High Schools Failing to Prepare Students for College

[editec]

They do around here. They are the children that excel. The local school can't compare to the charters. I have 2 of my children attending one an hope to have the other two in very soon. The waiting lists at all of the charters are extremely long. Thankfully there's sibling priority when there's an opening.

As for private... One of the best in the world isn't far from me.

portland waldorf school

Well of COURSE charter schools do better.

They get to pick and choose what kids attend that school.

 

[Skull Pilot]

yeah so they can be socially out of touch!

That's Bullshit and you know it.

I have friends who home school their kids and they are more socially engaged than the zoned out i pod in their ears teens I see hanging around the local public high school.

They are involved in music, sports, their church etc. you can actually have an intelligent conversation with these kids. Not like the public high school rejects I've hired that can't even count back change.

 

[editec]

SOME homeschool kids are doing very well and SOME are basically getting nothing from their homeschools.

It basically depends on the parents doin gthe job well.

Maine is one of those places where homeschooling your kids is a right.

Mixed results is what we seem to be getting

We homeschooled our son for some subjects (basically the humanities) and for others he attended high school (math and science).

Guess which subjects he still excels in? The humanities, of course.

But that's probably not entirely fair to the school, either since he is intellectually given to getting humanities and like most people, really has to work to get math and sciences.

Homeschooling should be a RIGHT, folks.

 

[PoliticalChic]

SOME homeschool kids are doing very well and SOME are basically getting nothing from their homeschools.

It basically depends on the parents doin gthe job well.

Maine is one of those places where homeschooling your kids is a right.

Mixed results is what we seem to be getting

We homeschooled our son for some subjects (basically the humanities) and for others he attended high school (math and science).

Guess which subjects he still excels in? The humanities, of course.

But that's probably not entirely fair to the school, either since he is intellectually given to getting humanities and like most people, really has to work to get math and sciences.

Homeschooling should be a RIGHT, folks.

Absolutely, not everyone that homeschools does a great job. But speaking generally, homeschooled kids do better on standardized tests.

I've been homeschooling my kids for 4 years and I've been very happy with the results. It should be right.

As to them being socially inept -- there could be a few, but most of the ones we see are well-socialized, and able to speak comfortably to people of all ages, not just kids their age.

 

[KittenKoder]

Absolutely, not everyone that homeschools does a great job. But speaking generally, homeschooled kids do better on standardized tests.

I've been homeschooling my kids for 4 years and I've been very happy with the results. It should be right.

As to them being socially inept -- there could be a few, but most of the ones we see are well-socialized, and able to speak comfortably to people of all ages, not just kids their age.

I think homeschooling is a good idea, aside from the simple facts that kids do learn better when they are the focus of the class, also then no one can complain about them being taught science and if they want to fill the little ones heads with religious bull they can.

The problem is that many parents are too lazy to make it work now. I Washington state it's a right as well, though I think it should be monitored a little more than it is, but it still works better in most cases where the parents want to homeschool.

 

[Annie]

SOME public schools are failing.

Others are doing superb jobs.

Statistically speaking, the wealthier the community students are drawn from, the more likely the kids are to get a superior education.

There are exceptions, of couse, but that's, generally speaking, the way it is in America.

And that's NOT all just because of the money invested in their edcuations, either. (although it certainly can't be entire ignored)

The fact is if you go to a school where the average kid is poor, even if you are a motivated student, it can be very difficult to get a decent education.

The staff are busy dealing with kids who don't care, and often the educators are simply weary of being turned into prison guards and nursemaids, and not longer really able to teach in that environment.

They develop the educator's equivalent of compassion fatigue, I think.

When I taught I used to throw disruptive kids out of class just to make it possible for my kids who were interested to carry on.

Eventually, of course, the administration forced me to stop that editecian triage system of educating, and then the whole damned class could be totally disrupted by one genuine asshole or the other.

The heart of the problem. I don't know how long ago you taught, but now add in 'mainstreaming' to the mix. Literally there are kids on ventilators with alarms going off in class. There are low functioning autistic kids that scream out or bang their helmet against desks or walls. Of course it depends on the district and how 'committed' they are to mainstreaming, but it's not conducive to education of the vast majority of kids.

 

[Luissa]

SOME homeschool kids are doing very well and SOME are basically getting nothing from their homeschools.

It basically depends on the parents doin gthe job well.

Maine is one of those places where homeschooling your kids is a right.

Mixed results is what we seem to be getting

We homeschooled our son for some subjects (basically the humanities) and for others he attended high school (math and science).

Guess which subjects he still excels in? The humanities, of course.

But that's probably not entirely fair to the school, either since he is intellectually given to getting humanities and like most people, really has to work to get math and sciences.

Homeschooling should be a RIGHT, folks.

Every kid I have ever met that was homeschooled had little social skills! Most were religious and their parents were afaired of what they would encounter going to school. I think if you want to homeschool your kids that is your right to do so but like most do you shouldn't shelter your child from certain things they should be apart of as a child.
One girl I knew who was homeschool only went to church, that was her prime social function and the first thing she did when she turned eighteen was get pregnant.
The kid who babysat my child for awhile was homeschooled and his mom didn't keep up with it and he was failing his courses plus I think the prime reason he wanted to be homeschooled was do to the fact he was gay. If people do it right and have their children join other programs that are social then it can work out somewhat. People need to learn that they can't shelter their children from everything all the time and that one day they are going to grow up and have to face the real world.

 

[random3434]

The heart of the problem. I don't know how long ago you taught, but now add in 'mainstreaming' to the mix. Literally there are kids on ventilators with alarms going off in class. There are low functioning autistic kids that scream out or bang their helmet against desks or walls. Of course it depends on the district and how 'committed' they are to mainstreaming, but it's not conducive to education of the vast majority of kids.

This is a dilemma, because we want equal rights for all children in education, but is a general ed. classroom really the best place for their learning needs?

It depends on each child, some can be successful in inclusion, others need more one on one and small group instruction.

I'm lucky, I get to teach in a self-contained classroom to kids with LD, MiMH and autism. Right now I just have 8 kids grades 1-3 and they are learning so much! No way would they get that kind of small group instruction in a gen. ed classroom with 25 kids.

I love my job and I love my students, but I'm waiting for the ball to drop and "they" will tell me they are closing my room and mainstreaming my kids.

 

[PoliticalChic]

Every kid I have ever met that was homeschooled had little social skills! Most were religious and their parents were afaired of what they would encounter going to school. I think if you want to homeschool your kids that is your right to do so but like most do you shouldn't shelter your child from certain things they should be apart of as a child.
One girl I knew who was homeschool only went to church, that was her prime social function and the first thing she did when she turned eighteen was get pregnant.
The kid who babysat my child for awhile was homeschooled and his mom didn't keep up with it and he was failing his courses plus I think the prime reason he wanted to be homeschooled was do to the fact he was gay. If people do it right and have their children join other programs that are social then it can work out somewhat. People need to learn that they can't shelter their children from everything all the time and that one day they are going to grow up and have to face the real world.

That is sad to hear. Some of these parents want to protect their children, but to shelter them so is tantamount to child abuse. I think parents like this those give a bad face to homeschooling. I live in an area, where I come in contact with many homeschoolers. Most of them homeschool, but not due to religious reasons. I was amazed at the poise and maturity of most these children.

I take my daughter to a ballet studio where a homeschooler works and takes classes there. She is only in 9th grade and she comes across as an adult. She speaks beautifully and babysits a toddler at the studio while the toddler's mom teaches.

I haven't come across any religious folks who alienate themselves from non-believers. No doubt, they do exist. I do not agree with such people and although they homeschool, I have little in common with them. But in some small way I can empathize with why they would want to protect their children in such a manner.

But let's keep in mind that homeschooler is a broad term and there are many types of homeschooling. Let's not lump good apples with the few wormy ones.

 

[Annie]

This is a dilemma, because we want equal rights for all children in education, but is a general ed. classroom really the best place for their learning needs?

It depends on each child, some can be successful in inclusion, others need more one on one and small group instruction.

I'm lucky, I get to teach in a self-contained classroom to kids with LD, MiMH and autism. Right now I just have 8 kids grades 1-3 and they are learning so much! No way would they get that kind of small group instruction in a gen. ed classroom with 25 kids.

I love my job and I love my students, but I'm waiting for the ball to drop and "they" will tell me they are closing my room and mainstreaming my kids.

I applaud you! I couldn't do your job. The kids that should be mainstreamed, such as dyslexics, processing problems, etc., well I'm all for that. On the other hand, Down's syndrome kids in jr high math? A child with hydroencephalitis, on a ventilator? This is a real problem that started before, but was escalated by NCLB.

 

[random3434]

I applaud you! I couldn't do your job. The kids that should be mainstreamed, such as dyslexics, processing problems, etc., well I'm all for that. On the other hand, Down's syndrome kids in jr high math? A child with hydroencephalitis, on a ventilator? This is a real problem that started before, but was escalated by NCLB.

Thank you!

Like I said, I love my job, but you're right, NCLB is NOT fair to the children in many ways. That's an entire other thread, right?

We, the EDUCATORS, should write the laws, not somebody that hasn't been in a classroom for years, or have NEVER been in one!

 

[Luissa]

That is sad to hear. Some of these parents want to protect their children, but to shelter them so is tantamount to child abuse. I think parents like this those give a bad face to homeschooling. I live in an area, where I come in contact with many homeschoolers. Most of them homeschool, but not due to religious reasons. I was amazed at the poise and maturity of most these children.

I take my daughter to a ballet studio where a homeschooler works and takes classes there. She is only in 9th grade and she comes across as an adult. She speaks beautifully and babysits a toddler at the studio while the toddler's mom teaches.

I haven't come across any religious folks who alienate themselves from non-believers. No doubt, they do exist. I do not agree with such people and although they homeschool, I have little in common with them. But in some small way I can empathize with why they would want to protect their children in such a manner.

But let's keep in mind that homeschooler is a broad term and there are many types of homeschooling. Let's not lump good apples with the few wormy ones.

And maybe I have a tainted view because of the area I live in! I live in a good size metro area but small towns near by plus North Idaho only 30 to 45 minutes away. I think homeschooling is getting better because they have social outings for the children. My problem is the parents who choose not to use these resources to help their children with social skills.
Some ethnic groups such as Hutterites to maintain their way of life and have their own social network.
My problem is with the families that live in seclusion and keep their children in seclusion only teaching them what they want to teach them.

 

[PoliticalChic]

And maybe I have a tainted view because of the area I live in! I live in a good size metro area but small towns near by plus North Idaho only 30 to 45 minutes away. I think homeschooling is getting better because they have social outings for the children. My problem is the parents who choose not to use these resources to help their children with social skills.
Some ethnic groups such as Hutterites to maintain their way of life and have their own social network.
My problem is with the families that live in seclusion and keep their children in seclusion only teaching them what they want to teach them.

I believe that the indoctrination of their religious beliefs is what comes first for these extremely religious folks. They may also put a lot of fear into their children to avoid "outsiders." I don't agree with this.

 

[PoliticalChic]

It is a sad statement that our public education has deteriorated to the point that millions of families have resorted to homeschooling.

Teachers having to become disciplinarians instead of educators... How can a teacher teach in an environment where the children do not behave and do not listen? I have a friend who is a teacher in the 2nd grade in a p.s. and she tells me that the parents in her district do not care. They don't even sign and send back the permission slips so that his/her child can go on a field trip. Not to even mention the bureaucracy. Most teachers I know hate their job.

I think there needs to be a complete overhaul and Florida mandating virtual schools is a start. Let there be all types of schooling -- virtual schools, private schools, charter schoolers, homeschooling. Give parents choices. Let's not keep putting money into a failed system.

 

[editec]

The heart of the problem. I don't know how long ago you taught, but now add in 'mainstreaming' to the mix. Literally there are kids on ventilators with alarms going off in class. There are low functioning autistic kids that scream out or bang their helmet against desks or walls. Of course it depends on the district and how 'committed' they are to mainstreaming, but it's not conducive to education of the vast majority of kids.

I lost ANOTHER permanent teaching post because I do NOT believe in a heterogenious educational sytem.

Basically I think that by the time kids get to high school, putting extremely smart kids in the same classroom with extremely stupid kids is highly counterproductive.

So lets recap, shall we?

Editec once lost a job because the right wing assholes running a school in Cambridge were pissed that he wouldn't pass one of their basketball heros AND

Editec ALSO once lost a post because the he wouldn't sign onto the educational philosophy of that Brookline school's left wing LIBERAL assholes.

You beginning to see what I'm saying here, folks?

Schools are screwed because our society is screwy.

All I wanted to do was TEACH HISTORY...not prove or disprove anyone's edcuational philisophy or pander to some college's need (Duke Univ.) for a basketball center.


But noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...the administrators in those schools had other agendas, and my EDUCATING their students was the last thing on their list of things that were important.

 

[Unkotare]

SOME public schools are failing.

Others are doing superb jobs.

Statistically speaking, the wealthier the community students are drawn from, the more likely the kids are to get a superior education.

There are exceptions, of couse, but that's, generally speaking, the way it is in America.

And that's NOT all just because of the money invested in their edcuations, either. (although it certainly can't be entire ignored)

The fact is if you go to a school where the average kid is poor, even if you are a motivated student, it can be very difficult to get a decent education.

The staff are busy dealing with kids who don't care, and often the educators are simply weary of being turned into prison guards and nursemaids, and not longer really able to teach in that environment.

They develop the educator's equivalent of compassion fatigue, I think.

.....

What a shit attitude.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

SOME homeschool kids are doing very well and SOME are basically getting nothing from their homeschools.

It basically depends on the parents doin gthe job well.

Maine is one of those places where homeschooling your kids is a right.

Mixed results is what we seem to be getting

We homeschooled our son for some subjects (basically the humanities) and for others he attended high school (math and science).

Guess which subjects he still excels in? The humanities, of course.

But that's probably not entirely fair to the school, either since he is intellectually given to getting humanities and like most people, really has to work to get math and sciences.

Homeschooling should be a RIGHT, folks.

Absolutely, not everyone that homeschools does a great job. But speaking generally, homeschooled kids do better on standardized tests.

I've been homeschooling my kids for 4 years and I've been very happy with the results. It should be right.

As to them being socially inept -- there could be a few, but most of the ones we see are well-socialized, and able to speak comfortably to people of all ages, not just kids their age.

There is that bald-faced lie again! When are you homeschooling advocates going to educate yourself in statistics so that you can see how wrong you are?

Please tell me which standardized test was used to test EVERY home-schooled student and EVERY public school student so that a valid comparison could be made. Until you can do that, you are merely pissing in the wind!

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

It is a sad statement that our public education has deteriorated to the point that millions of families have resorted to homeschooling.

Teachers having to become disciplinarians instead of educators... How can a teacher teach in an environment where the children do not behave and do not listen? I have a friend who is a teacher in the 2nd grade in a p.s. and she tells me that the parents in her district do not care. They don't even sign and send back the permission slips so that his/her child can go on a field trip. Not to even mention the bureaucracy. Most teachers I know hate their job.

I think there needs to be a complete overhaul and Florida mandating virtual schools is a start. Let there be all types of schooling -- virtual schools, private schools, charter schoolers, homeschooling. Give parents choices. Let's not keep putting money into a failed system.

Florida has had virtual schools for at least a decade. Where have you been? My son took classes on-line from the Florida Virtual School back in 2005.

 

[ScienceRocks]

And the republican solution will kick out half the lower part of this nation....

They have no solutions besides kiss the rich mans ass....

 

[Unkotare]

The heart of the problem. I don't know how long ago you taught, but now add in 'mainstreaming' to the mix. Literally there are kids on ventilators with alarms going off in class. There are low functioning autistic kids that scream out or bang their helmet against desks or walls. Of course it depends on the district and how 'committed' they are to mainstreaming, but it's not conducive to education of the vast majority of kids.

I lost ANOTHER permanent teaching post because I do NOT believe in a heterogenious educational sytem.

Basically I think that by the time kids get to high school, putting extremely smart kids in the same classroom with extremely stupid kids is highly counterproductive.

So lets recap, shall we?

Editec once lost a job because the right wing assholes running a school in Cambridge were pissed that he wouldn't pass one of their basketball heros AND

Editec ALSO once lost a post because the he wouldn't sign onto the educational philosophy of that Brookline school's left wing LIBERAL assholes.

You beginning to see what I'm saying here, folks?

Schools are screwed because our society is screwy.

All I wanted to do was TEACH HISTORY...not prove or disprove anyone's edcuational philisophy or pander to some college's need (Duke Univ.) for a basketball center.


But noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...the administrators in those schools had other agendas, and my EDUCATING their students was the last thing on their list of things that were important.

"Right wing school in Cambridge".