What do you think of the US education system?

Discussion in 'Higher Ed' started by Fluffernutter, Nov 24, 2012.

  1. NoxiousGas

    NoxiousGas Old Fart

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    :rolleyes:
     
  2. tubahead

    tubahead Member

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    You know, most people hate essay tests. They would much rather have tests with a definite answer because those are easier to memorize. I always liked essay tests too. It gives you a chance to explain why you are making the answers you are making. Now I don't even get essay tests. All of my grade is based on one ten page paper.
     
  3. AmericanTerrorist

    AmericanTerrorist Bliss

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    One thing that's on topic with this but also with a of other things- once your eyes are opened and you truly start to see things that are going on and thinking for yourself.. (and you understand the brainwashing that is out there in EVERYTHING)... then you start to see through it ..everywhere..and it doesn't effect you and not only that but you can learn things-true learning from anywhere because your eyes are open during it. Just because the subliminalities are there (and the not so subtle- the very blatant as well)- doesn't mean that you have to be effected by them and it would be very difficult to avoid every single thing that is used as a tool.

    ( I mean I see some stuff on hipforums that's kinda like... ehhhh reallllly? but I ignore it.)
     
  4. tubahead

    tubahead Member

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    That is very true. It is funny because I find that my Bullshit meter is really sensitive after taking all of those classes. I will hear somebody really going off on some topic, usually at a bar or someplace like that and I kind of think, that person is just spouting a bunch of stuff he read on some website and is talking about a bunch of stuff he really doesn't know about. I always want them to come up with a new twist on it. There is a whole of bunch of BS and manipulation out there but you can definitely start to see through it. It is like a muscle though. If you stop using it, it goes away. It is like that anti-underage drinking commercial where all the kids have strings attached to them with the message that if you drink you are only doing so because others tell you to. I always wonder if they realize that if you decide not to drink because of their commercial, then you are doing so because others are telling you to, in essence you would be the exact same as the person who underage drinks.
     
  5. AmericanTerrorist

    AmericanTerrorist Bliss

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    Oh yes...things defiantly work both ways. And a lot of the whole "just say no" education to drugs/drinking bs... the "DARE stuff" I grew up with I think ended up having the exact opposite effect they wanted.. that's kinda off topic to what you were saying, but you know, I'm NOT looking forward to when my 2 yr old is a teenager and what I say to him about stuff like that. I really don't want to tell my kid what to do... I want to teach him to think for himself in everything and that there are grey areas... at the same time, there are dangerous he'll possibly experience that I have seen first hand and a parents job is to guide and teach... I just don't want to teach him there is one way about things.. I think I'll just end up teaching him facts and consequences but not imply that there aren't good things to some of it too.
     
  6. tubahead

    tubahead Member

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    Just to kind of hint back to the OP so as not to be subject to a grand jury trial for theft of a thread, teaching how to think critically about any subject, drugs or otherwise is probably the hardest thing to teach. It is like learning to walk, because you will get things wrong. There is nothing wrong with being wrong. You just have to get back up and try again. True, you want to avoid being wrong so you prepare as best you can, but you will be wrong eventually. If you are never wrong, you aren't trying. It is also much easier to teach to a test than to think about how to solve a problem. That is probably where things like overcrowding and poverty come into play. Teaching problem solving takes a lot of individualized attention and the more kids, the less likely they are to get that attention.

    I am pretty sure you will be just fine having that discussion with your son. Children tend to emulate their parents' actions so he will already have a decent critical thinking head on his shoulders to begin with.
     
  7. AmericanTerrorist

    AmericanTerrorist Bliss

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    Thank you. :)
     
  8. MeAgain

    MeAgain Dazed & Confused Lifetime Supporter Super Moderator

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    I love philosophy, but unfortunately it is very hard to earn a living as a Philo major.

    Ethics and morality are huge subject areas that I believe are being ignored in almost all areas of education and the lack of education in that area is probably the biggest threat to our current civilization.

    And I can work a lesson on ethics into an engineeering lesson quite easily.
     
  9. tubahead

    tubahead Member

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    You know you would be surprised. Forbes did a study for correlations for business success. They found only one. People with degrees in philosophy tended to be more successful in business. I mean we had to learn to understand complex ideas, evaluate them, form conclusions, and then communicate those evaluations and conclusions. Which is something that is useful in every situation you will encounter. The University of Arizona found that professional majors (engineering, computer science, etc) made more money out college than Liberal arts majors, but after about 10 years, liberal arts majors tended to have higher salaries and higher ranks.

    Ethics and morality are huge areas that need to be taught more. It applies to everything we do. I am glad you incorporate a little ethics in engineering lessons. I used to teach a unit on environmental ethics and we would talk a little bit about engineering. I believe my under grad school had a class on engineering ethics.
     
  10. Sixpence

    Sixpence Member

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    I was homeschooled, we get plenty of social interaction through homeschool organizations that hold teen meetings, sports/activities (my group has softball, soccer, chess, and about anything else you can imagine). There`s also activities within communties.
    Most families are religious as well, so their kids get social interaction with other kids at church, not to mention friends around the neighborhood.
    Most homeschool kids are happy too. Happier than any public schoolers I know (I have a large circle of public school friends as well) who tend to have a lot of problems with depression.

    There`s always the odd extremist who never lets the kids out of the house, only lets them watch veggie tales until their 18, and doesn`t teach the kids to ride a bike till their 13 (I knew a family like that), but that`s nowhere near the general rule.

    As far as weird goes, aren`t we all? :2thumbsup: Weirdness makes us individuals.
    Unless you`re talking religiously weird/extremism, but that`s not the general rule either.

    I fully intend on homeschooling my kids.
     
  11. Sixpence

    Sixpence Member

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    1. In my location, teachers will pass a kid whether they`ve gotten Fs or As.

    2. Most states require parents to have their kids take tests to make sure they`re progressing. Some states also require at least one parent to have a college degree of some sort.

    3. Most homeschool parents have a tutor/tutors for their kids and take their kids to various lessons and lectures.

    4. On average homeschool students score higher on tests and are preferred by colleges. A link: http://voices.yahoo.com/homeschoolers-preferred-colleges-universities-6318238.html?cat=4
     
  12. MeAgain

    MeAgain Dazed & Confused Lifetime Supporter Super Moderator

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    I would think the parental involvement as to the insistence of doing well, in addition to the fact that mostly wealthier and more stable parents and home environments support home schoolers would enter into the equation.

    In other words you must compare parents and home environments that are equal to obtain valid statistics.

    And private schools seem to be left out of the equation.
     

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