40 Celebrities Who Are...

Bring back that tried and true resource from the past! A paddle.

 

Short answer is I don't know. Maybe have a general education route for those uninterested in either path based on life skills.

What we have now isn't working. If the average to above average student's parents realized how much the kids you are talking about are taking away from their child's education, there would be rioting in the streets. It's bad, man. Really bad. We have to do something.

The harsh side of me says to do away with compulsory attendance. However, if you opt for that route, that person forfeits any and all eligibility to public assistance. The rational side of me knows that would probably cause the crime rate to explode. If I knew how to motivate the kids you are referring to, I would be making a bank on the seminar circuit. I am open to any ideas that you might have.

 

Couldn't hurt, imo. Kids have zero fear of any current punishments today.

 

I do not disagree. Eventually charters will just be public schools IMO. There will not need the loop hole to be able to operate like they do as quasi-governmental entities. The ones that are operated by trained teachers are getting amazing results. The ones operated by businessmen who think they can fix what lazy teachers cannot are failing miserably. They are proving without a doubt the problem is not the teacher but administration and the rules schools are forced to follow at this time. I guess I see hell hole schools as already where we are at in an urban environment (which is what I teach in). In the more rural or suburban schools it is bad but there is some resemblance of education maintained. Charters will worsen the traditional public school but it is necessary to implement the needed change. Kids cannot come to school as an entitlement. The reality is many will never get to the point of wanting to drop out if early on the truly troubled ones were shown the door. I trust me I am not a cold hearted bastard. I wish there was a way to help the really bad ones but honestly the only thing I can think of is boarding schools. The problem with boarding schools is sandusky like events will eventually occur although not the norm.

 

I don't think you are cold hearted at all. You are realistic. I teach in a sub-urban to rural school. It's bad there; I can't imagine urban settings. Bless your heart- no condescention intended. I really think that the general public has no idea of the dire straights the schools are in today. No discipline leads to ineffective/insufficient teaching because of taking so much time dealing with bullshit. This is coming from someone who hasn't sent a kid to the office from my room in 5 years. It doesn't do any good anyway. I am harder on them than the office.


You nailed it by saying schools shouldn't be viewed as an entitlement. Speaking of being a cold-hearted bastard, in the last 5 years, I have come to the opinion that there is a portion of the student population that should be in a boarding school. If for no other reason, to keep from screwing up the other 80-85% of the students that do or might give a damn without their influence. Again, I say if the parents of those 80-85% knew how much the 15-20% of the turds negatively effect their child's education, they would riot and demand changes.

Disclaimer: I know I sound jaded. I have reason to be that way. However, I will still do my damnedest to work hard and do the very best job possible. The kids that care deserve nothing less.

 

How to fix public school
1. Failing teachers have to be fired.
2. Every student isn't going to college. We set students up to fail with the idea that if you don't go to college you're a failure.
3. Stop treating trade schools like a bad thing. A skilled work force is a plus and would help bring jobs back to the country.

 

If only the educational system 'leaders' would adopt your ideas.....+1

 

Ditches need to be dug, lumber needs to be toted.

 

A part of me really wants to say work or starve. I don't include those that have lost jobs due to no fault of their own. I am speaking towards those that do nothing but create a hindrance to the educational process and those that are too lazy to work to support themselves and their spawn. Leeches on society piss me off beyond expression.

 

Agree 100%.

Also realize that even the trouble makers in school have won't do this either.

Part of me wants to say if you flunk out of public school that we have required military schools set up that we send you to.

 

I cannot like this statement enough. You can make make just as nice of a living, if not better in some cases, with a trade school trade that college grads do.

 

I would love to be paid a skilled laborer's wage. The vast majority do much better than me. Not a thing wrong with a trade.

 

I must be the only teacher that doesn't think the pay sucks

 

There's a guy 4 or 5 years younger me that grew up near me. Had no desire to go to college, but went the one of the technical school in the area for welding and probably makes upper 5 figures with an 18 month or 2 year degree.

Pretty much my stance is further education is required after high school, but it's not necessarily college.

 

My county's pay scale is very near the bottom of the state.

 

I know the life expectancy is short but underwater welders pull down 6 figures/year. I wish that I had some of these skills. The only skill of that type that I have is wood lathe work. I make custom pens/pencils and such as a hobby.

 

Linemen school, plumbing, HVAC, electrician, welding and mechanics are all options.

 

My father-in-law is a boilermaker in Indiana. He works about 6-8 months a year and makes more than I do.