Why is Public Education Failing? By Tom DeWeese

Intellectual Conservative ^ | 13 January 2008 | Tom DeWeese

[Trystine]

I did go to a private Mennonite college. That could have something to do with it. Many of the classes I took that were for just the education part of my degree were very useful. I use many of the things I learned in class and apply them in my classroom today. Luckily we did a lot of observing other schools,(as a freshman you were placed in a classroom right away to enable us to decide if thats what we wanted to go into) teaching lessons to many different grade levels, and did student teaching. By the end of it all you knew if you were cut out to be a teacher or not. Of course I said many of the classes (not all. There was one that I really felt was worthless (at the time). I praise the college I attended. It was a liberal arts school and the education department followed a 5 C framework. They helped us become Christian, Committed, Competent ,Compassionate, and Collaborative teachers. It is an amazing school!

I agree that there is definitely something wrong with the public education system! That fact I will not deny. I was only trying to get the word out that not all teachers are air-heads.

[NCLaw441]

You posted, in part: That’s true but, unlike 9x9, there is a way to actually multiply 10x10 without having memorized it. That was the point of my questions on the steps to do it and how you’d teach someone else to do it.
***

Sorry, but can’t resist, for some reason. You are correct about how to multiply 10x10 without memorizing it. Of course, you have to memorize the component mulitiplications, 0x10 and 1x10, then add them together, another product of memorizing (although I guess one could count on fingers). The question that was involved here could have been made much more “estimable” by changing it to 8.9x8.9, rather than 9x9. Estimation ought to be a means of having to do fewer calculations rather than more.

On the larger picture, this whole discussion has made me think, at least a little, and THAT, for me, is the essence of education— teaching students to think and solve problems on their own.

[Bob]

The question that was involved here could have been made much more “estimable” by changing it to 8.9x8.9, rather than 9x9. Estimation ought to be a means of having to do fewer calculations rather than more.

I agree completely. Using this multiplication (which should have been memorized by the time estimating is introduced) is a terrible selection of an example.

[ronnie raygun]

liberal democrates!

[Zack Nguyen]

Not to mention, less parents are working with their children at home. Everything is put on the teachers and the teachers are blamed for it all as well.

This is true. It has been so long since good education was widespread that even parents no longer recognize what it is. They don't understand that they are responsible for their children's education, that the state is (at best) a caretaker. The parents believe it is the government's job, and it breeds laziness.

[Will88]

Your examples in #139 agree with my contention. The examples make use of correct calculations using rounded or estimated numbers. The numbers are estimated; the calculations are exact.

This started out with 9 x 9 as an example to be estimated. What the sense of estimating that with 10 x 10, or 9 x 10. It’s nonsensical and serves no purpose. And if a kid hasn’t learned the multiplication tables, how can they calculate 10 x 10, or 9 x 10 to make the nonsensical estimate rather than the exact 9 x 9 calculation.

The 9 x 9 example asked for an estimated calculation of exact numbers. Utter nonsense. We don’t estimate the calculation, but we do estimate numbers to be used in exact calculations, as your examples show.

The 9 x 9 test question was an totally asinine exercise for a kid learning math to be asked to answer as some sort of estimate, and it’s not really an estimation. It’s nonsense. Test questions involving real estimates and exact calculations could have been easily developed.

[nathanbedford]

ping

[Bob]

Your examples in #139 agree with my contention. The examples make use of correct calculations using rounded or estimated numbers. The numbers are estimated; the calculations are exact.

Exactly. The rounded numbers just make the math easier.

The 9 x 9 test question was an totally asinine exercise for a kid learning math to be asked to answer as some sort of estimate, and it’s not really an estimation. It’s nonsense. Test questions involving real estimates and exact calculations could have been easily developed.

I agree. This teacher should find a new line of work ("Would you like fries with that?") if she understands her subject matter so poorly that she thinks 9x9 is a good example for teaching estimation.

[Let's Roll]

Yes, it’s unions. What unionized industry hasn’t tanked or would if it wasn’t government funded?

[rb22982]

I recommend going up grade levels for math if your kid is doing exceptionally well. My parents went up 2 grades for me (I only did it for 3 years), and it worked wonders (Scored 99%+ on EOG/CAT all 12 years of grade school and placed out of 2nd semester calculus for college with a perfect score on the AP exam). None of the textbooks we looked at for same grade were difficult. This was about 15 years ago though so I wouldn’t have a clue as to what type of textbook to use now. I think we used Abeka but I might be wrong.

[rb22982]

Refusing to expell or suspend trouble makers from the classroom, because school funding depends on daily attendance totals,

A friend of mine who went into teaching (briefly) started at on "OK" high school in my county. He had to teach math for 11th/12th graders below par for technical math. He was allowed to send kids to the principles office just THREE times all year! After 2 years of dealing with the administrative idiocy, he left for data analysis in the private industry.

[nmh]

I recommend going up grade levels for math if your kid is doing exceptionally well. My parents went up 2 grades for me (I only did it for 3 years), and it worked wonders (Scored 99%+ on EOG/CAT all 12 years of grade school and placed out of 2nd semester calculus for college with a perfect score on the AP exam). None of the textbooks we looked at for same grade were difficult. This was about 15 years ago though so I wouldn’t have a clue as to what type of textbook to use now. I think we used Abeka but I might be wrong.

---

Her school uses Saxon ... what I might do is get the homeschool version a grade up and challenge her in that way. IN the summer I supplement and I am familiar with Abeka - another good vendor!

Thanks for the advice.

[SALChamps03]

I believe it is you who is missing the point. At the school level teachers have no contact with the NEA. I personally have never discussed homosexuality with any student. I have never distributed birth control, or worked at any school where this has occurred.

As for population control, I can't even begin to imagine what you're talking about there, so I'll say no comment. As for global warming, I agree that it's a fraud and have written several newspaper articles discussing this fact. But, the theory of global warming is in textbooks and has to be covered, so I always present both sides and make it clear that I personally do not believe in global warming.

The reason that religion has played a smaller role in school is because of court rulings. Even if I believe prayer should be allowed, I can't break the law without losing my certificate.

However, the religious beliefs of the Founding Fathers and the first settlers is discussed in social studies, so you're incorrect about that.

I agree that troublemakers should be suspended, but if they are special ed students, they cannot be suspended for more than 10 days per school year, and not without holding a meeting to determine if their behavior is a manifestation of their special ed eligibility. That's federal law, not the NEA.

I am not sure which political agendas you are talking about that are passed off as science. You could be talking about evolution. If so, you can disagree with the theory of evolution, but also understand that Creationism is based in faith, not science.

As for telling the students that parents have no real authority over them, I can only say, What have you been smoking?

As I said, there are laws and court rulings that have had a much more profound effect on public education than the NEA.

[G Larry]

Given your particular experience in special needs Kindergarten, isn’t it possible that your exposure has been limited?

I didn’t make this stuff up!
Teachers in Washington, California, and Colorado have been telling their students that they can report their parents for spanking....NO! Not BEATING! Spanking!
(In the early ‘70’s my brother found out that my Father wasn’t very impressed with his teacher’s pronouncement.)

I can walk you into HUNDREDS of Middle and Sr. High schools, that have pro-homosexual textbooks, Nurses offices & counselors who will drive any young girl to an abortion clinic WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE PARENTS! (Haven’t you noticed this subject being debated on election ballots around the nation for the past decade?)
Do you not recognize the roll the NEA plays in selecting text books and curricula?

[SALChamps03]

I have also worked in fourth and fifth grade and in an alternative school setting. I've had dealings with every grade level. Look, I hate the NEA. I'm not defending them. They do not represent me or my views, especially since I am not a member. I admit they are one of the problems. They just aren't the only one or the biggest one. I also believe that there are plenty of success stories in public education.

I just don't think that everything is all bad with public education. I agree there are some ridiculous things that happen. I just don't believe that every school in America is a bad school. I don't even believe a majority are bad schools. I also think that the majority of teachers are highly concerned with the success of their students. We have to be in it for them, given the level of criticism we take, and the fact that we're lumped in with all the bad apples, who don't help when they do stupid or evil things like having sex with their students or presenting inappropriate subject matter.

All I'm saying is please cut us some slack.

I can walk you into HUNDREDS of Middle and Sr. High schools, that have pro-homosexual textbooks, Nurses offices & counselors who will drive any young girl to an abortion clinic WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE PARENTS! (Haven’t you noticed this subject being debated on election ballots around the nation for the past decade?)

I do not believe that any school official can drive a student to an abortion clinic without notifying the parents. There is no way that a dangerous medical procedure can be performed on a minor without parental consent. That's just not true. As for the "pro-homosexual" textbooks, I will ask you specifically to define "pro-homosexual. That's too vague of a claim.

[G Larry]

I applaud your contributions and your values.
I’m afraid your dedication has left you little time to be aware of the national culture.

>As of 2007-JAN, six states and the District of Columbia do not have parental notification or consent laws. The consent or notification laws in six states are on the books but not in effect.<
>In the United States, a pregnant woman who has not reached the age of majority may not be able to decide on her own to obtain an abortion. The age of majority for health matters is 18 in most states; it is 19 in Alabama and 21 in Pennsylvania. States vary in abortion access for young women. Planned Parenthood web site reports that, as of 2007-JAN:
No restrictive laws: Six states (CT, HI, NY, OR, VT, WA) and the District of Columbia allow a woman to obtain an abortion without telling her parents or court-appointed guardian, and without obtaining permission from them. This is a reduction from 28 states in 1999-FEB. <

[arthurus]

Public Education is not failing. Tom DeWeese just doesn’t understand its goals.

[arthurus]

The interstates were originally justified as for Defense because Eisenhower had long noted that it was very time-consuming to move military supplies across the country. The I’states vastly improved that situation as well as made it easier to go visit Grandma.

[Tax-chick]

Yeah, I understand the “justification” on the Interstate Highway system. It’s up there with all the other uses of the Interstate Commerce Clause for expansions of Federal power.

But I still like the result!

[SALChamps03]

You might more accurately say that 44 states do have parental notification laws. It seems you are accentuating the negative.