tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post7212073227044254225..comments2024-01-02T10:55:10.607-06:00Comments on Angry Astronomer: Angry over EducationJon Voiseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11550625188837528980noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-31161663825744535002011-07-15T02:34:15.636-05:002011-07-15T02:34:15.636-05:00I have a doctorate degree in education and run a s...I have a doctorate degree in education and run a small private school. It is true that in some cases it will be quite difficult to democratize the entire system and afford everyone the kind of education one is entitled to. All children have different skill sets and this is one thing that parents must eventually agree on. One cannot always have a star math student when his r her child prefers music. Yet the blame will always be placed on the school because of what the parents expect and not on what the child can do or can achieve. It is a sad fact of life, that sometimes the children themselves are even more educated than the parents in learning this simple fact.Hans Christian Teschnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-48346442187000957162011-05-10T18:27:35.352-05:002011-05-10T18:27:35.352-05:00You make an excellent case for a more free market ...You make an excellent case for a more free market in the education sector so that win-win situations for all parties, including parents, are more possible and even encouraged.Wes Widnerhttp://reasontostand.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-86325100552297577212011-05-10T18:27:35.168-05:002011-05-10T18:27:35.168-05:00Agreed. Free markets are the answer.I taught a cl...Agreed. Free markets are the answer.<br><br>I taught a class. Once. I was not paid a dime. I put my all into it. My students told me it was the best class they ever had, and begged me to keep teaching. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had.<br><br>My son is now in a public high school (having been in private school for several years), and I spent the last 4 months trying to schedule a meeting with his science teacher... 20 emails later, and threats to use California law to FORCE a meeting, I finally got my meeting, though 2 administrators also came to the meeting, and then proceeded to dominate it. As a result, I spent nearly zero time in conversation with my son's science teacher. (as was the plan of the school). This total non-responsiveness to parents is central to the problems with schools today. Parents have no sway with schools, so they give up and leave it to the schools... Then the schools complain parents aren't involved... then fight parents when parents come to meet with them. It's insane.<br><br>Public schools are TERRIBLY run in comparison to private schools, and cost astronomically more.<br><br>Are teachers important? Yep. But only if they're good. <br><br>Free markets. It's the only way.Rydernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-70981315089049078912011-04-15T12:27:24.956-05:002011-04-15T12:27:24.956-05:00I agree.
One of the things that i'd like to s...I agree.<br /><br />One of the things that i'd like to see to improve education is instituting evidence based education. Got a new idea on how to teach better? Great. We'll do a pilot project and see if it is more effective, and how much it costs. If it shows promise, roll it out to a larger pilot. So, changes go from one class to a school to a district to something bigger to a state to the nation.<br /><br />But ideas like closing half the schools would have to be done to a single class first. And when it's a disaster, the pilot ends there. No Child Left Behind would not have made the bar. Unless, of course, the comparisons where made using the sharp wits of politics.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03934169832326108710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-88636813665524783172011-03-31T20:35:34.400-05:002011-03-31T20:35:34.400-05:00I agree with you in very large part. The unions ar...I agree with you in very large part. The unions are necessary to protect many teachers and keep their wages high enough to keep them off welfare. However, they're getting a lot of grief because they do appear to spend more time keeping bad teachers working than they do helping get bad teachers out. Sure, try to help them improve, but at some point you have to tell someone "you're a bad teacher and there's nothing we can do about that". Unions appear to not care about that at all and they really need to.<br /><br />Wide spread use of private schools are a horrible idea. They have better results for the simple reason that they can kick out bad students and bad behavior. Add to that the fact that those who can afford these schools already have a huge advantage and their parents give a damn. Look, we took all the smart, rich kids and put them in this school and the poor, slow, and violent kids in that school and this school did better. No duh.<br /><br />In all cases, we need parents who care and teachers who care. Without that the students don't have a chance.Ibidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15614529174562538070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-46995272401047193802011-03-14T03:38:49.060-05:002011-03-14T03:38:49.060-05:00Agreed. Free markets are the answer.
I taught a ...Agreed. Free markets are the answer.<br /><br />I taught a class. Once. I was not paid a dime. I put my all into it. My students told me it was the best class they ever had, and begged me to keep teaching. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had.<br /><br />My son is now in a public high school (having been in private school for several years), and I spent the last 4 months trying to schedule a meeting with his science teacher... 20 emails later, and threats to use California law to FORCE a meeting, I finally got my meeting, though 2 administrators also came to the meeting, and then proceeded to dominate it. As a result, I spent nearly zero time in conversation with my son's science teacher. (as was the plan of the school). This total non-responsiveness to parents is central to the problems with schools today. Parents have no sway with schools, so they give up and leave it to the schools... Then the schools complain parents aren't involved... then fight parents when parents come to meet with them. It's insane.<br /><br />Public schools are TERRIBLY run in comparison to private schools, and cost astronomically more.<br /><br />Are teachers important? Yep. But only if they're good. <br /><br />Free markets. It's the only way.Rydernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-18797854744403932652011-02-27T19:12:48.117-06:002011-02-27T19:12:48.117-06:00You make an excellent case for a more free market ...You make an excellent case for a more free market in the education sector so that win-win situations for all parties, including parents, are more possible and even encouraged.Wes Widnerhttp://reasontostand.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25327006.post-78196334170581013062011-02-27T18:11:22.934-06:002011-02-27T18:11:22.934-06:00Rubber rooms:
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/b...Rubber rooms:<br />http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/rubber_room_dirty_old_man_t4OA6Bw25idPYynCnVJHyOAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com