http://blog.nj.com/ledgerarchives/2007/06/raising_the_comfort_level_and.html

While things still aren't the greatest, at least they're starting to look up.

Now, more than ever, we need to support the students in the educational system. We need to teach them not only subject matter, but confidence, self respect and ambition.

A teachers job is never done.

Summer Programs for College Prep

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/travel/03heads.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin

In short, college prep programs are pushing for students and parents to enroll in summer programs, in order to better prepare the students for what awaits them in college.

I feel this is a great idea and should be, well, mandatory in this day and age. I believe that the school year should be longer, as it's already far too short, and extended programs will only benefit the students. It would certainly allow for less complaints from uneducated parents about the "lack of education" their kids are recieving. With an extra month or so, much more could be fit into an already lacking curriculum.

It's a shame that with all the resources that are available I still sit in 400 level courses with students that can barely read or write.

The worst part is that no one knows who to blame. Is it the student? The parent? the teacher? While blame will never be universally agreed on, i feel a longer school year, or ATLEAST summer prep programs or a great idea. Keep these kids in school, or else we're all going to suffer.

Back to the Basics

This is an interesting video I came across on YouTube. It's a film strip from the 1940's and has a sweet cameo by Mr. John Dewey. Celebs aside, the video states it's intent simply and precisely.

"Now hold on ms. fox, it's all very well to teach my boy to paint pretty pictures and build birdhouses, but he doesn't even know his multiplication tables."

Oh, 1940's stereotype, what a good point you make.

Has education, become far too watered down over the years? I'm of the opinion that yes, indeed it has. Now, personally, I wouldn't go so far as to say Art and Woodshop are a waste of time, quite the opposite, but there are many other topics that teachers are forced to cover that could be learned at home.

Subjects like Sex Ed, Hygene, Drivers Ed and topics such as Manners, Place settings (at a dinner table), and other trivial things some students (including my self) actually had to learn. While, it's great to know these things, is it really worthwhile to waste school hours, which are already some of the shortest in the world, on them? I really don't think so.

Some topics should be taught at home by parents. This isn't a "keep xxxx out of our school system rant", it's actually more of a "Get your act together and stop forcing teachers to do YOUR job as a parent, and then reprimand us and complain because your kid can't add." Maybe Johnny COULD add if you didn't force me to teach him how to wash himself properly, when you should have done that yourself. (some people should not be parents) But can a teacher say that? No, of course not, then we're over stepping our boundaries. Because that makes sense.

It's become a trend lately to blame teachers for the shortcomings of students, but in my opinion, most teachers are doing the best they can with a crappy situation. The Curriculum is far too watered down for a students own good, i personally believe it should be scaled back some in order to focus more emphasis on true educational topics.

However, this opens the debate of "what a true education should be."

I believe in the basics, however you get them across is fine with me. Movies, Videos, Internet, Ipods, whatever. But I will never endorse watering down a curriculum that is too generalized to begin with.

That's just my .02 cents though.