigned or not assigned.

A public middle school has a vice principal of literature? I think I see the real problem here.

 

[testdepth]

A public middle school has a vice principal of literature? I think I see the real problem here.

They did and actually they have a Vice Principal for each major area for a total of 6 I believe. 1 principal, 6 Vice Principals and then the teachers.

Today they have changed that to 1 principal and one vice principal for each grade 6th, 7th and 8th.

 

[testdepth]

A public middle school has a vice principal of literature? I think I see the real problem here.

Language arts and not literature. I was mistaken.

 

[palmettomoon]

I guess they're a lot bigger than they were when I was in middle school. We had about a thousand kids in my school.

 

[Nat]

That would most likely be a "home school" or private school program. The rest are public schools subject to government mandated programs in order to get their government payments for the kids.

You sir would be correct. Public schools get their allocation of funds from students that pass the ''core'' final exam and attendance. My wife has been told by here administrator that she, as well as all other teachers, is not allowed to give a grade below a 60 and to retest until the student passes. Both mandates contradicts state policy.
It is a rarity to have students fail. They are pushed on to the next grade without fulling understanding what they where have to ''learned'' at that grade level. Thus compounding the ''dumbing down'' of our youth.

 

[chucklenut]

Public sector employees should be barred from having a union

That there is the crux of most issues with government