Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire If you can read this, thank a teacher

depends on subject, try finding science or music teachers....its near impossible....

Only person responsible for my kid is me. Seems lots of folks bitch about government in their life but expect them to be the ones responsible for teaching my kid and ensuring they are in fact learning.

That falls on the parent, period.

The above based on your years of parenting, of course...

Not saying you're not partially correct, of course. But in today's world, where both parents tend to be working outside the home, as a necessity there's a reliance on schools to do what they're supposed to do: educate your child.

Scott

P.S. Sam, apparently you and I are in agreement. Is this another case of my not thinking ??

I don't need to suck a crank to tell you I wouldn't like it, perhaps you are different.

Both parents working is just another sham. Sure, if both parents want to drive a new car, 52" color tv yadda yadda. People can blame everyone else if they choose.

Sure you give the state lots of money Sam but I'd make damn sure they were giving it back. It shouldn't be a surprise to a parent if their kids can't read in the 11th grade or do math.

The only one responsible for my family is ME. Apparently lots of conservatives on here expect the government teach their kids everything. Fine, but trust and verify.

As an administrator (and conservative) in the "liberal" public school system, here is my $0.02 worth. . .

First of all, if I had 35 hrs/wk to teach students writing, reading, science, math, social studies, and computer skills the job would -- and often does -- get done very effectively. However, much of that 35 hrs/wk is spent by teachers serving as surrogate parents helping many students meet basic needs and learn to overcome the environments their "real" parents have created for them. Nevertheless, I know this is a part of my job, I embrace it, and I spend countless hours trying to understand ways of dealing with it.

There are teacher shortages in many parts of the country -- just as there might be a surplus in many northern states. Regardless, there is a shortage of qualified teachers everywhere. One of the primary reasons for this is that teaching has become a fall-back profession for many. This is not to say that there aren't great teachers who have come from different fields (particularly the military and business worlds). Generally speaking -- and unfortunately -- the teaching profession no longer carries the respect it did many decades ago. Educators of all levels must bear the responsibility for this change. We must also assume the lead in changing this attitude.

As for NCLB, it is the grandest absurdity one could imagine. The premise may be noble, but it is an exercise in futility. I am still waiting for our government to hold every dental clinic, hospital, and medical clinic to the same expectations. Our educational system needs to focus on preparing kids for their individual futures which may include something other than a 4yr college. Maybe many of these kids that are under-performing in college, would have been better served if they had received some real-world vocational training instead?

I will be the first to agree that many improvements are needed in many of our nation's public schools. Some believe that the answer will be found in charter schools (i.e. -- public-funded private schools). My limited experience with charter schools would prove that solution laughable at best. The quickest solution, and one that will never be attempted, is to hold parents jointly accountable with the schools for the successes and failures of students. Tie all types of welfare payments and benefits into student performance for a start. Require diplomas for drivers licenses and sufferage. Make education and community/military service a real requirement for juvenile offenders. . .

I could go on and on. . .

its a small town, it aint window dressing, not to mention they have no committees and its pretty easy to tell if they are making desisions that arent based on what info they get at the meetings.....aint to hard to figure out when the superintendent has his coffee on a daily basis and how much sugar he puts in it if i want....not to mention most the current board aint smart enough to be that sneaky, atleast more than once..

currently the school board has a bunch of idiots on it, mainly cause the smart ppl got tired of the idiots, its getting to the point the wife is thinking bout running for it to up the average IQ.....but push comes to shove our administrators are pretty good, and have done a damn good job....there is only one of them that i dont know that well, the rest are locals or at the very least have been in the area a couple decades...the current superintendent is a long time family friend and was my teacher at one point in high school is he an outstanding administrator? no but he is a good one that truly has the best interests of the school and community in mind......

my girls are quite bright but from what i have seen they aint gonna get half the education i did and its due to changes that were kick started by NCLB....i hate english, but have no problems writing cause i had a damn good teacher, had damn good math teachers, had damn good science teachers....all this on one of the poorest indian reservations....the problem now is that teachers must focus a hell of alot of their time on students that do not want to be in class and who have parents that dont care how their kids do....before the teachers could teach those that wanted an education and give those that were interested in one a damn fine one....now they spend most there time focusing on those that aint gonna ever see the inside of a college classroom and the bright kids are left hanging in the wind....

Kids are really easy to teach if you make it fun for them. And it doesn't require much time, either.

Had my daughter doing plenty more than just basic math before she started school. She could count change better at 5 years old than any of the local convience shop clerks can. I tested one a couple days ago. Love doing this to them, maybe I'm just being mean:) Total was 5.37, I gave her a 10 spot. I deliberately waited until she punched it in and the change due was on the screen, then handed her 2 quarters and 2 pennies. Instant tail spin. IMO anyone with a HS diploma should immediatley know the answer without even having to think. She looked at the screen, then at the 52 cents, then at the ten dollar bill then back at me, then looked at each again. She had to reach for a calculator. Even after punching in the numbers and hitting = I could tell it didn't soak in. She didn't have a clue. Not even the first clue. Pathetic. My daughter knew the answer to that before even starting school and this girl graduated 2 years ago, 3 years older than my daughter. I know her dad, he's a bright man. I know all her teachers, they're bright people. We're out in the boonies, small school where kids get plenty of individual attention. What's wrong? She's not stupid. Her parents are far from stupid. What's wrong?

My daughter is prepping for college to become a nurse. That girl will spend her life behind that counter and never understand why. Probably never even occur to her to think about the question let alone ask, let alone again seek the answer. Pathetic.