Why kids should go to a real school

[Katiebee]

To fix the system, and is in the best interest of everyone to fix the system, would require two things:

1. Adequate funding for schools to brin the student/teacher ratio below 20 to 1.

2. Keeping politicians from making decisions and rules about how to teach.

[Katiebee]

I disagree. Competency to teach is different from the protected "right" to procreation.

After all, any one with sperm, eggs, and a womb can create a child.

You misread what I said....competency to teach one's own child, not teach others. We were talking about home schooling.

I wonder, is the right to procreate the same as the right to be a parent?

Competency to reach ones own child what?

Education as we are discussing it requires knowledge that may be beyond most parents. That isn't to say it can't be accomplished or obtained, it does address the fact that many parents have no grasp of many subject sufficient to instruct in it. Nor do many have the time or real desire to obtain that basic mastery.

Which is why we employ specialists. It's more cost effective to fix the system rather than spend time and other resources reinventing the wheel for x number of home-schoolers.

As to parenting rights, settled law would have that as yes. If you open the right to be a parent as a licensed thing you really have a mess. Everything from abortion to discipline, to education.

License parenting and you have the first step to a Brave New World. I refr to the novel. That is a receipt for Big Brother style government.

[Janus]

I agree that the system is best repaired rather than scrapped. It will take some doing. This is one of those times when we can't have a sweet kind approach. It has to be decisive and effective. Can't always worry about Parents or teachers feelings. Sometimes the right things isn't always the easy thing. Sometimes you have to force the right thing onto people.

You can encourage folks to get on the bandwagon but if they balk you may have to yank them up. Like Tough Shit Mother Fucker.....This is what the kids need this is what society needs and this is how we are going to do it. Rolling sleeves up. Hiking up your britches and tightening boot straps. Elbow to the wheel and all of that. Once folks see that the education system is actually educating the kids then you will see the light blink on and folks "I think" will be more apt to say OH Yeah! !  !  This is working. My 8th Grader can actually write an essay. My Freshman can actually do Calculus.

I have kids in High School. They are lazy. As are their parents at times. If collectively we as parents Teachers and Students can just say Oh well this is how it has to be then we may just see a positive change. No hidden agendas from our educational leaders or our politicians. No little secret initiatives. Just plain old hard core EDUCATION. You can't run a society on "I don't feel like it". You have to sometimes say. Get your ass up and hit the damn books. Oh you don't understand? Well we'll Just call Ms. Smith and she can help us out. Because working together for a common goal should be the task of everyone when the future of our kids is at stake. IMO

[phtlc]

To fix the system, and is in the best interest of everyone to fix the system, would require two things:

1. Adequate funding for schools to brin the student/teacher ratio below 20 to 1.

2. Keeping politicians from making decisions and rules about how to teach.

Plus,

1: Eliminate tenure (or at least modify it)

2: Make the hiring process transparent. Too many people are hired in the education system based on being related to someone. I grasp that networking is part of any job search process, but here in Canada nepotism is an epidemic in our public education system. With so many people wanting to be teachers and so few openings, only those related get the full time jobs while the rest become life long supply teachers or go teach ESL in South Korea. As a result, if they need a science teacher and there are several applicants who majored in science before teachers college yet the person hired is the vice principles son/daughter who majored in history. A key result of this problem is that way too many of the teachers are not qualified to teach the topics they are "teaching". They do not really understand it and are 100% dependant on the teachers edition of the text book and cannot make their own lesson plans, and instead rely on pre-fabricated lesson plans created by the publisher. Too many of the problems we have with students not understanding math is that their math teacher studied phys-ed and can't count past ten without taking off his/her shoes.

[Elizabeth]

Like what was said above.
The larger problem with home schooling is not only what is teached but are they (parents) able to actually teach it.
Most parents I know, can barely grasp the fundamentals of calculus, let alone teach it. The same goes for "Trig" well. However another striking problem in home teaching is the subject of "Biology" and who/what lengths the parents will go or not go in leaving out religion in the subject.
This is where home teaching becomes a determent to the student, If religion is taught over science, that student is in for a tremendous shock in college.

Love,
Liz

[MissBarbara]

The larger problem with home schooling is not only what is teached but are they (parents) able to actually teach it.

Another big problem is kids not learning the proper past tense of verbs...

[Janus]

The larger problem with home schooling is not only what is teached but are they (parents) able to actually teach it.

Another big problem is kids not learning the proper past tense of verbs...

I was "Teached" That a long time ago.

[snowm]

I disagree. Competency to teach is different from the protected "right" to procreation.

After all, any one with sperm, eggs, and a womb can create a child.

You misread what I said....competency to teach one's own child, not teach others. We were talking about home schooling.

I wonder, is the right to procreate the same as the right to be a parent?

Competency to reach ones own child what?

Education as we are discussing it requires knowledge that may be beyond most parents. That isn't to say it can't be accomplished or obtained, it does address the fact that many parents have no grasp of many subject sufficient to instruct in it. Nor do many have the time or real desire to obtain that basic mastery.

Which is why we employ specialists. It's more cost effective to fix the system rather than spend time and other resources reinventing the wheel for x number of home-schoolers.

As to parenting rights, settled law would have that as yes. If you open the right to be a parent as a licensed thing you really have a mess. Everything from abortion to discipline, to education.

License parenting and you have the first step to a Brave New World. I refr to the novel. That is a receipt for Big Brother style government.

I think this all depends on the intent of the teaching process. If it is to teach facts, numbers, and rules, then yes some parents may not be equipped to do so. If the end goal is to teach the child critical thinking, problem solving, etc then the teacher really doesn't need to be a knowledge expert in any particular field.

I certainly agree with your statement on efficiency and use of experts but is that really how our education system works? I got another undergrad degree in ed along side many going through the courses on a grad level. Working full time, carrying full course load, family, one kid, and I am the one breaking the curve? WTF? The good teacher is more and more rare these days.

[Gina Marie]

The larger problem with home schooling is not only what is teached but are they (parents) able to actually teach it.

Another big problem is kids not learning the proper past tense of verbs...

[Katiebee]

There is some truth in saying that teaching is an art. Or like leadership, it's something that is exhibited by a rare few.

I had a history teacher who put the facts before us, then taught us why they were important. Had us apply critical analysis to explain why it was important today.

[Janus]

There is some truth in saying that teaching is an art. Or like leadership, it's something that is exhibited by a rare few.

I had a history teacher who put the facts before us, then taught us why they were important. Had us apply critical analysis to explain why it was important today.

sounds like a decent teacher to me.

[Elizabeth]

The larger problem with home schooling is not only what is teached but are they (parents) able to actually teach it.

Another big problem is kids not learning the proper past tense of verbs...

I was "Teached" That a long time ago.

Taught...okay??
Now just "Bite Me"...

Love,
Liz

[coacheric]

The larger problem with home schooling is not only what is teached but are they (parents) able to actually teach it.

Another big problem is kids not learning the proper past tense of verbs...

I was "Teached" That a long time ago.

Taught...okay??
Now just "Bite Me"...

Love,
Liz