Grade Advancement is Overrated

[liberalogic]

Whoa, here we part ways. There are so many 'gifted' but unidentified kids in middle school, (6th-9th), that for a host of reasons may be 'underachieving.' I'm against putting them in 'gifted' when they do not do the minimums expected in a regular classroom, but think they need the time and attention that may well turn them into the adults they are capable of being-including lawyers, and doctors and perhaps even accountants. The right teachers/mentors/coaches can make a HUGE difference in the life of a 9th-12th grader. Unlike the Euros, I would not write them off, by handing them off to shop/auto/business courses.

The system that you disagree with sounds a lot like Plato's state, which would've been an interesting experiment. This whole issue really tears me apart...I had a friend who was a genius-- incredible SAT scores, could write beautifully, and was just brilliant. He prospered in elementary school, but when HS came around, he completely slacked off. The reason for this was not his intelligence, but his desire. He had no desire to do chem, bio, calc, (or precalc) for that matter. It wasn't just laziness...it was a genuine claim that he would never need this stuff and had no interest in it. He didn't go to college, but earns a moderately successful income presently doing something the subjects i mentioned did not teach him. So should he be required and why? I can't really go either way, maybe you can help me look at it differently.

 

[Nienna]

One more thing I think needs to be added, uniforms. Children are typically hostile to the idea at first, since they think of uniforms as 'stuffy,' but what surprises me are the parents.

I LOVE the idea of school uniforms! I went to Catholic school 2-12th grade, so the idea seems natural to me. The showdowns I have to deal with every morning are ridiculous! I have one girl who wants to wear the most wacky, trendy, mismatched outfits, and another girl who LITERALLY wants to wear rags to school. I have approached my MIL, who(m) is on the school board. She is very opposed to the idea. (Of course, you should see her closet; she is a clothes-hoard.) She says she thinks it's good for kids to "express themselves." (She also votes Dem every time ) Some of the things I see middle/high school girls wearing... I don't think they should be "expressing" that in public! :shocked:

 

[Nienna]

We need to stop trying to force everyone into the academic higher-education mold. God made us all with different strengths and abilities, and there should be no shame in that.

I really, really like you, Abbey... but stay away from my husband with these ideas!

I agree that mechanics/ skilled tradesmen are perfectly acceptable and definitely not any less "worthy" people. Some people do not need college to have a career. This area is full of blue-collar workers and farmers. I don't see how college would have helped them.

My husband is a different story. He is a white-collar worker, and he is dragging his heels about completing his degree, even though they have tuition reimbursement at his company. He was raised in this area, where a college education was not only seen as "unnecessary," but if you aspired to one, you could be branded "a snob."

I think the best thing to do would be to focus on helping kids select a career path, and then discussing the level of education needed to achieve that career. However, I don't think that tracking should be so strict as to keep kids from trading paths, especially at the middle-school grade level. You're right, not everyone needs college. But how many young kids would actually CHOOSE to go to scool for 4-10 more years? That's why college education may need a little more "push" than trade school.

 

[Abbey Normal]

I really, really like you, Abbey... but stay away from my husband with these ideas!

I agree that mechanics/ skilled tradesmen are perfectly acceptable and definitely not any less "worthy" people. Some people do not need college to have a career. This area is full of blue-collar workers and farmers. I don't see how college would have helped them.

My husband is a different story. He is a white-collar worker, and he is dragging his heels about completing his degree, even though they have tuition reimbursement at his company. He was raised in this area, where a college education was not only seen as "unnecessary," but if you aspired to one, you could be branded "a snob."

I think the best thing to do would be to focus on helping kids select a career path, and then discussing the level of education needed to achieve that career. However, I don't think that tracking should be so strict as to keep kids from trading paths, especially at the middle-school grade level. You're right, not everyone needs college. But how many young kids would actually CHOOSE to go to scool for 4-10 more years? That's why college education may need a little more "push" than trade school.

I like the bolded part, Mom. It seems reasonable to me.
(And the part where you say you like me is cool, too )

I promise not to tell your husband anything!