tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3742696403343433892.post4035721134707425847..comments2023-06-18T07:51:01.979-07:00Comments on Athenaeum Electronica: Problems with Public Education and DisciplineJohnathan Claybornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15420750163719683444noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3742696403343433892.post-48911121967690813012011-12-01T11:03:17.112-07:002011-12-01T11:03:17.112-07:00@Cheri, I completely agree. Students are not creat...@Cheri, I completely agree. Students are not created equally, nor should they be treated that way. Coming from me that's an interesting statement as anyone who knows me will vouch that I'm all about equality. But, I also beleive that certain people have skills that they are adept at, and other skills that they are not adept at. Treating all people the same in the world of education doesnt do anyone justice. I often goofed off in class because I was on a different level intellectually than my classmates. <br />And yes, I can see your point there. While state laws don't prohibit parents from spanking their children, there is a very clear distinction between a spank and abuse. And it sounds like that kid needs some therapy... <br />I think that you nailed part of the problem on the head too. The students are not held accountable for their actions, so they persist. In the case of the kid who assaulted the teacher over the halloween candy, the teacher said that there had been a fight earlier that week and the student was in school the next day and when the paramedics were taking the teacher to the hospital the student who attacked her was just standing around as if nothing happened.Johnathan Claybornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15420750163719683444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3742696403343433892.post-26005730835897460872011-12-01T10:28:46.361-07:002011-12-01T10:28:46.361-07:00Teachers have been teaching the test for quite som...Teachers have been teaching the test for quite some time now. With the advent of AIMS and No child left behind, the focus was placed on metrics instead of individual performance of the students. More and more schools are switching to the mindset that all students are created equally. Big mistake. As the mother of a gifted child (grown now) I experienced a frustration level with mainstream education due to the refusal to be willing to teach gifted students on a different path. Because so many students that are either struggling or of average ability, the gifted students are expected to slow their pace and learn in the same manner as the other students. <br />Behavioral issues are a larger problem than curriculum based roadblocks to learning. You also mentioned parents failing to spank their children early on in your blog. Many parents would LOVE to spank or discipline their offspring, but state law oversteps their rights as parents in an overcorrect to stem abuse. Kids are cognizant of the lawful limits of their parents' rights and use them to full advantage. One of my friends actually had her son tell her to go ahead and take his video games because he would bruise himself and blame her and then she would lose all three of her children and go to jail. Nice, eh? <br />I do believe that teachers should be rewarded for their success and if they are working in a dangerous environment, there should be a zero tolerance for violence as well as a stipend for counseling for faculty. Students that perpetrate violence should be immediately removed from the educational setting permanently, in order to achieve safety for other students as well as faculty members.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3742696403343433892.post-30944486031793997782011-11-30T14:56:21.627-07:002011-11-30T14:56:21.627-07:00Thanks, Alexander. I've long held the opinion ...Thanks, Alexander. I've long held the opinion that teaching is part science and part art. There are some aspects to education that are difficulat to measure with a standardized test. The biggest problem that I see with marrying teacher pay to classroom performance is that teachers will begin teaching to the test. Memorization is not learning. No cognition is taking place and, ultimately, it is the student who suffers from that. In my opinion moving into a system that continues to use this type of philosophy will undermine education further. The IT industry is plagued with this right now. Their staple certification is the A+ cert. You can pay a few hundred dollars and go to an "A+ bootcamp" where they will "teach you everything you need to know to pass the test". the problem is that while you can pass the test, you dont actually understand why the answer is what it is. Imparting the ability to reason onto the students, in my mind, is more important than teaching them memorized facts. Maybe I'll write an article about that topic in the next few days. :)Johnathan Claybornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15420750163719683444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3742696403343433892.post-27579340651891980372011-11-30T13:59:20.578-07:002011-11-30T13:59:20.578-07:00I really like your suggestions about teacher train...I really like your suggestions about teacher training and continued learning in the summer months or time away from school. This is valuable time ecucators can futher their understanding of education in general and the needs of their students. I dont think we are utilizing opportunities such as these currently, maybe due to the lack of motivation to continue growing as educators, but as you mention something needs to change. Do we go toward a system where teachers are rewarded/payed on their performance? And even then how do we document teacher performance? Love the ideas, keep em coming!Alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06251955286530739150noreply@blogger.com