A joke of an education system.

Since kindergarten, kids all over America have gone to school to have their minds slowly assimilated into stupidity and narrow-mindedness.

The education system largely comprises of rote memorization and the demand for strict obedience. It hampers creative and logical thought as well as the flow of ideas. School demands the same from everybody and does not give leeway for others to get ahead; instead, those that want to get ahead find themselves stumbling into roadblocks of the unenthusiastic and apathetic.

***

There are no classes in most schools for some of the most important subjects of all such as logic, philosophy, and how to think critically and creatively.

I find philosophy to be the absolute most important subject you could ever teach a child.

We see violence running rampant in TV shows and games. We see a constant barrage of advertisements directed toward children urging them to buy the latest gadget. We claim they are irresponsible, robotic, uninterested, violent, sexual, and largely concerned with the moment and so point to the parents. Why always the parents? Certainly they are a factor, but what about our schools?

Teens and children spend most of their time constrained in a dismal closed off room to soak up [in many cases] useless knowledge processed without any critical thought.

And what do many teachers push in school? Grades...grades...grades...get the grade because that's all that matters.

And why do grades matter? Because when you grow up all people care about is a piece of paper basically saying you performed your robotic tasks well and now you are ready to receive a job.

And why do you need a job? Because having a job equals money. Better grades equals more money. And money is important because in this society, many people think the amount money you have corresponds with the amount of happiness you have.

It should not be such a mystery that our society is overly sexual and violent, consumer driven, and stupid. Our political/government leaders were of course, bred by the same system.

***

I believe a massive educational reform and teaching kids at a young age an introduction to philosophy and logic by good teachers will cause so many problems the media reports about to simply collapse.

Oh, and the reason we don't have good teachers is because schools waste an incredible amount of time with the "slower" kids or the unconcerned. Every kid in America is trying to be taught. The "No Child Left Behind Act" should be renamed the "No Child Gets Ahead Act".

No wonder schools are low in funds.

***

The Educational System Was Designed to Keep Us Uneducated and Docile

I'm a 15 year old, and I don't get anyone who says I have no idea what I'm talking about. It's like talking to a damn wall.

 

how i am glad i did not go to a govt school. When i am a parent, i will not place my child in a federal jail for 7 hrs a day to be educated by the same people, the govt, who takes my taxes and run our failing programs and systems.

If the govt was a business, it would be bankrupt.

 

i see the ignorance burn their brains with fire of moral evil by the ignorance.
i see the darkness surrender their eyes, blocks the light out of truth.
i see people in my school, boring and spelled.
i have to study and do homework if not, my parent kick me out of my house.
i see your words Stratovarius as it was sad by my self.

 

I think the MOST important thing they could teach is human relations.

When the ones in charge aren't even smart enough to come up with any better ideas than school consolidation, we know we are a doomed society.

Grades don't even matter any more. All I've seen recently is "above average", "average", and "below average", and then they just pass 'em on to the next grade anyhow. If your kid is not doing well, instead of extra help, they get sent to a councellor to see if they have a bad home life. Sometimes there is no test at all, they just get passed to the next grade anyhow. Two of my kids "legally" quit school at the ages of 14 and 12. "Homeschool" they called it. No school supervision. Never opened a book all year. Only one of them had a test at years end. What a joke.

It's totally unnatural and cruel to cram hundreds of kids together in a building all day and make them sit still and quiet. Especially if your kid gets a "school breakfast" of sugar coated donuts and chockolate milk. And then there is head lice and epidemics of flu, lockdowns, drug searches...

I got a far better education AFTER I quit school at age 16 (on the honor roll). Before that, mostly all I learned was how utterly ignorant most teachers were and how horribly evil most kids were... I learned all about stress... So much homework I could not get it all done in time to get to bed, even if I started as soon as I got home, skipped supper and chores and stayed up late. The stress of Competition. The stress of not "fitting in". The stress of getting picked on by teachers/students because they didn't like my parents politics. The stress of getting in trouble for things I did not do.

And that was many years ago. It only gets worse. Fuck public school.

 

The same with me. My sentiments exactly.

 

Kids come to school at all levels of intelligence and social dexterity. The school has to come up with something that involoves the majority of the kids. You put stupid, smart, and average kids all together; how would you teach them. It's virutally impossible unless you just drill stuff into kids heads and make them repeat it. You would need a lot of incredibly gifted teachers to make a dent. It's the blind leading the blind sometimes. Education should start in the home.

 

The existing system is not a coincidence, it has to exist because everyone cannot be smart. Capitalism needs exploiters and victims. Idiots and smart asses or else it will not function. The system is designed to produce obedient unthinking workers.

 

Schools are low in funds, because Bush's No Child Left Behind Act, was mandated but not totally funded. So that funds that were previously used for other things now have to be spent so that his program can continue.

To your previous paragraph, what is it you would propose? Institutionalizing what you consider "slow" kids? Who is empowered to quantify and select those "worthy" of education? As an American I feel all should have the opportunity to an education.

Public education in the US at one time was a beacon to the rest of the world. Sure it has it's flaws, but it's still one of the best deals for the dollar. It's only since the elite and special interests have chose to take their kids out of public schools and left them to only those that can't afford the alternatives that they have dropped in standing.

 

The saddest thing about this whole issue is the teachers who still care, I think. Watching them lose their battle, seeing the children they WANT to help get turned into mindless "productive" members of society... that's gotta suck. I was going to be a teacher, but then realized that if I did that, I'd be a part of that losing battle, and be frustrated and sad all the time watching the education system go to hell all around me. I deeply respect all of the people with the strength to do that.

~Nova

 

"Good" teachers can teach anyone. They know how to reach out and make a difference. Good teachers not only teach the regulated curriculum they also inject their teachings with philosophy, logic and socialization and civility.

I was lucky to have at least four exceptional teachers in my public school education.

Nova, you must have had at least one of those outstanding teachers to have the viewpoint you do.

 

Earthmother don't know what schools your talking about but "school breakfast" of sugar coated donuts and chockolate milk" is not according to state guidelines in California, that's more likely to be something kids get at home.

 

Talkin' 'bout West Virginia schools. Or you might get sugar frosted flakes...
Or honey buns. Better off eating at home.

The school system is so bad here that more and more folks are taking their kids out of they system altogether. Some try changing counties, but that is only minimally better. Most end up in homeschool, being taught by their borderline illiterate parents or the neighbor. The schools in this county have lost so many students over the past few years that the layoffs have begun, as well as dropping some of the better extracurricular activities. It's a downhill spiral. No one but the most conservative "christians" and status quo want their kids subjected to the military/fear mentality of the system as it stands. And the schools DO NOT WANT the children who they might see as being different or troublemakers, so they make it increasingly easier to keep your kids out of "their" schools. And so, soon, all the money they spent on consolidation will have been utterly wasted when they cannot even afford to keep the school open... Pretty funny if you ask me.

 

I actually teach kids and DO NOT see any of this BS going on. kids are encouraged very much to be individuals. to think for themselves. where do you find this BS?

 

Good for you Carlfloydfan. I think one of the biggest drains on public education in the US right now is because so few wish to do it. My niece got a full scholarship to become a teacher, and when she was done with her education she decided she'd rather be a fashion designer. Not sure if she has to pay back that sholarship, but I think she should be required to. Teaching isn't glamorous, but I've been out of school for quite a while, and those four amazing teachers that I had, I can still picture and name. They made a difference!

 

oh yah its one of the most enriching things to experience in life, to have a gifted teacher encourage you on the path to self discovery/creativity and help when he senses you need it.

 

I think most teachers go into educating hoping to bring something fresh and unique but find themselves having to commit to certain deadlines and curricula making it harder for anything else.

And of course, many kids may seem uninterested in learning thus discouraging the teacher.

 

That is one of the most important things that is lacking in the schools - really GOOD teachers who can make their subject interesting and get the kids attention and respect. I had a couple of those in my school years, and I excelled in their classes. Unfortunately, in the last 10 years or so, there have been rules put in place here that make it wrong for teachers to "befriend" students and be anything other than totally "professional". Of course you will always have those kids who hate the whole thing and just are not into being there at all no matter what. Every single year that my kids were in the system the school sent home a questionaire asking what the parents would like to see them do that they did not already do. Every time I said start a MANDATORY human relations course - Kindergarten thru 12th grade. But of course they don't see this as important. But how do you expect kids to want to learn when they can't even get along with each other or the teachers?

 

Heh, that reminds me of those times when I was a little kid when I would spot a teacher at H-E-B or something and it would be like...a surreal experience.

"Omg, teachers have lives?!"

I bet if we had what you described earthmother maybe it would be less unusual to see something like that.

Oh and I'd like someone to name one person whose studied philosophy for a second and enjoyed it say, "Wow, this didn't help my life at all."

 

I think childrens minds are becoming less disciplined like the days of old where the teacher would wack you with a ruler for misbehaving. The reason is because of the change in scientific outlook proposed by psychology and especially Einstein and Hawking. The universe is not as regualar and orderly as our forefathers thought. Now the kids are becoming less orderly and less disciplined to fit in with the cosmic chaos that is being discovered. There is going to be a silver lining. Everything happens for a reason. The moral implications are dire. What is going to happen to religeion, and will it be a painful transition?

 

word, i was about to say the same thing! I'm a student teacher at an urban school for children who have behavioral/conduct disorders. I use creativity everyday at school. I barely use grades. my students have portfolios. i recently just taught my students about the solar system by physically engaging them. I was the sun and I got each student to be either a planet, star, moon, etc...I test my students on participation and improvement throughout the school year. The standards are based on each individual. I don't have a class standard. everyone complains about bad teachers but never praise the good teachers. I myself will never ever teach at a private school because for one, most of the teachers are not certified teachers and two we need good teachers in urban public schools.