There is lots of that… all the newbie teachers are fed so much theory and pap that they often have little knowledge of their fields (or are liberal studies majors). They get tested and certified at hoop jumping to teach to the test. Most are very good at that… it is folks like me that don't fit. Testing me is BS. My education was in the field I meant to teach (too bad it's not what I'm teaching) and the Ed / Psych hoo-doo was just stuff I had to wade through. I also guess that's why the NFL has such a bunch of punks for players these days… poor coaches.When the standards are written by folks that write standards for a living, to suit colleges that want the kids coming in to not require intro courses (not talking remedial here just the basic 1A level classes) that's what we get.My $0.02.edited for spelling errors... no I don't teach English though I do speak it haltingly ;D
If memory serves, it seems like kids were tested less I remember like the fourth and eight grades… maybe 10th too. By that time though most of us were doing the pre-ACT and pre-SAT and the NMSQT… then ACT and/or SAT depending on what the school you wanted was requiring.The really big deal is writing and selling the tests... part of the reason there will only be more (never less) testing is the millions made on them. Needless to say I think there is hankey=pankey in the selection processes. So too, I'm sure Mulder is right.
That's why I said better management is needed. I just think education is important enough to put more into it than only 3% of the federal budget, which is the current funding.
It would be interesting to find out what %age is funding the federal prisons....
September 15, 2008 at 11:42 pm
in reply to: Slavery#4083
....I often wonder when and why Americans started to look to the state to teach their children everything. I was raised and believe that school is to teach my child the things I cannot, such as reading, writing, science, and math. Not drug awareness, morals, or the use of condoms. I guess I am a Neanderthal who believes that parents should actively take responsibility for raising their children and not expect the local school board to do it for them. I get to teach my kid the difference between right and wrong, not some faceless government entity.Furthermore, after the past three years of my son going to American schools I have serious doubts about their ability to teach even the basics much less morals and values. We have discovered since arriving in Germany and enrolling my son in German schools (he is bilingual) that he is a full grade level behind his peers and will have to retake the sixth grade just to catch up. This goes far to explain my disgust with American schools in General and the Belton Independent School District in particular.
As another Neanderthal (that happens to be a public school teacher) I agree with you 100%. Sadly in the world today there are far too few of us, thus the gov't feels it needs to take the parental role since there are far too many that cannot or will not take on the task to teaching values and morals to their issue... since, perhaps, they have neither.I spend a great deal of time on things that are mandated that have nothing to do with teaching history and gov't of the US(or Ancient Civ for that matter).No Child Left Behind... indeed... No Child Isn't Behind.
The economic decline was due in part to the loss of people experienced in irrigated farming (the Moors) and in general business (the Jews) without a large group of native Spanish ready to take over these positions. Seemed like the Spanish didn't want to do these jobs (ethnic thing?) but rather be the rich land owners… the system by which the oldest son got the ranch didn't help… meant there were many second and third (and beyond) sons that could end up gov't minions, military adventure types, or church functionaries. None of these types produce food or other products necessary to everyday life. They get gold, manage the treasury, and save souls. Armies and navies are money pits unless they bring in resources. The saving of souls (at home or overseas) becomes an expensive priority to compete with the Protestants.My point was that Spain increased the amount of gold need by not having a solid domestic economy. When the English figured out that stealing the Spanish gold was easier than finding their own the decline accelerated.Does this make a bit more sense?
For instance: shipping in Indian Corn… something that was totally foreign to the Irish, to solve the problem. They couldn't even mill it due to the kernel size (far different than anything they were using at the time).
Right you are Don; big slow ships full of gold attract small, fast ships full of guns.Spain folded becasue they really needed the gold to support an economy that was headed downhill after running the Muslims (dryland ag experts) and Jews (general businessmen and bankers) out of town. When everyone left wants to be the rich landowner or is running off for adventure (second, third and so on sons) times get tight.
By this time the Chinese had pulled back from the rest of the world, thinking they had everything knocked and the rest of the world was hopelessly behind the curve… at least that seems to be the conventional wisdom in most modern history books I've read.
September 10, 2008 at 11:58 am
in reply to: Duke Rig#12918
Actually this conversation has taken an interesting turn regarding Chinese history vs. Western development. Wally, do you mind if I split this topic beginning with your first post and put it into a new thread?
Not a problem, seems logical course of action.
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