Did you go to public school?

[JakeStarkey]

bripat, you posted WHO material only that was communist when I was posting material from right to left.

You continue to lie, and you continue to be laughed at, you communist poseur.

You are a communist plant among the libertarians, and you did a good job until your silly hatred unmanned and exposed you.

 

[Flopper]

It seems that most in this thread went to public schools, if not all the way through then at least for a good part of the time. Most can write legibly and make themselves understood, even those with such extreme bigotries. As products of the public schools, they seem to validate public education.

But, most also seem to be fairly old, like me, and afflicted with the common Old Farts Disease which somehow produces "this younger generation is going to hell" kind of comments.

I wonder...how many of you so SUUURE that public schools are super bad have been in one lately? How many of you have kids or grandkids in public schools right now? If you do, how are they doing? Are the learning to read, do math, use computers?

Mine are. No, their schools aren't perfect, but they're learning what they need to learn in a safe and supportive environment. I just had lunch with two of mine at school the other day and I saw the same thing I see every time I go: Good teachers, concerned teachers, excellent staff, clean facilities, adequate equipment and reasonably good food in the cafeteria. I see students of all colors, from all backgrounds, from all ethnicities, repeating the Pledge of Allegiance every morning (in English). They know the National Anthem and they know who George Washington and Abe Lincoln are. They can write, they can think, they do research and make reports. And, NONE of them are any farther along than the 5th grade.

The public schools are not failing my grandkids, any more than it failed my kids or me.

What's different about YOUR local schools? Or, have you actually been down there to see?

he went to public schools

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEVxfSHfQY0]kenneth keith kallenbach - YouTube[/ame]

Recently, I had the opportunity to volunteer in my grand kids 1st and 3rd grade classes. Although I have spent a lot of time in public schools, this is the first time in many years that I have actually participated in a class. There are several things I noticed.

There is a lot of technology in the classroom. Kids spend almost as much time in front of computers as they do their teacher. They have a lot of assignments, even in the primary grades and lots of them are via the Internet. Curriculum is more varied. Teachers are required to teach a lot more than the 3 R's.

 

[Againsheila]

 

[blackhawk]

Public school all the way through public schools are like anything else they are only as good as the people running them.

 

[Flopper]

Againsheila has made an excellent point.

Public education can do its job, but nothing supplants the wonderful influence of parents committed to their children's education.

If all of the parents did what they were supposed to at home to support education, NYC and New Orleans would have the best students in the United States.

I think one of the most important things you can do with your kids, is read to them before and after they start to school. Introduce them to books, read them the children's classics, a half hour before bedtime every night. Let them choose books to read at the library.

You often hear parents complaining that schools aren't teaching kids to read. IMHO, schools in general, do a pretty good job of teaching reading. The problem is the kids don't practice what they learn. Instead reading at home, they spend their time in front the TV or computer. Make reading an important part of their lives and they'll thank you for it when their older.

 

[zombiehunter696]

Againsheila has made an excellent point.

Public education can do its job, but nothing supplants the wonderful influence of parents committed to their children's education.

If all of the parents did what they were supposed to at home to support education, NYC and New Orleans would have the best students in the United States.

Pretty much exactly what my parents did for me. My parents were actively involved in my education k-12. I hope to do that same for any future kids I might have.

 

[candycorn]

Went to public school in suburban Houston. Education was fair to good. The older I get the less regard I have for how I was prepared and more disdain I have for how schools waste millions on pointless sports. All school based sports should be disbanded at once.

 

[candycorn]

Againsheila has made an excellent point.

Public education can do its job, but nothing supplants the wonderful influence of parents committed to their children's education.

If all of the parents did what they were supposed to at home to support education, NYC and New Orleans would have the best students in the United States.

I think one of the most important things you can do with your kids, is read to them before and after they start to school. Introduce them to books, read them the children's classics, a half hour before bedtime every night. Let them choose books to read at the library.

You often hear parents complaining that schools aren't teaching kids to read. IMHO, schools in general, do a pretty good job of teaching reading. The problem is the kids don't practice what they learn. Instead reading at home, they spend their time in front the TV or computer. Make reading an important part of their lives and they'll thank you for it when their older.

One thing we did in school for extra credit (the teacher ran it on her own) was make faux stock portfolios and compete with other groups from other classes. She gave each of us $1,000 and we got into groups of 4 and bought stock. You could trade once a week but you had to track it and document the sales (no fees or commissions). It stressed the amount you could make if you simply thought long term.

Every student in the country should be exposed to this sort of case study. I remember we were up by something like $450 at the end of the year and came in 3rd. Just by keeping money in the market.

 

[Clementine]

The schools where I grew up were great. We had teachers who actually taught the basics and we were all expected to behave and not mouth off. We knew there were consequences. We were allowed to pretend we had guns and no one fainted or suspended anyone. The high school kids often talked about hunting trips and so did many teachers.

For the last 20 years, we've been a military family and moved a lot. The schools in some of the bigger cities weren't as good. More trouble makers were in each class and the teachers spent more time handling them than they did teaching, which hurt everyone in the class. We saw parents who didn't do their jobs when it came to preparing their children for school. They didn't teach them any basics, like the alphabet or counting. My kids could read early on because I taught them. Too many parents didn't discipline their children. They sent them to school with the attitude that the kids were the teachers problems now. That is the biggest problem with most schools. It's like a disease that starts in some homes and it quickly spreads and affects every student. Teachers get overwhelmed trying to deal with problematic students and an increasing number who don't even speak English. Many parents don't bother to attend parent/teacher conferences or show any interest in their child's education. Is is any wonder that many good teachers don't stay in some of those schools? First, the parents drop the ball, then the school has trouble finding qualified, caring teachers to teach. What happens is that many students are cheated out of a decent education because the teachers give up and spend most of their time trying to keep the peace or figure out how to communicate with kids who speak different languages. The government thinks throwing more and more money at the problem will help, but it continues to get worse.

Public schools are only as good as the parents in the community and the teachers in the school.

 

[Flopper]

Againsheila has made an excellent point.

Public education can do its job, but nothing supplants the wonderful influence of parents committed to their children's education.

If all of the parents did what they were supposed to at home to support education, NYC and New Orleans would have the best students in the United States.

I think one of the most important things you can do with your kids, is read to them before and after they start to school. Introduce them to books, read them the children's classics, a half hour before bedtime every night. Let them choose books to read at the library.

You often hear parents complaining that schools aren't teaching kids to read. IMHO, schools in general, do a pretty good job of teaching reading. The problem is the kids don't practice what they learn. Instead reading at home, they spend their time in front the TV or computer. Make reading an important part of their lives and they'll thank you for it when their older.

One thing we did in school for extra credit (the teacher ran it on her own) was make faux stock portfolios and compete with other groups from other classes. She gave each of us $1,000 and we got into groups of 4 and bought stock. You could trade once a week but you had to track it and document the sales (no fees or commissions). It stressed the amount you could make if you simply thought long term.

Every student in the country should be exposed to this sort of case study. I remember we were up by something like $450 at the end of the year and came in 3rd. Just by keeping money in the market.

Sounds like a project kids would enjoy. The secret of effective teaching is making it interest and fun for the kids. It's not that easy, but it really pays off. One of my grips about education today, is teachers don't have enough latitude in their lesson plans.

 

[Flopper]

The schools where I grew up were great. We had teachers who actually taught the basics and we were all expected to behave and not mouth off. We knew there were consequences. We were allowed to pretend we had guns and no one fainted or suspended anyone. The high school kids often talked about hunting trips and so did many teachers.

For the last 20 years, we've been a military family and moved a lot. The schools in some of the bigger cities weren't as good. More trouble makers were in each class and the teachers spent more time handling them than they did teaching, which hurt everyone in the class. We saw parents who didn't do their jobs when it came to preparing their children for school. They didn't teach them any basics, like the alphabet or counting. My kids could read early on because I taught them. Too many parents didn't discipline their children. They sent them to school with the attitude that the kids were the teachers problems now. That is the biggest problem with most schools. It's like a disease that starts in some homes and it quickly spreads and affects every student. Teachers get overwhelmed trying to deal with problematic students and an increasing number who don't even speak English. Many parents don't bother to attend parent/teacher conferences or show any interest in their child's education. Is is any wonder that many good teachers don't stay in some of those schools? First, the parents drop the ball, then the school has trouble finding qualified, caring teachers to teach. What happens is that many students are cheated out of a decent education because the teachers give up and spend most of their time trying to keep the peace or figure out how to communicate with kids who speak different languages. The government thinks throwing more and more money at the problem will help, but it continues to get worse.

Public schools are only as good as the parents in the community and the teachers in the school.

I agree with your view of discipline in the schools. I really don't think the schools know how to handle serious discipline problems. My grandson was bullied in class and was sent to the school nurse and latter had to go to a doctor. The teacher referred the problem to the principal who turned it over to the assistant principal. The assistance principal contacted a school social worker and scheduled a meeting. They decided they would meet with both parents. Since the parent of the kid that did the bullying would never meet with school officials, nothing was done. Now the kid is in trouble again.

 

[wavingrl]

This thread, just the most recent bashing public education, led me to ask this question of all the respondents here.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/polit...-public-school-is-borderline-child-abuse.html

Did you go to public school?

I did, for all 12 years in Texas and Oklahoma. And, a public university too.

I don't think I missed very much and, in fact, believe I got a fine education.

What about y'all?

yes-- public school and state universities.

Then taught public school with many others who had varied academic experiences.

~~~
Neal Boortz, retired radio talk show host, began advising listeners that anyone who would allow a child to attend a 'government school' was criminally negligent---back in the 90's. I couldn't believe it for a long time, having attended good public schools and having attempted to do all I could do as a teacher to provide a quality education.
Finally, I realized that such is not the case in every school system across the nation.

He used to use this example to explain how government schools turned students into socialists--
'The school requires parents to provide supplies such as tissues, crayons and glue and then the teacher takes the individual student's supplies for a communal classroom stockpile.'

Yes, students did bring boxes of Kleenex and we stored them to use as needed. If each student had kept a personal box of Kleenex they would have used them very quickly and there would have been nowhere to store a box in/on a desk.

I questioned that explanation many times. Callers loved it --loved to talk about the subversive and subliminal ways of all involved in public education.

 

[bripat9643]

bripat, you posted WHO material only that was communist when I was posting material from right to left.

You continue to lie, and you continue to be laughed at, you communist poseur.

You are a communist plant among the libertarians, and you did a good job until your silly hatred unmanned and exposed you.

Your senility is showing, Fakey. Better be careful. The guys in the white coats are looking for you.

 

[candycorn]

I think one of the most important things you can do with your kids, is read to them before and after they start to school. Introduce them to books, read them the children's classics, a half hour before bedtime every night. Let them choose books to read at the library.

You often hear parents complaining that schools aren't teaching kids to read. IMHO, schools in general, do a pretty good job of teaching reading. The problem is the kids don't practice what they learn. Instead reading at home, they spend their time in front the TV or computer. Make reading an important part of their lives and they'll thank you for it when their older.

One thing we did in school for extra credit (the teacher ran it on her own) was make faux stock portfolios and compete with other groups from other classes. She gave each of us $1,000 and we got into groups of 4 and bought stock. You could trade once a week but you had to track it and document the sales (no fees or commissions). It stressed the amount you could make if you simply thought long term.

Every student in the country should be exposed to this sort of case study. I remember we were up by something like $450 at the end of the year and came in 3rd. Just by keeping money in the market.

Sounds like a project kids would enjoy. The secret of effective teaching is making it interest and fun for the kids. It's not that easy, but it really pays off. One of my grips about education today, is teachers don't have enough latitude in their lesson plans.

Yes, that is what I meant; it was an extra credit project that wasn't "sanctioned" by the school. And it was probably one of the most impactful lessons learned. Even today on my 401k and some other investments, I see that if you just make the scheduled investments over time, they pay off. And, by the way, this includes the monstrous dips we saw over the last 6-8 years.

 

[editec]

This thread, just the most recent bashing public education, led me to ask this question of all the respondents here.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/polit...-public-school-is-borderline-child-abuse.html

Did you go to public school?

I did, for all 12 years in Texas and Oklahoma. And, a public university too.

I don't think I missed very much and, in fact, believe I got a fine education.

What about y'all?

Public school k-12, public junior college, private university.

Mixed reviews for ALL the schools I attended.

I suspect in all but the very worst schools, you get out of school about what you put into school.

 

[uscitizen]

I went to public school in KY for 11 years.
I skipped 5th grade.

 

[editec]

I went to public school in KY for 11 years.
I skipped 5th grade.

I did 5th grade.

You didn't miss much.

I might still have the notes if you want to review 'em though.

 

[rightwinger]

I went to public school for 13 years and then graduated from a state university at very low cost

Socialism....what a concept

 

[Seawytch]

It seems that most in this thread went to public schools, if not all the way through then at least for a good part of the time. Most can write legibly and make themselves understood, even those with such extreme bigotries. As products of the public schools, they seem to validate public education.

But, most also seem to be fairly old, like me, and afflicted with the common Old Farts Disease which somehow produces "this younger generation is going to hell" kind of comments.

I wonder...how many of you so SUUURE that public schools are super bad have been in one lately? How many of you have kids or grandkids in public schools right now? If you do, how are they doing? Are the learning to read, do math, use computers?

Mine are. No, their schools aren't perfect, but they're learning what they need to learn in a safe and supportive environment. I just had lunch with two of mine at school the other day and I saw the same thing I see every time I go: Good teachers, concerned teachers, excellent staff, clean facilities, adequate equipment and reasonably good food in the cafeteria. I see students of all colors, from all backgrounds, from all ethnicities, repeating the Pledge of Allegiance every morning (in English). They know the National Anthem and they know who George Washington and Abe Lincoln are. They can write, they can think, they do research and make reports. And, NONE of them are any farther along than the 5th grade.

The public schools are not failing my grandkids, any more than it failed my kids or me.

What's different about YOUR local schools? Or, have you actually been down there to see?

My children attend the same schools I did. After retirement, I moved back to the small CA town I call home and in Pre-school started sending my kids to my old school. A lot had changed. For one, they have a shitload more homework than I ever did, but my kids are doing math in Elementary and Middle School that I didn't see until High School.

I would say the biggest difference I see in the school today than what it was when I attended was the amount of money we had to spend and the class ratios. Back in my day the average ratio was 10-15:1 and now it is over 20:1. That is not a recipe for success. Class size DOES matter.

 

[Meathead]

I went to a US public school for one semester as a sophomore in high school. I knew more than the teachers in Geography, History and Civics. University (public) was more of a challenge.