You don't think its a good idea for someone to know something before they try to teach it?
The DUMBEST people I met in college were education majors.
Absolutely, and the more time you spend taking coursework in the BS symposium known as teacher training, the less you will know. Been there, done it, left in disgust.
This program was originally developed by Bill Bennett. It's an online curriculum and in many respects, a better education than I got: http://www.k12.com/
I personally hold 2 B.S. degrees. One in Computer software design and one in Electrical Engineering. I also hold a masters in Technology management. Do you know that I couldn’t get a job in the State on NJ as a teacher without obtaining another 4 year degree in education? And then I would have to jump through all kinds of hoops for both the state and the NEA so that I could teach in this godforsaken cesspit of a state. I also did a number of years in the USN and hold a Masters Training Certification, if you know what that is you know what a pain in the rear end it is to get and maintain. I am more qualified to teach hard sciences to any elementary, Jr High, High school or community college than most of the dead weight in the system. Get credentials my hairy behind.
What do the public school teachers know?
How to put a rubber on a cucumber.
How Marx and Castro are the saviors of the universe.
That God is dead.
The gender is relative.
That the U.S. is evil.
That the Democrats are the best party.
That unions are for the little guy.
That supply side economics is a myth.
That racism is the American way of life.
That homosexuality is healthy and normal.
That children have sexual lives.
I could go on and on. God help us from these “teachers” who “know” so much.
You’re right, parents are stupid!! How arrogant of them to even think they know anything. When more than half of your classes are on classroom management and teaching methods, Don’t you even stop to think about the way education is going?? Think outside the box your in, my friend.
Economics is an elective?? or even offered? The Declaration of Independence is not memorized?? I could go on and on, but let this suffice; You’ve successfully taken the work out of school and replaced it with entertainment, leading to the current demise of the greatest nation on earth.
As I understand the teachers college curriculum, it is METHODS of teaching math, or biology, or whatever. Actual knowledge of the subject matter is optional.
Parents want what is in the best interest of their children. There are some exceptions to that, and the elitist control freaks in government have used those exceptions to justify burdening all parents with rules about what is best "for the children".
So, if the parents can find expertise to teach the material within themselves, or with prepared literature, or on the internet, should we care whether they are "credentialed"?
There are wonderful curriculum's out there for homeschoolers that any parent can teach. And the important thing is the children are now learning how to learn.
It is none of your, or the State's business of what I know or don't know and what I teach or don't teach my kids.
You don’t think its a good idea for someone to know something before they try to teach it?
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If government teachers were given the GED exam for high school dropouts this Monday, I wonder how many would be able to pass it?
Always good to see one of the statists rear their ugly head on FR. Guess you’re happy with the McCain nomination.
“You don’t think its a good idea for someone to know something before they try to teach it?”
This sounds like typical far left NEA-speak.
There are good teachers out there, but by and large, government school teachers are some of the least academic, least curious people that I have ever met. And even the good teachers work in a system which has a primary purpose of Marxist socialization, not real education. The homeschooling parents that I have met are, on the other hand, some of the most devoted teachers.
If we want to save the Republic, one of the first steps that we need to take is to separate our children from the government school system. Then, we need to work on eliminating school taxes for everyone and allowing what’s left of the public schools fend for itself in a market environment.
Gee, I wonder who has the best interest of the child at stake, the state or the parent, especially a parent willing to take on home schooling their child.
No. I think they have to know where to find the knowledge and encourage the student to do the same.
Furthermore, I think "credentials" are highly overrated.
I have no degree in history, although I am a perpetual student of it. My son was reading college level history and government texts when he was 12 years old (home schooled), and could teach me many things. That boy now speaks and writes Chinese and Mongolian.
There are no known certified geniuses in our blood line that we know about. My wife taught all seven of our children to read by age four using Samuel Blumenfeld’s Alphaphonics course. We kept telling them that if they majored in reading and learned to read fluently and widely when they are young, they could teach themselves anything on which a book is written. They have all believed us, are great readers, and self-starters, self-teaching and self-motivated.
That's what teaching is all about, and parents who understand that, with or without credentials, are far ahead of the NEA, the public schools in general, and that stupid court in L.A.
The credentialed public school teachers in California are not producing self-starters for students. The kids can't read!
Here, read this Thomas Sowell book:
http://www.amazon.com/Inside-American-Education-Thomas-Sowell/dp/0029303303
Then you might “know something” before you try to teach it here.
HINT: Sowell says the dumbest college students are majoring in education. They then become the nation’s school teachers. Ironic, huh?
I just joined this forum because I could not let this ignorant comment pass. Any parent who lovingly teaches a child to use the bathroom instead of a diaper is more than qualified to continue lovingly guiding a child into shoelace tying, table manners, street-crossing safety, and LIFE. The EASIER part is including reading, writing, arithmetic, history and worm dissection. As a former home educator with children now in law school and college, I assure you that parents committed enough to choose home education access the abundant helps available to do the job with excellence. That is why the best credentialed teachers attend homeschooling conventions - they know where all the good resources are.