Parents ought to be ashamed of themselves

[85Hokie]

I used to say to the kids, teachers have it made! Part time work, full time pay! I should have been a teacher!

Then the younger daughter and the older daughter's husband became teachers. They put in a LOT of hours outside school hours trying to do what they need to for the kids.

So maybe those who speak poorly of teachers should reevaluate what they think they know.

I know I did...

After the past year.... teachers are fewer now but the parents realllllly want their kids BACK in the classroom!

 

[NHSleddog]

I used to say to the kids, teachers have it made! Part time work, full time pay! I should have been a teacher!

Then the younger daughter and the older daughter's husband became teachers. They put in a LOT of hours outside school hours trying to do what they need to for the kids.

So maybe those who speak poorly of teachers should reevaluate what they think they know.

I know I did...

Maybe those that think so highly of teachers should wonder why? It surely isn't the intelligence level of the American student today.

I grew up with a teacher. I used to have a lot of respect for the profession. Your daughter must be one of the heros that works year round for no pay. We don't have that up here. Our public school teachers average over 70K/yr. in compensation and they get over 4 months off a year (2 1/2 months in the summer and 5 weeks during the year + holidays). Not heros and teaching all kinds of crap for said compensation. Sorry, I can't give that a pass.

The teacher is where the rubber hits the road. My youngest son got the "everyday math" treatment. Odd name for something you will never use again in practice unless you have a pencil and paper and a lot of time on your hands.

^^ Everyday Math Example^^^

Fortunately we caught this early and we taught him math.

So is your hero SIL teaching the crap above or 2+2 math? I thought all the public school teachers in America were pushing this crap now?

 

[sheepfarmer]

A few years ago I was talking to someone teaching junior high level, and their frustration was the parents that had a hissy fit if Johnny or Janey didn't get all A's in their classes. There is huge parental pressure for grade inflation and perish the thought of failing. It stayed with these kids until I got them in vet school. They thought that since they had received good grades to get into vet school they were entitled to similar grades. It was a terrible shock when we instructors used the whole grading scale.

Parents that overdo the notion "my child needs to feel successful" all the time are not helping them. They have put tremendous pressure on teachers and administrators not to hold kids back a year, and there is a down side to that, but don't (or can't) put in the efforts to get the kids the help they need. Setting boundaries and routines for homework, and helping with homework would be good. A family interest in learning new things would help.

 

[jameister]

It goes beyond that. I know 30+ year olds, some with master's degrees, that absolutely give me a blank look when I make a basic history reference. These are supposed to be educated people. I grew up in the rural south and received my education in one of the poorest counties in the state. How do I know these things and these guys do not? We all talk about how the education system is now broken, and it is. But, I have finally realized, it has been in trouble for quite some time.

people remember what they WANT to remember, or what INTERESTS them.

I can listen to some blowhard on a topic and just think why am I listening. school is for those wishing to learn.

subtracting from a 20 dollar bill is not too tough, unless the cashier is not a math person.

the trick of overpaying to get whole dollars in change is often confusing.

 

[Henro]

Honestly, I would ask the complainers how much time THEY spend every day with their kids on education.

I think it is human nature to blame others for shortcomings we may have/experience ourselves.

Can’t say if I was any good or not at educating the kids. I think I was in ways that were different than book learning. Been a while but I think the wife did most of it. I take no credit.

But it worked out for us and I have no complaints...

 

[Nicfin36]

people remember what they WANT to remember, or what INTERESTS them.

Very true, but when a college graduate coworker of mine doesn't know who the United States fought in WWII, that is just inexcusable.

 

[Lil Foot]

What K-12 school(s) do you know of that are teaching 'critical race theory'?

 

[Jchonline]

Maybe those that think so highly of teachers should wonder why? It surely isn't the intelligence level of the American student today.

I grew up with a teacher. I used to have a lot of respect for the profession. Your daughter must be one of the heros that works year round for no pay. We don't have that up here. Our public school teachers average over 70K/yr. in compensation and they get over 4 months off a year (2 1/2 months in the summer and 5 weeks during the year + holidays). Not heros and teaching all kinds of crap for said compensation. Sorry, I can't give that a pass.

The teacher is where the rubber hits the road. My youngest son got the "everyday math" treatment. Odd name for something you will never use again in practice unless you have a pencil and paper and a lot of time on your hands.

View attachment 62861
^^ Everyday Math Example^^^

Fortunately we caught this early and we taught him math.

So is your hero SIL teaching the crap above or 2+2 math? I thought all the public school teachers in America were pushing this crap now?

Totally agree. Teachers these days need to focus on teaching basics (Math, English, etc) more thoroughly and the school should invest more in discipline for misbehaving kids than coddling them.

 

[NHSleddog]

Honestly, I would ask the complainers how much time THEY spend every day with their kids on education.

I think it is human nature to blame others for shortcomings we may have/experience ourselves.

Can’t say if I was any good or not at educating the kids. I think I was in ways that were different than book learning. Been a while but I think the wife did most of it. I take no credit.

But it worked out for us and I have no complaints...

Complainers? Funny you see it that way.

My job is to raise my kids. This involves all kinds of teaching along the way. In America, I also have to pay to have them "formally" educated. The teachers job is to do that, teach them math, how to read and write, how to speak spanish/french/chinese whatever. NOT what sex the kid thinks he might be. How to be offended by anything and everything. What pronoun to use when addressing he/she/it. How to be a racist etc. etc. etc.

ANY EXCUSE in the world but the teacher (the one responsible for teaching the subject).

I had to teach my kids a whole lot of that "formal education". Maybe if the parents that want their kids to get a good education (the complainers you called them) were paid for all the teachers teaching they did, they wouldn't complain? I still would, garbage is garbage.

It isn't all bad and not all teachers are bad but there is a whole lot of it that is bad and there are a whole lot of bad teachers.

My whole gripe is the content. Why does any of the thousands of excuses for the system going downhill justify teaching crap?

The kids are bad - so lets teach them crap?
The kids are mean - so lets teach them crap?
There are not enough parents - so lets teach them crap?
We don't have enough money! - so lets teach them crap?
The parents do not teach enough of the teachers class - so lets teach them crap?

I am sure there is an excuse for that to.

If you are a teacher and you are "teaching them crap", you are part of the problem not part of the cure. - JMHO

 

[David Page]

A few years ago I was talking to someone teaching junior high level, and their frustration was the parents that had a hissy fit if Johnny or Janey didn't get all A's in their classes. There is huge parental pressure for grade inflation and perish the thought of failing. It stayed with these kids until I got them in vet school. They thought that since they had received good grades to get into vet school they were entitled to similar grades. It was a terrible shock when we instructors used the whole grading scale.

Parents that overdo the notion "my child needs to feel successful" all the time are not helping them. They have put tremendous pressure on teachers and administrators not to hold kids back a year, and there is a down side to that, but don't (or can't) put in the efforts to get the kids the help they need. Setting boundaries and routines for homework, and helping with homework would be good. A family interest in learning new things would help.

Your right we helped our children to learn and to work at it, if they didn't they didn't get a good grade and had to work at it some more. We would try different ways for them to get it. If they didn't get it right the grade showed what they did. My wife homeschooled them.

 

[RCW]

How many here remember math flash cards? Or reciting the "times tables"?

Flash cards were a fixture in my day. Same with reciting tables.

Flash cards were used in an "Around the World" competition in my primary school math classes. Kind of like musical chairs.

You started at one classmate's chair, and each time a student got the right answer on the flask card first, they advanced to the next chair, to compete with that student.

First to go around the room back to their own chair went "around the world."

I won almost every game grades 2-4, but math was my thing. I could spell very well, but hated Language Arts.

That type of competition wouldn't probably deemed to be appropriate today. Everyone wouldn't get a Certificate of Participation.

The teacher is where the rubber hits the road. My youngest son got the "everyday math" treatment. Odd name for something you will never use again in practice unless you have a pencil and paper and a lot of time on your hands.

View attachment 62861
^^ Everyday Math Example^^^

Fortunately we caught this early and we taught him math.

WTF is that matrix thing?!?!?!

Given what I said above....I still can't figure that out. Granted, math was many, many years ago, but geez....

When our twin daughters were in HS, NYS changed the typical high school Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus progression to Math "A", then "B"....it was a mess. It was an amalgamation of the first three, but none in a complete fashion.

Our daughters were strong at all subjects (Valedictorian and Salutatorian), but still struggled with that mess.

Advantage of twins; they always had a homework/study partner.

But they sometimes needed help from Dad for math. I was thankfully able to go back to "old school" and at least get them pointed in the right direction.

It lasted just a couple years, and they reverted back by the time our son went through 6 years later.

You won't believe it, but the teachers don't determine the content of curriculum, or how it's taught. At least that's the program in New Yorkistan.

I agree completely that that matrix multiplication "thing" is foreign. I sure as hell didn't try to figure it out...I know an easier way...

Guess that's what's more easily understandable?!?!?!

 

[jimh406]

That math matrix thing is a trip. Not that it matters that much, but I was certified to teach math/physics and general science 7-12 and taught a bit. My daughter showed that matrix to me because grandkids are using it. She says it works for them, and she understands it. It’s apparently good for kids that aren’t good at math naturally.

 

[NHSleddog]

WTF is that matrix thing?!?!?!

That is an actual example of the new "Everyday Math" being taught today. A typical liberal title that means the exact opposite of what it is. Just another way to remove accountability.

Let this sink in.

 

[Old_Paint]

people remember what they WANT to remember, or what INTERESTS them.

I can listen to some blowhard on a topic and just think why am I listening. school is for those wishing to learn.

subtracting from a 20 dollar bill is not too tough, unless the cashier is not a math person.

the trick of overpaying to get whole dollars in change is often confusing.

The trick? No trick to it, just a small challenge to their intelligence. But, sadly, you are very correct, that it will cause 20 something's to have a complete meltdown if something costs $5.69, and I give them $6.19 to get two quarters back and get rid of a dime, nickel, and 4 pennies. It really blows their minds turning 6 coins into 2. (1 if I see a 50 cent piece in the drawer.) The funny part is, they can't believe their eyes that the change turns into $.50, even with the machine telling them. I find it quite humorous to watch, actually. I've had them leave the register and go get a manager, who had equally as much trouble, and asked me for a dollar bill to go with the 5 so he could give me .31 in change. Us old boomers love doing that to the younguns. And, you are ABSOLUTELY correct, that school is for those wishing to learn. Unfortunately, there ain't a lot of today's youth wishing. Too many other things making too much noise for them to learn.

 

[Old_Paint]

That is an actual example of the new "Everyday Math" being taught today. A typical liberal title that means the exact opposite of what it is. Just another way to remove accountability.

Let this sink in.

View attachment 62878

Thought I had it figured out. I can see some basics in it, but I'm damned if I can figure out where the 4 comes from. What was wrong with lining up the digits, multiplying one at a time and keeping the columns straight, then adding all the numbers for the final answer? A lot faster than that stupid thing. Somebody got rich off this, I promise you. Just because it's newer doesn't make it better. My old way still works, and I don't have to do so much scribblin'. Maybe it only works if you draw a purple squiggly line on the right side, and lay your red, green and yellow crayons on the left. The purple crayon has to be one of the bigguns like first graders use, too.

 

[lynnmor]

That is an actual example of the new "Everyday Math" being taught today. A typical liberal title that means the exact opposite of what it is. Just another way to remove accountability.

Let this sink in.

View attachment 62878

I now know why my new backhoe has a pin that is too short with no grease fitting, a thumb that can't be properly adjusted, a major hydraulic malfunction and various other issues. Two and a half months and I have absolutely nothing. I found it impossible to communicate by showing basic yardstick dimensions and I may need to give up and insist on a complete refund.

 

[Bmyers]

Someone identified what I feel is the problem, the basics. Kids are great at computers and using various software.

Yet, for example, our grand-niece came over and my wife had left us a note on the table. I asked her to read it to me and she handed me the note and said I don't know what language this is written in.

She is 13 and couldn't read cursive writing. I would understand if I had written the note, my penmanship is not good, but my wife has good hand writing.

 

[torch]

So to summarize this thread: so far it has gone from all parents should be ashamed because one kid had trouble making change to teachers are lazy slugs who should ignore the curriculum set by the state and teach to the standards of a one room schoolhouse. Along the way we've seen everything from beatings to lobotomies praised as educational tools. A kid can be fluent in 5 different computer languages, writing complex relational databases (like the ones that make this forum possible) but unless they can calculate cube roots with pencil and paper or conjugate Latin verbs in cursive writing like their forefathers, their education has been wasted. Did I miss anything?

I will say that this thread has been educational. I can certainly see some gaping holes in knowledge and understanding.

 

[motionclone]

How many people here actually have kids in school or very recently had kids in school? And know what is ACTUALLY HAPPENING not what they read on the news or heard from a grandchild who has school age children? Ill bet not many since most folks here are old timers.

I have very recent FIRST HAND experience with the public school system ( my kids are 19 and 23) and can confirm the teachers, for the most part, are commie liberal propagandists pretending to be "teachers"
Last time i walked into the public school i was bombarded with LGBT and Minority propaganda in the form of "Art" covering the walls. And that theme dominated all of the curriculum from math to science to history. This is how they brainwash.

I also have, until recently, hired young recently graduated kids from the public schools to work for me. Having been in business for 24 years now ive hired a lot of help and can confirm FIRST HAND that the recent generations are getting dumber and dumber about simple life skills. like coming to work at a certain time, coming to work prepared like with a lunch, Completely unable to learn, what goes in one ear comes out the other and they are ALL on something legal or illegal...oh and they all have ADD or ADHD now too.

To conclude, Americas future does not look bright at all. Its not just the teachers though its the enemy anti-Americans that live among us destroying our future.

 

[jimh406]

A kid can be fluent in 5 different computer languages, writing complex relational databases (like the ones that make this forum possible) but unless they can calculate cube roots with pencil and paper or conjugate Latin verbs in cursive writing like their forefathers, their education has been wasted.

There are no kids that become fluent in 5 different computer languages because of the public schools or colleges. Also, teams of people wote relational databases not one kid. Almost all of the notable computer advancements were completed decades ago. Even Java is almost 30 years old. This generation is leveraging what my generation did with respect to computers. That’s ok, but let’s not pretend.

We get it. You want to apologize for how bad it is. Of course, that is your right. Too bad the kids in the schools including colleges aren’t allowed to have the same freedom of speech that you have here.