Problem in education

[sorul82?]

No, those fathers should be there.

So if the father leaves, then we are to hunt him down and hog tie him to the front porch?

And, if one is going to have sex, do it using protection.
So, the female and male isnt in that position.

Be sure to see my comment about rape.

Every child needs a father, just having a kid doesn't make you a father. It takes much more than that.

and we stick him with the cattle prod until he decides to be more than just a sperm donor?

 

[NY Disney fan]

I can't believe this thread has turned into a fight about single parenthood. Money (& its proper allocation) + Priortizing is what determines the quality of education. The fact they we are now discussing birth control options and its relevance to quality of education is crazy!

 

[sorul82?]

Im saying my views make up the majority.

Majority of who? Folks in the senior age bracket?

As for your comment about your child comes to you about how things work....are you saying that women cannot have technical minds?

 

[SharkyGoddess]

It IS a fact that kids with BOTH parents do SOO much better than just one.
Single parent households is a HUGE issue in America. Kids NEED a mommy and a daddy. They just do.

Really? Hmmmm Well... My two older kids were raised by just me and BOTH have ALWAYS been honor roll students. Something NONE of the mommeee and daddeeee partnerships that I know of can claim. So, I'll stand over here with my high and mighty crown and be the Queen of the Single Mommies who raises perfectly well balanced and highly educated children JUST FINE all alone. TYVM!

 

[SnowWhite607]

Parental involvement. Parents need to take responsibility for their children's education. They should read to the younger kids at night. They should sit down with them and go over the homework.

My kids have attended private school. One of my son's teacher used to work in a poorly scoring public school. She said that hardly any of the parents showed up for parent night and that it was hard to get them involved.

I feel sorry for the teachers in failing schools. There is only so much a teacher can do. The only solution I can see to get more parents involved is to have some kind of incentive program. It's sad, but it's the only way I can see to motivate them to make an effort to become involved.

I need to find my clapping smilie! You are right on! I am a teacher and even in a private school, I dont get all the parental involvement I need. And I dont mean parents to come in and help on party day. I mean a parent who is going to step up to the plate and make sure your kid has his reading done, has his homework folder an return the library book. (we are talking kindergarten) Either that, or spends some time teaching the kid how to be responsible for themselves!

 

[SharkyGoddess]

Alot of what I'll say has already been said, but I wanted to break it down a different way.

In elementary school I felt there needed to be more parental involvement. Parents needed to do their part at home making sure the kids got their homework finished and that everything made it back into their backpacks so they were ready for the next day. My only complaint about the teaching program would have been the AR reading assignments and the hours of homework which started in the first grade. My kids are involved in extracurricular activities as well and this made the evenings difficult for us.

In middle school I have noticed the teachers are VERY lax in making sure the students understand their assignments and aren't going to require hours of phone calls and assistance in order to get their homework completed. I say this, because by middle school I expect a child to at least be able to come home and know their first priority is to finish homework before anything else (games, friends, tv...etc). We (several parents I called) discovered) that out of a class of 26 students EVERY student in class that day stated the teacher did not explain the assignment given as they walked out the door. This only happened once to this extreme, but it was a weekly battle of phone calls and kids explaining to each other how to do what. I also feel that the schools have become very numb in the social accountability of bullying in the schools lately and better plans for dealing with this issue needs to be implemented and adhered to.

So far, I have been pleased with my oldest son's high school experience. My only complaint would be the computer program they use for home work assignments and parental "daily updates". It's just not very user friendly IMO. They are supposed to be updating our access to include absentee reports as well as weekly homework assignments and grades. I am VERY excited to see that get up and running!

 

[lyeag]

Does your daughter have an aide? It sounds like she needs specialized attention from someone trained with a medical background. I wouldn't expect that of people hired to teach math and language. While I don't have a problem with a school providing for this, I think it's unfair to have the teacher solely responsible.

Thank you for saying this. As a teacher, I have about 40 minutes for each class in my middle school setting. In my school, a typical class has around 25 students. After administrative duties, our daily drills and giving students the time to write in their planners, I have about 25-30 minutes to teach a lesson or go over an assignment. Teachers simply do not have the time to spend 10-15 minutes each class period dealing with individual issues that are not lesson related.
We do care about each child and take time to deal with individual issues every now and then , but at the level that poster was speaking about, it would be taking far too much time from the other students.

 

[Jada36088]

Not at all. Children from two-parent families outperform those from single parent families, unless the household income is equivilant (meaning the single parent would have to earn as much as a two-parent household - not likely).

This is a not bash on single parents. It's just true. Especially in inner city areas.

I am a honors student living in a single family home with a mom who works part time while going back to school. Not only do I not have both parents living at home but we also do not have a high income. Not only is my dad not around now, but he has never been so I just do not see your point.

OK - if he has stopped progressing - what is the point of school? And how could any school continue to promote him to 7th grade when he is so behind?

At this point taxpayers are paying for babysitting - by your own admission there is no further progression to be had.

So yeah - I would kick him out of school.

I hope you never have power over who can and cannot go to school. If someone is forced to stay in one grade for years how do you know when they should graduate or do we just keep them in school forever spending even more money than before.

I don't think the money for free lunch comes from the school budget. Actually, I think it links the school to more Title 1 money. But I agree with you that money isn't as simple an issue as it seems. My youngest goes to a Catholic school with a large class size (30 kids per class). They can get away with having that work because there is no special ed and there is an overabundance of parent volunteers (seriously, we had an overnight fieldtrip once, and there were 27 chaperones for 30 kids. Plus the teacher and the aide.) Normally, in a class with more diverse kids, I would think 1:15 or 1:20 would be better.

In my school you have to fill out a form and the government decides if you deserve free lunch and they are also the ones who pay for it.

There are no self contained classes and yes all students are given the same material. The only difference would be an inclusion class would have an extra teacher and/or an aid. During reading, or free time, the spec. ed students would recieve their extra help. Now I think that is great for them, I am not saying they don't deserve an eductaion equal to the other kids but I don't think its fair for all the students. There are some that are well above what is taught in class yet they have no option except to be there, and remain unchallenged.
This is at my child's school, there are only a few in our district with self contained classes and sometimes special ed students are transferred to one of them, but these are for extreme cases.
FTR I do not believe special ed funding should be cut, I just think that there should be more going towards advanced ed, KWIM.

I must be one of the luckier people because my school has seperate classes for those who either need to be taught at a slower pace or higher one or whatever they may need. AP classes tend to have college level books where average and special needs classes have different materials to fit there needs.

I can only speak for myself, but yes we do at our house. My dh and I have always felt that our children's education is OUR responsibility and not solely the school's.
Unfortunately though I know many parents who don't feel this way.

This is sad but true with some parents. Lucky for me my mom supports me the best she can and apparently I am beating all odds since I am an honors student.

I will begin by saying again that I believe special ed children deserve an appropriate education.

But can you just imagine..... if each average, above average, gifted and profoundly gifted child had a full time one on one aide....... what THOSE children could accomplish??

I'm a "gifted" student and I really don't want someone with me constantly like that.

You know exactly what i was talking about.
99.9% of single parent kids do not fall in your category.
Its not just about schools either, Kids with both parents do better in general.

Man am I just screwed for life.

If "Kids NEED both" then, by definition, any child without both parents would either be a failure or cease to exist. You could agree that children do better with two parents, but you cannot make the claim that "Kids NEED both".

I don't get it either.

Are you denying that kids DONT need two parents?
Do you REALLY believe that?
Think about it, do you REALLY believe that?
I stated that kids with 2 parent homes have a much BETTER chance at success.
They get a better shot at a good life.
You are throwing rocks at me with no merit nor aim.
There isnt one post here that i gave that stated kids with one parent CANT succeed.
But if you think its BETTER that kids only have one parent, then you either
1. Dont have kids
2. Dont WANT to see the truth.

So the kid who has a lush for a dad and maybe an abusive mom is automatically given a higher chance at success then the child who has one full time parent who supports them and provides what the child needs?

I agree with this. Where I live they have a special school for special needs children. It would be nice if they were able to do that in other areas.

My school district has a building for people with very low IQ's and it is nice because they can be given the attention they need and have a staff that is trained for any behavior issues or anyother thing that may come up.

You know, actually most little boys DO play with trucks and toy tractors while girls actually DO play with dolls and play houses and stuff. You know, we actually HAVE boys and girl clothes, is that a sterotype also?Gender sterotyping?
LOL
Its called reality.

Yes actually it is.

I was thinking the same thing. I remember this guy in high school who would constantly make fun of the special needs kids. I remember in English one day, this girl made a really dumb statement and he said, "such and such, you are so retarded, why don't you get a wheel chair and go join the rest of the drooling retards." It was non stop with him. He picked on somebody everyday. Well, he is now married and has a wheel chair bound child (I think with spinal bifida).

I was made fun of the other day because I have a slight stuttering issue.

So in conclusion I am a bit confused. I come from a single parent, low income family and my ADHD puts me in the special needs categorie yet I am an honors student and took some college classes at the age of 16. So do I go to a private school to get away from all those "normal" people and where I can stop costing the government money, or should I be sent to a vocational setting because of my ADHD?

 

[CajunDixie]

What is the most important problem America is facing in education today????


I'm taking a grad class and this is one of our questions...wanted some other opinions.

Common sense!!

Quote from BIL when DH couln't make the 2 hr drive to work because we had an ice storm here "I don't understand weather delays" And that came from a college grad!!!

Or how about the high school kid that can't make change when only dollars and quarters were involved in a fund-raiser!! Or the cashier that can't figure out your change without the register telling her the amount.

 

[castleview]

Or how about the high school kid that can't make change when only dollars and quarters were involved in a fund-raiser!! Or the cashier that can't figure out your change without the register telling her the amount.

That's everywhere because people don't need to learn it if the register is telling them. All the times I've worked concessions for my kids' games, I have been put up front handling the money because I'm the only one who knows how to count back change. Good thing, I hate cooking burgers!

 

[sorul82?]

So in conclusion I am a bit confused. I come from a single parent, low income family and my ADHD puts me in the special needs categorie yet I am an honors student and took some college classes at the age of 16. So do I go to a private school to get away from all those "normal" people and where I can stop costing the government money, or should I be sent to a vocational setting because of my ADHD?

Nope, it's those average and slightly above average kids who are the problem; setting the status quo and all. People like you and my ADHD child and my Aspie child are hindered by their standards. You know, if those average kids could learn at a faster pace, then my ADHD child wouldn't get bored so quickly and stare out in space or start swinging his legs. Why can't they get up and learn? Why do they sit for such long periods? Are you trying to give my child blood clots?