The Education system

Comrade_
Comrade_: Full of flaws as it is. One basic thing that seems to stand out is the gap between education and life. From what I see, the role of Education is to equip a person with qualifications for a career, also to impart knowledge and understanding of what as humans we've learnt along the way. This is good in passing on information and building on information but..in a way we have this old system and it needs to reflect modern times. For survival a person should learn how to budget, how to manage their finances, taught how to save and invest, how to have a proper view of money, how to handle pressure and a lot of other things. I think that was the role of the family; to teach these basic survival skills...generally that structure isn't really there. Family life can be fast paced. Maybe all that contributed to some of the mess in society.
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Brightsky
Brightsky: Dear Jack, the education system as we know it was initially devised as a way in which to "control the masses". It was never about learning. I read a very interesting book many years ago on this whole concept. I can't recall the name of the book (apologies). Will look into it later...

Surely, if education were intended to educate, subjects would be taught which enhance our lives and teach us that education is not limited to the four walls of any institution of learning, but should include any manner of education. Humans learn by experience. Many folks are hands-on learners, yet our education system fails these individuals miserably.

Parents/family are the first educators of the child. And it happens quite subliminally, as the developing child accomplishes all the milestones of first words, sentences, crawling, walking, running, reading. But we need to expose them to books...all types of books.

The most wonderful thing a parent can do for their children is give them the gift of reading. Get them engaged and excited about reading...all manner of books...books on every subject imaginable. This is what I did with my children from the womb on...I read to them, sang to them, got them fascinated with learning. I also gave them the gift of nature and taught them to appreciate and respect the natural world. Taught them that we are all part of this world and we need to care for ourselves and the flora and fauna around us.

Jack, I could go on forever...but I'm working right now...to be continued...

Thanks for a great topic...
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ZEITGEIST MARIUS
ZEITGEIST MARIUS: i totally agree with what you wrote
in my opinion education system is the most important after health system and it must be developed as much is possible but what happening nowdays is a very big issue.i dont know how is the education system in other places but here in Romania recently teens refuse and deny the informations even though now we live in a society with internet and we can acces a lot of informations.i am saying this because during the communism regim,teens studied better and in that time the internet didnt exist.and some books were hardly to be found

what you said is very very true but the people who ,,teach,, and ,,educate,, us are doing for a purpose(money) and in my opinion education shouldnt be involved with money
also i think the education system will collapse in the next few years till the lowest point..
(my opinion)

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Barbara the Jew
Barbara the Jew: I will add one thing to the gift of reading and that is the ability of critical thinking. The who, where and why?
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Comrade_
Comrade_: @ Bright, I agree there. It has its limits and isn't tailored to meet the individual's needs.
Reading and nurturing the want to learn is a good way to help them think for themselves.

@Zeit, you mean that they don't trust the information presented? I think it might be too under communism the focus is on certain things as education and arts.

@Barbara. YES! to question and seek to understand
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ZEITGEIST MARIUS
ZEITGEIST MARIUS: i meant nowdays we have a lot of ways to seek informations and people are dumber and uneducated lol
in the past the ways of seeking informations werent so various and people were smarter and more educated

(my opinion)

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Comrade_
Comrade_: I think you're on to something though. I remember reading how the internet affected our brains, in a way that we no longer press and give our brains the workout to try to remember something, we just google search it. Probably other things contribute to the problem too.
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ZEITGEIST MARIUS
ZEITGEIST MARIUS: totally agree with you but everything has advantages and disadvantages
perfection doesnt exist
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Mask Of Dionysus
Mask Of Dionysus: I have quite a lot of Education but i was the one that gave me that. Institutions are busy making people ready to be slaves in the work force for the government. I knew i did not want to be a slave.
People learn in different ways, and i learn most from watching, using my eyes. That is not the case in institutions of higher learning. It has become slightly barbaric.
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Comrade_
Comrade_: True..maybe we're restricting ourselves, taught how to have single mundane line of thought instead of exploring and going outside the box.
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the real slim DEEPy
the real slim DEEPy: education is reached once you forget everything you learned in school- einstein
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Barbara the Jew
Barbara the Jew: Mask I agree with you!
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the real slim DEEPy
the real slim DEEPy: education should not teach people what to think, but how to think objectively, to encourage progress, but the powers that be fear innovation, as it threatens their positions at the top..

the modern educational system is based on a quote by Rockefeller jr. that stated that politicians, artists, philosophers and other innovators need not be developed, but that "...children should be taught to do exactly what their parents did- only better."

its based on the concept that education is for the benefit of existing successful corporations, not for the betterment of the individual.
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tbulb
tbulb: Many of you are mixing up "education" and "schooling"--two related but different concepts. Education means "a leading out"--a leading out of ignorance if you like. Education, can and does happen differently for many people.

Schooling is what governments decide to do with their citizens. Citizens can get an education in a school setting--note the word "can". But it doesn't necessarily follow that because you attend a school for 13 years you receive an education.

While there are some fabulous parents out there who inculcate the love of learning in their children, there are many others who do nothing for their children other than feed and clothe them. And sometimes they don't do either of those very well.

In a perfect world, classrooms would be have a maximum of twenty students--so that teachers could teach to each student's particular needs. But when teachers have 200+ students per day, (no class limits in my province--and high school teachers teach 7 classes) it is highly unlikely any child is going to get individual attention nor is the teacher going to be terribly innovative.

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Mask Of Dionysus
Mask Of Dionysus: I am very Educated through Schooling. The common sense, which became very useful, i got from my Greek parents lol.

Parenting has been dying a very slow death for the past few decades. Parenting is dead yet people keep producing children.

Class size, although not a huge issue here in Ontario, is extremely important. Conservatives do not like Education much.
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tbulb
tbulb: Ah Mask, you are indeed fortunate! As I said, sometimes, you can get an education in schools--I received a very good literature education...not so good math one though....

It is interesting though how so much 'parenting' has been downloaded onto schools--frustrating in fact. Why should it be the school's responsibility to show kids how to properly brush their teeth????? or how to say please and thank you? or excuse me? or may I?

It's not so much the size that is the issue here, but the composition--presently I have a class that is almost unteachable. And because there is no language any more to protect either the students or me from this kind of situation, the powers that be no longer have to do anything to make the situation better. And because they are not required by contract to do anything, they don't. Sad sad sad...everyone loses out here.
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pinkphenomenon
pinkphenomenon: Children are inquisitive, they want to know the ins and outs of everything. How things function, why, what's that, what does that mean, tell me more, did you know... All popular questions I get almost everyday.
Instead of getting frustrated with what you don't know. Ask the questions the child asks you.
Never quench a child's Desire to want to know more. Instead nourish it, like a plant, water it everyday. Teach them how to research, show them that you need to research some things they ask too because although they want to know everything you sometimes don't have the answers.
I have a children's library set up for my littlefoot, from Dr.Seuss, nursery rhymes, Disney, Aesop's fables, Hans Christian Anderson, Celtic folklore to animal planet, how do they do that, space and the universe , a children's animal and world encyclopedia aswell as a book on the human body, occupations and places where some people work.
I do maths and writing workbooks with my two five year old niece and nephew. Theye in my bag anytime I'm out with them, so when we are waiting for a train or passing time until a movie or something starts they're occupied. We are currently working on how much things cost and if they have enough in their pocket money, if not how much more do they need to save. They're only five but with a number table, abacus. Their fingers and toes - adding and subtracting are becoming easy for them.
Yes. They learn in school but it doesn't mean that's the only place they should be learning.
Learning about life skills is already in progress. They know their address, emergency numbers, how to use mine or my sisters phone if they need to call a family member. My nephew missed my dad in the middle of the night and called him so it shows he knows how to use it ahaha

I think you're right though poser boy, when it comes to life skills, it all comes down to the family set up and parenting style.
If there isn't one. Unfortunately, the only way the child will learn is through trial and error, instinct and in school.

I want to be a primary school teacher so baring this topic in mind I intend to pay attention to those who lack such support at home and use it in the classroom so no one is missing out on what they should know from home under my watch.
If the primary care giver of the child isn't contributing to the child's life long needs to learn, its the teachers responsibility to pick up the slack in hope that the next educator will do the same.
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tbulb
tbulb: Ah pink...so glad you're heading into education with idealism. Primary teachers are crucial -- but while a teacher can do much for a child, imagine having 24-30 little ones in one space--all in difficult situations and no extra help for you or the children. That alas, is the sad reality--and in spite of many teachers' best intentions--some children do not get what they need because what they need is beyond the scope of one teacher.

Many children need intensive therapies--but don't recieve them. Drug addicted children come to school with life issues and learning difficulties. Abused children come with other issues and behaviours that need drastic interventions. But there is little available for these children.

Teachers do have a responibility for these children, I agree. But so do the other adults in the child's life--parents, relatives etc. Sometimes circumstances make it nigh impossible for a teacher "to pick up the slack". There issues are so far beyond school--and we are not trained therapists or counsellors. These children need intensive one on one counselling and there is no way a teacher with 23 other students to attend to can do this. Sad I know...very very sad.
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pinkphenomenon
pinkphenomenon: Yeh I realised the reality behind such idealisms, schools over here have special needs assistance in the classroom to help tend to those who need extra help be it to do with a disability or troubles at home, there's also a counselling service available in primary schools called rainbows that co ordinate with the teacher and their concerns regarding particular children and their behaviours. I don't want to just be a typical primary school teacher where I work the same hours as the child, I want to go into after school work too, helping with homework, tutoring, one on one sessions and the likes.
I understand every point you made and accept how right you are one hundred percent but there's more resources available to assist teachers and pupils regarding reaching their potential whilst being safe and secure at home, making sure that if they're lacking in certain parts of their development, they have support to get there.
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Marie Cretyou
Marie Cretyou: Is alwful....students are not students and teachers has lost their dignity and authority....children need discipline...they need to see more strict side...they must learn to be responsible and today we have a lot of problems with violence....which is terrible....
(Edited by Marie Cretyou)
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the real slim DEEPy
the real slim DEEPy: parent are not parents, so teachers have to raise kids and teach them manners and respect, and the apathy of the students towards proper manners means the lesson begins 2 minutes before class is out. sex ed should say enough- parents are slacking majorly, and leaving the parenting up to the teachers. parnets shoud prepare kids to learn in school, to learn well and hope to succeed. thats how it SHOULD be, but there are two "ARE be's".


there are the children of rich parents, who arent worried about a 4.0 and collegs scholarships, cause they know their parents are all ready to foot their college tuition. these an be very intelligent students who make school social time, while relying on their intelligence, inherited from their parents, to place moderately decently on the sat or act. this is more prominent in high school.

than, you have the children of poor people with no hope for college loans or tuition, so their parents stress football or basketball over classroom matters, for they believe their child's only chance for college or any success is thru athleticism. these are often required to maintain good grades to stay on the team, but its pulling teeth, because, to them, sports is primary, and learning, secondry.

but then elementary school, where, apparently, the parents never informed their children that they had evolved past monkeys.

opinion on this, anyone? is american education falling behind because of red tape, bad teachers who are protected by their unions, old, boring, obscolete teachers whose careers are guaranteed by first in-first out, poor teacher morale due to the lack of adequate funds and supplies, or bad parenting? surely some will say one thing, and others will say another hopefully, someone will bring up more that i hadnt percieved..
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the real slim DEEPy
the real slim DEEPy: i had never thought of the student/teacher dynamic so much, as i went to a private school that had the patent on geting you in line, tho i got expelled, for something that wouldnt even have gotten me detention in a real school. however, you do have to consider how much better provate schools do with less money. true, some private school students are there, many, i would guess, because they have extra attentive parents, thus, they are actually taught manners and respect before entering school. nowithstanding, private schools are also full of students that have been expelled from every public school in the county, and, even those kids snap into shape, not perfect shape, but they often are able to curtail expulsion from the new private school.
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the real slim DEEPy
the real slim DEEPy: as far as achool subject matter, there is a known problem of intelligent students underperforming, due to a lack of interest and challenge. our public school system truly is designed to mold laborers, and not nurture innovators like philosophers. the science is very rudimentary, and spends entirely too much attention to unproved, and controversial theories, which, even if perfectly factual, have absolutely nobearing on real life and being a good citizen. and then, they have several years of sex ed now, like any dumbass wont figure it out one way or another. and thats another case of the parants making the teachers do the parenting for them.

another bane of the current system is rote memorization. anyone can regurgiate others thoughts, but, is that progress, or thought programming? if all you are taught is the thoughts of others, how will you learn to think innovatively, yourself. critical thinking, logic, debate and such should be introduced in late elementary school, not in university philo101. rote memorization teaches you what to say and think in a stagnant career, as you were never forced to think critically, or question conventional wisdom. without such, gallileo would have never tried to convince the cardinal of the moons of saturn, which would have inhibited kepler from publishing his elliptical system. great men dont fixate on wise, but old, words- great men have their own thoughts and speak innovative words.
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the real slim DEEPy
the real slim DEEPy: i understand teachers have problems with unruly children; however, you will never get their atention, or unlock their inner curiosity if you strictly follow the teaching texts. and, if a student asks a quwestion, try to encourage critical thinking for them to arrive at the answer themselves.
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tbulb
tbulb: In the US, you're absolutely right about the appalling state of "education". With its focus so much on "test taking" rather than the development of mind, little wonder kids are bored and out of control.

When I taught in California, I was told not to teach certain students literature--did any way--they needed the stories and guess what? They ate them up.

Instead, I was supposed to bore them to tears with spelling words, vocabulary words (out of any sort of context) and grammar.

I didn't pay much attention to the directive but made sure I had a "spelling" and/or "vocab" lesson all ready in case some administrator decided to visit my class.
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the real slim DEEPy
the real slim DEEPy: what books were you not allowed to read. i hear that tom sawyer is a plantation owner, and dr seuss is obviously on some serious acid. i know we cant read the bible, cause it would defeat the efforts of sex ed. wo whats the real blacklist today? its always interesting to find out what out of touch elite pasties deem ofensive to minorities, of whom theyve never had a single friend of.
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