edumication fael

[Hurlshort]

I went to a really good private school, my teachers were hard-working, understanding and erudite. They were always prepared to spend extra time with us if required, I received an excellent education and Im grateful for that as it helped in later life in various ways 

 

So private schools are clearly not the solution.  

[Malcador]

I went to a so so private school. Kind of funny how the tuition went from $500 to $5000 to $20000 in 10 year intervals.

 

Students changed as well. Now it's all rich brats

[213374U]

Oh it's not the PT. By the time you've been in a little while you're in good enough shape you can run anywhere. If you enlist with the guarantee of a certain job/school/ MOS it on you to actually PASS. You only get one shot. If you fail then the Corps will pick a new job for you. And you can bet it will not be one anyone else wanted. Don't think infantry either. There are many MOS much, much worse than infantry. Now THAT is motivation.

Right. So concrete rewards for doing your best (I guess the PASS bar is simply higher), and for which there are no shortcuts. On the other hand, a promise to put you to work digging ditches in the 'stan or some other hellhole for a few years if you slack off. I guess that's certainly motivational, especially if you compare it to the tools teachers have available in schools.

 

Living in commie Yurop, good uni education was neither a reward for doing well in the military, nor particularly unaffordable as a civilian (back then at least -- tuition has increased 50 to 100% in about ten years), so the perspective is completely different. Thanks.

Edited February 2, 2017 by 213374U

[Guard Dog]

The US Military is a big fan of using both the carrot and the stick in equal measure. Most other institutions of learning seem to rely on one to the exclusion of the other in my experience.

Edited February 2, 2017 by Guard Dog

[Hurlshort]

Yeah, people get all mad when we use the stick on kids nowadays.  

[ShadySands]

I'd be mad if you wasted a good stick as well

[Hurlshort]

Little levity:

 

[Guard Dog]

Could you imagine High School.... without the High School? http://www.roanoke.com/news/education/mcauliffe-unveils-plan-to-require-schools-to-make-virtual-k/article_5b2935f0-38ec-5499-acac-7e3e629f32a4.html

[Amentep]

Could you imagine High School.... without the High School? http://www.roanoke.com/news/education/mcauliffe-unveils-plan-to-require-schools-to-make-virtual-k/article_5b2935f0-38ec-5499-acac-7e3e629f32a4.html

 

I'm not sure the infrastructure is truly ready to support this yet, but it is (IMO) inevitable.

[Hurlshort]

Some music classes are pretty decent...

 

[Wrath of Dagon]

The real problem with American education: http://www.mindingthecampus.org/2016/02/how-a-generation-lost-its-common-culture/

[Hurlshort]

The real problem with American education: http://www.mindingthecampus.org/2016/02/how-a-generation-lost-its-common-culture/

 

I agree with a lot of what he says, but there seems to be a bit of an unspoken premise that we ever had a society where students were tapping into the classics and really grasping cultural roots. I don't think that exists. I think you have a handful of young people who can really grasp it at a young age in every generation, but the vast majority of us need time and experience to develop a proper context of the world we live in.

[Hurlshort]

I've also spent the last week trying to teach the 95 Theses to 12-year olds. I've got primary source docs, a biased movie starring Voldemort's brother (I used to use a Stacey Keach version!), and a bunch of talking points. But honestly I've probably only got 1-2 kids in each class who can really grasp the context of the setting and the aftermath. History is hard when you are 12.

[Raithe]

I've also spent the last week trying to teach the 95 Theses to 12-year olds. I've got primary source docs, a biased movie starring Voldemort's brother (I used to use a Stacey Keach version!), and a bunch of talking points. But honestly I've probably only got 1-2 kids in each class who can really grasp the context of the setting and the aftermath. History is hard when you are 12.

 

I used to bug my history teacher when I was 12. At least, that's what he told my parents. I finished his sentences when he was explaining historical points, but what annoyed him was that I was always correct.

 

Apparently, I was an annoying little ....

[Wrath of Dagon]

I would say our priorities are all messed up. In her history class my daughter was learning about some obscure Middle Ages Japanese female poet, but couldn't remember exactly what Magna Carta did or who James Madison was.

[Amentep]

Ono no Komachi? Lady Ise?  They're the only two of the Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry  that I can remember, but both pre-date the Magna Carta.  In fact I think most of the Thirty-Six Immorals of Poetry female list (that Komachi and Ise are both on as well) all predate it - are you sure they've gotten up to the Magna Carta yet in her class? 

 

I'm assuming its a World History class (or else its a World Humanities class, which would make more sense to be bringing in Japanese poets), so James Madison wouldn't necessarily be covered though.

[Hurlshort]

I would say our priorities are all messed up. In her history class my daughter was learning about some obscure Middle Ages Japanese female poet, but couldn't remember exactly what Magna Carta did or who James Madison was.

 

It probably just resonated with her more, or the teacher had a better lesson for it. I can assure you the Magna Carta is a major part of the curriculum, unless Texas has departed vastly from California. I refer to it repeatedly over the course of the year.

 

James Madison is the following year in our curriculum, and is part of an entire year on US History from the Revolutionary War to the Reconstruction.

[Gfted1]

I dont know why but I didnt know WoD has children. Neat.

[Hurlshort]

I dont know why but I didnt know WoD has children. Neat.

 

Every once in awhile we get a glimpse at the man behind the curtain. As much as I disagree with him on politics, it's clear he's led an interesting life. Plus he has good taste in video games.

[Gromnir]

particularly in the 21st century, knowing specific facts is 'bout the worst measure o' judging the value o' the priorities o' a history class we can imagine.  in a matter o' minutes, any yutz with access to an internet connection can give Gromnir a concise factual rundown o' importance o' the magna carta or james madison.  have a child be able to simple parrot wiki-quality explanations o' important personages and events is not our notion o' enlightened education.

 

*shrug*

 

too much emphasis on facts and dates and places.  is not what happened, but if wod's daughter told us how her 7th grade (or whatever year) class learned nothing but middle-age japan, we wouldn't be least perturbed.  actual, we would take such a revelation as a refreshing change.  depth o'er breadth.  spend entire semester focusing on Japan from ~1000 to 1450, but actual have her learn the importance o' cultural and political developments would be amazing regardless o' whether kids is in texas or california or wyoming. what were causes o' the eventual rise o' daimyo?  political? geographical? were religion a cause or an effect o' new feudalism... or both?  why? how? how did rise o' feudal system impact art?  did art have sympathetic impact on politics? did wod's daughter learn to see connections 'tween technological advancements and the development o' new political systems?  did she learn how to actual use research tools to not only learn names, and dates and places, but to come up with her own theories 'bout the importance/value o' the japanese middle ages? perhaps teacher have kids work in groups to create their own feudal system?  perhaps teacher then presents random calamity or problem and let kids decide how their feudal organization would deal with famine or mongol invasions or... whatever.  can easy spend a semester or year on nothing but middle ages japan.

 

if goal is to teach kids how to learn, is more relevant or important if a child from texas or california learns european middle ages as 'posed to japan? why? can get any basic facts from 5 minutes o' internet searching, no?  learn to make important connections.  learn how to learn.  screw the details.

 

wod daughter perhaps writes a few o' her own lady ise inspired poems as part o' a history class and better remembers what she learned as a whole?  we would call that a major win in our book.  

 

instead o' depth o' history, we get kids learning breadth. middle ages japan likely gets a single day in a middle-school world history class.  german renaissance gets a day.  roman empire might get a whole week?   is lucky kids can recall anything useful from such shotgun curriculum.  is so many things parents and politicians demand educators teach students that actual genuine learning is sacrificed.  what a waste.

 

am less concerned 'bout what kids learn in history.  repeat facts and dates and people names is so 19th century level o' education. nowadays we see more emphasis from educators 'pon how kids learn, which is good.   'course most important is if kids learned how to learn, and if a teacher manages to teach a kid to enjoy the process o' learning, then so much the better.   

 

*descend from soap box*

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Bartimaeus]

It probably just resonated with her more, or the teacher had a better lesson for it.

 

Yeah, I remember in grade school being utterly bored learning about the World Wars and history in general. Meanwhile, in fifth grade, I was spending recesses being entranced by Harry Turtledove's Into the Darkness, which is almost quite literally just World War II in fantasy form, murder and genocide and rapes and all*. Stupid kid brains are stupid, who would've figured? Now, history is one of my favorite subjects...

 

*No, it wasn't really a totally appropriate book for my age, I guess, but you know, it was a character-building experience.

Edited March 31, 2017 by Bartimaeus

[Wrath of Dagon]

Ono no Komachi? Lady Ise?  They're the only two of the Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry  that I can remember, but both pre-date the Magna Carta.  In fact I think most of the Thirty-Six Immorals of Poetry female list (that Komachi and Ise are both on as well) all predate it - are you sure they've gotten up to the Magna Carta yet in her class? 

 

I'm assuming its a World History class (or else its a World Humanities class, which would make more sense to be bringing in Japanese poets), so James Madison wouldn't necessarily be covered though.

It was an advanced World History class, so I'm sure they'd already covered US history a while back in a different class. Problem is in one ear and out the other. I'm sure she's forgot all about Lady Ise as well by now. My point was education is supposed to prepare children to be good citizens, but it's really failing even at that.

 

 

I would say our priorities are all messed up. In her history class my daughter was learning about some obscure Middle Ages Japanese female poet, but couldn't remember exactly what Magna Carta did or who James Madison was.

 

It probably just resonated with her more, or the teacher had a better lesson for it. I can assure you the Magna Carta is a major part of the curriculum, unless Texas has departed vastly from California. I refer to it repeatedly over the course of the year.

 

James Madison is the following year in our curriculum, and is part of an entire year on US History from the Revolutionary War to the Reconstruction.

 

They didn't seem to put the same emphasis on it that you do, I'm sure that touched on it and the Constitution, but not enough to make a real impression. I guess also as others pointed out, it's whether someone is interested in the subject or not.

 

 

 

I dont know why but I didnt know WoD has children. Neat.

 

Every once in awhile we get a glimpse at the man behind the curtain. As much as I disagree with him on politics, it's clear he's led an interesting life. Plus he has good taste in video games.

 

Nah, my life is very boring. Edited April 1, 2017 by Wrath of Dagon