Replies to '11/24 Great School Debate'
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November 18, 2006, 6:27 am PST
 Quote From: manda7 I graduated last year from public school. I had excellent grades and am now doing well in college where I am studying to be a nurse. I think that people are making excuses by blaming public school when students don't do well. With any type of school, you get what you take out of it. Most kids today are lazy. Why don't we call it what it is! I do not think it is the school's fault. I was raised by a single, disabled mother, and I was able to take advanced classes while working and doing internships. So when I hear public schools being blamed for students not passing even the most basic classes, I think maybe we should look at how much effort the student is putting in. I went to school, payed attention, studied, and passed the classes. There were also students who cut school, did not pay attention, did not study, and (surprise surprise) did not pass. It seems very simple to me, each person is responsible for their own success. We just don't like to take responsibility for our own actions (laziness), so we blame the school (laziness). Life is not like private school or home school. You get what you are given in life and you choose to either work hard for success, or be lazy and blame something else for your failure. As for the people who are choosing not to educate their children at all, I hope they feel good about crippling them for life. Regardless of their opinion about education, it is necessary in our society. The best job you can get without some kind of higher education is at McDonald's. They are sentencing their children to a life of almost certain poverty. They should be ashamed of themselves. Well, it's wonderful that uyou succeeded through school and I agree that therea re some who don;t give a hoot while attending school, believe me, We all know those type of kids but also there are kids with learnign disabilities and those who DO studya nd want to succeed but they still fail. You get over your better then thou attitude and have some compassion on those who do need maybe more one on one then waht the schools are able to give, teachers are responsible for a group of kids that sometimes with over crowded classes and there is no way on this planet A teacher can meet every child's needs, I don't care how good of a teacher they are. And rather you realize it or not kids who are homesscooled AND private school taught CAN AND DO succeed. My daughter is only 5 and I taught her to read, to do basic math, I give her spelling test every so often, she writes in sentence. She is getting ready to be tested at her WONDERFUL PRIVATE school that is a high rated school in my county, and I guarentee, she is doing second and third grade work right now in class as well as at home, my three year old is well on her way as well. A good education does not have to come from the public school system, look where the crime and the bullying for the most part comes from. I guarentee that those of us paying for our children's education has sought out the best of the best, Do you think I would be dishing out money for this if I didn't think it was imporant? I say Private schooling rocks and for those who have and are homeschooling with much success, I say Kudos to them and thier kids and as fara s unschooling calls, I do not know enough about that but coming from an area that is big on homeschooling, well, there are a whole lot more success stories then you can imagine. Kids learn in different ways and styles, my daughters class is not over crowded, Both Principals know every child and parent by name as they walk in and out of school, there is ALWAYS some one at the doors when it is opened, and the programming is awesome. My 5 year old is int he choir as well as Spanish and getting high marks, Public schooling is not the only way to go, My kids are not using it and for those who have a problem with it, I say too bad, get over it, I as the parent of my children know what I am doing when it comes to my children and I will go out of my way to keep my kids safe and in a learning atmosphere that will help theo become who theya re meant to be. I agre that kids and parents need to put effort in teaching and learning and at the same time teachers and staff need to concentrate on the kids and make sure there is enough staff to cover the bases including one on one teaching IF needed as I know there are kids who benefit more on a smaller class size. Not all kids are brains, and not all kids get it, the first time around, I went to college with a girl who studied more then any one I knew, didn't miss a class, took notes, paid attention, went to study groups, spent a whole lot of her time in the library and guess what, she was barely average, failed a lot of tests, it doesn't come easy for every one, I have another friend who barely graduated and it wasn't for the lack of studying and committment, she was teased for being learning disability but the girl did everything in her power to make it as she did, she is now a 30 something year old with a successful job doing very well but it took a whole lot more work and effort, getting around the bullying then it did some one like you. Not every one is as good as you wich I am suire you are not perfect at everyhting you do, maybe you have never failed a class and that is good but remember not every one who fail is lazy and just becasue some one homeschools or goes to private school does not mean their is laziness or anything else that is negative, I say the kids come first and it is up to the parents to make sure their children is gettignt he best of the best educaton for their children, it isn't for society to decide what is best, thatis the parents job, afterall we know our kids better then any one else on this planet, to allt he wonderful parents out there, kudos to you for putting your kids first. |
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November 19, 2006, 1:31 pm PST
Quote From: manda7 I graduated last year from public school. I had excellent grades and am now doing well in college where I am studying to be a nurse. I think that people are making excuses by blaming public school when students don't do well. With any type of school, you get what you take out of it. Most kids today are lazy. Why don't we call it what it is! I do not think it is the school's fault. I was raised by a single, disabled mother, and I was able to take advanced classes while working and doing internships. So when I hear public schools being blamed for students not passing even the most basic classes, I think maybe we should look at how much effort the student is putting in. I went to school, payed attention, studied, and passed the classes. There were also students who cut school, did not pay attention, did not study, and (surprise surprise) did not pass. It seems very simple to me, each person is responsible for their own success. We just don't like to take responsibility for our own actions (laziness), so we blame the school (laziness). Life is not like private school or home school. You get what you are given in life and you choose to either work hard for success, or be lazy and blame something else for your failure. As for the people who are choosing not to educate their children at all, I hope they feel good about crippling them for life. Regardless of their opinion about education, it is necessary in our society. The best job you can get without some kind of higher education is at McDonald's. They are sentencing their children to a life of almost certain poverty. They should be ashamed of themselves. Thank you!
We did a little of everything--public, private, and my brother was homeschooled briefly. I've been to good public schools, bad public schools, good private schools, and bad private schools (just because it's private doesn't mean it's better--one of mine was practically unschooling-for-tuition!). The high school I attended was academically up to par but very rigid; I'm learning disabled so I had a hard time but I did learn what I needed to know to survive in college. None of them were perfect.
I eventually went to a respected private college and graduated without the extra help I could have gotten because of my learning problems. The bottom line was that my parents were clued-in, interested, and made sure I was doing what I needed to be doing. They didn't do my homework for me, but the taught me the processes I needed to do it. Public school teachers have 35 kids in a class--they cannot be parent substitutes.
There isn't any one single problem with America's educational system. It's overwhelmed. We need better teachers, we need better administrators, we need better standards, we probably need fewer tests (although, really, any child who is actually educated should be able to pass them. I was a National Merit Scholar--high SAT's--but I never did any test prep at all) but we also need parents to follow through, pay attention to their children's homework , teach them to sit down and behave in class, read to them, and not start waving a lawsuit around if their child gets busted cheating, cutting class, or causing problems.
I don't even think this is a new problem, only that it becomes more obvious as more and more education is required to make a living. My grandfather made a very solid living with a high-school diploma back in the days when there were non-college and college tracks (he was non-college). It's extremely hard to do that now.
I agree that there are a lot of things kids need to learn by doing. I'm not in favor of loads of homework or disembodied academia (schoolwork without context), but I don't see how one learns algebra by association. Some things require some tedium and discipline. |
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November 26, 2006, 2:19 pm PST
Quote From: manda7 I graduated last year from public school. I had excellent grades and am now doing well in college where I am studying to be a nurse. I think that people are making excuses by blaming public school when students don't do well. With any type of school, you get what you take out of it. Most kids today are lazy. Why don't we call it what it is! I do not think it is the school's fault. I was raised by a single, disabled mother, and I was able to take advanced classes while working and doing internships. So when I hear public schools being blamed for students not passing even the most basic classes, I think maybe we should look at how much effort the student is putting in. I went to school, payed attention, studied, and passed the classes. There were also students who cut school, did not pay attention, did not study, and (surprise surprise) did not pass. It seems very simple to me, each person is responsible for their own success. We just don't like to take responsibility for our own actions (laziness), so we blame the school (laziness). Life is not like private school or home school. You get what you are given in life and you choose to either work hard for success, or be lazy and blame something else for your failure. As for the people who are choosing not to educate their children at all, I hope they feel good about crippling them for life. Regardless of their opinion about education, it is necessary in our society. The best job you can get without some kind of higher education is at McDonald's. They are sentencing their children to a life of almost certain poverty. They should be ashamed of themselves.
For many students, the public school is an awesome place. I am so thankful for our schools and teachers. I think society would be deplorable if it weren't for public schools. Some children are given many opportunities they wouldn't otherwise get. BUT.... public school isn't best for every child. I understand what you are saying about laziness but it is NOT that simple. Many children need to learn in differnt ways. I have a son (6th grade)who is currently in public school - has been since age 4 (preschool) . He does not thrive in the public school environment. It is NOT laziness nor a learning disability. His teachers through the years have all complimented his effort. None the less he finds most subjects difficult. He does better with one on one instruction. I have no doubt in my mind that if I had home schooled him he would have done much better and would have a more solid, basic foundation. If I knew then what I know now I would have done things differently. I have been learning/researching the home school option and my youngest child will not attend public school until around 5th grade or so. I am contemplating wether or not to continue public education with my middle child.
And to everyone else who has made the argument that we (uneducated) parents aren't qualified to teach our kids....I don't know about the rest of you but when my children bring homework home and we sit for hours at night I am in fact teaching them anyhow. My son often has no clue what he is supposed to do and I have to TEACH him. A parent who chooses to home school doesn't usually jump into it blindly. I'm sure theer are some who aren't doing a great job but the same is true with teachers. It is a PARENT'S responsibility to educate our children. If you choose to use the service of a public school to do that job for you then fine. For those who take on the huge task...bravo! If an adult were in a job that he or she hated and didn't understand what was required would we expect them to stay with it for many years? Or would we look for a better alternative? |
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November 26, 2006, 3:59 pm PST
Quote From: manda7 I graduated last year from public school. I had excellent grades and am now doing well in college where I am studying to be a nurse. I think that people are making excuses by blaming public school when students don't do well. With any type of school, you get what you take out of it. Most kids today are lazy. Why don't we call it what it is! I do not think it is the school's fault. I was raised by a single, disabled mother, and I was able to take advanced classes while working and doing internships. So when I hear public schools being blamed for students not passing even the most basic classes, I think maybe we should look at how much effort the student is putting in. I went to school, payed attention, studied, and passed the classes. There were also students who cut school, did not pay attention, did not study, and (surprise surprise) did not pass. It seems very simple to me, each person is responsible for their own success. We just don't like to take responsibility for our own actions (laziness), so we blame the school (laziness). Life is not like private school or home school. You get what you are given in life and you choose to either work hard for success, or be lazy and blame something else for your failure. As for the people who are choosing not to educate their children at all, I hope they feel good about crippling them for life. Regardless of their opinion about education, it is necessary in our society. The best job you can get without some kind of higher education is at McDonald's. They are sentencing their children to a life of almost certain poverty. They should be ashamed of themselves. You should be ashamed of yourself! For someone who apparently feels so strongly about education, you have a lot to learn! Is everything in your life so black and white? Are you this opinionated about everything without really learning anything about the topic or the people you are so quick to bash?
Not everyone learns the same way. Some do not do well because they just learn differently. You were fortunate to "fit the mold". Not all kids do. I do not blame the schools. I feel for school teachers and I think they have a very tough job, trying to teach classes of 30 to 40 kids, with different learnings styles, and even language barriers. I can provide an education for my son, make it personalized to his learning style, make it less tedious and more interesting because I am not trying to cater to all those other kids and their parents. I pulled my son out of public school at the beginning of middle school. It took us a year to get to the point where he would do anything that even smelled like it might be educational during that time, he was so burned out by the school system. (And, no, he was not lazy! He had was the school decided was a learning disablity. He does fine now because I have found other ways to get the information to him-and-funny thing-his learning disability seemed to disappear). The only subject we struggle with is math but that is coming along. He is in a chess club, fences competitively with hopes of making the Olympic team, and one day wants to coach. He is a bright, happy kid that is now thriving, has many friends and a terrific girlfriend. Truly, people such as yourself who so quick to judge others and their situations based on their own really have a lot to learn. Apparently, you learned a lot a facts in your school, but not much about other people, other philosophies or ways of life, or tolerance. This may cripple you for life. I feel sorry for you and others like you. |
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December 29, 2006, 4:05 pm PST
Quote From: manda7 I graduated last year from public school. I had excellent grades and am now doing well in college where I am studying to be a nurse. I think that people are making excuses by blaming public school when students don't do well. With any type of school, you get what you take out of it. Most kids today are lazy. Why don't we call it what it is! I do not think it is the school's fault. I was raised by a single, disabled mother, and I was able to take advanced classes while working and doing internships. So when I hear public schools being blamed for students not passing even the most basic classes, I think maybe we should look at how much effort the student is putting in. I went to school, payed attention, studied, and passed the classes. There were also students who cut school, did not pay attention, did not study, and (surprise surprise) did not pass. It seems very simple to me, each person is responsible for their own success. We just don't like to take responsibility for our own actions (laziness), so we blame the school (laziness). Life is not like private school or home school. You get what you are given in life and you choose to either work hard for success, or be lazy and blame something else for your failure. As for the people who are choosing not to educate their children at all, I hope they feel good about crippling them for life. Regardless of their opinion about education, it is necessary in our society. The best job you can get without some kind of higher education is at McDonald's. They are sentencing their children to a life of almost certain poverty. They should be ashamed of themselves. But not everyone does. I, too, am the product of the public school system. I also graduated from college with a 4.0 GPA in Business Management. But I graduated from high school in the lower half of my class. Why? One reason: I spent most of my time and energy there avoiding harrassment and bullies. I went to school sick to my stomach most days. I could not concentrate and focus on the things that I should have. Instead, I had to avoid certain hallways where the "jocks" hung out and rated every girl that walked by. I avoided going to my locker, or the bathrooms at other times, because of who I knew would be there. I spent so much time just trying to be invisible, or being afraid, that there was no time, nor energy, to spend in active learning.
When I got to college, I felt like I had died and gone to heaven! I LOVE to learn. And I didn't get harrassed by anyone there. And I excelled. My college years were some of the best in my life. I have many good friends even now, who were made in college. That was over half my life ago! It made me wonder if I wouldn't have excelled in high school, had the environment been friendlier to those of us who didn't fit into any cliques or groups.
It would break my heart to have no choice but to subject my two little ones to that kind of harrassment, 5 days a week, day in and day out, for 12 straight years. It changes you, and not for the better. Thank God for other options now! I'm a homeschooler and we love it. |
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June 10, 2007, 7:44 pm PDT
Quote From: manda7 I graduated last year from public school. I had excellent grades and am now doing well in college where I am studying to be a nurse. I think that people are making excuses by blaming public school when students don't do well. With any type of school, you get what you take out of it. Most kids today are lazy. Why don't we call it what it is! I do not think it is the school's fault. I was raised by a single, disabled mother, and I was able to take advanced classes while working and doing internships. So when I hear public schools being blamed for students not passing even the most basic classes, I think maybe we should look at how much effort the student is putting in. I went to school, payed attention, studied, and passed the classes. There were also students who cut school, did not pay attention, did not study, and (surprise surprise) did not pass. It seems very simple to me, each person is responsible for their own success. We just don't like to take responsibility for our own actions (laziness), so we blame the school (laziness). Life is not like private school or home school. You get what you are given in life and you choose to either work hard for success, or be lazy and blame something else for your failure. As for the people who are choosing not to educate their children at all, I hope they feel good about crippling them for life. Regardless of their opinion about education, it is necessary in our society. The best job you can get without some kind of higher education is at McDonald's. They are sentencing their children to a life of almost certain poverty. They should be ashamed of themselves. It also depends on how supportive parents are. Our kids both go to our local public school and I help them at home to learn about other things they're interested in. Our 9yr old daughter builds volcanoes outside and does little experiments everywhere, she also knows alot about the human body and how all our organs work (because that's what she's into). Our 6yr old son helps Daddy pull the computers apart and puts them back together and also makes his own computer games because he loves computers. Alot of kids are lazy, but so are their parents, being tired after work is no excuse to put your kids on the furthest backburner possible. Finding out what your kids are interested in isn't too hard and if you don't know how to help them with what they're interested in get a book , use the internet to find out or ask a relative who might know.
The Mother who is scared of her children being hurt is not alone, but we can't live our lives based on what we fear or we truly wouldn't be living. I want our children live a great full well informed life and die doing something they love rather than by choking on a sandwich at home alone and scared of going outside to get help. |
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