1. Have you done your research on business models implemented in the public school system?
2. Do you recognize that students are not widgets?
3. Are you familiar with studies examining family stability to achievement?
4. Do you recognize that while we have an "abbreviated" work year, there are STILL not enough hours in the day to accomplish our tasks?
5. Do you understand that there are far too many obstacles that are beyond our control as teachers? truancy, for example, and child abuse


I could go on and on, but unfortunately, I cannot dumb down my message more than this.

Yes, but what is your simple message?

Anonymous wrote:Free enterprise in the educational marketplace can be very threatening to those with monopoly stakes. Throughout American history many have heard similar comments as the PP (this is a good and positive sign). The decline of the American public education school system and the slow rise of competing and disruptive alternatives my be just the prescription needed for a swift kick in the butt or slow obsolescence.

1. Have you done your research on business models implemented in the public school system?
2. Do you recognize that students are not widgets?
3. Are you familiar with studies examining family stability to achievement?
4. Do you recognize that while we have an "abbreviated" work year, there are STILL not enough hours in the day to accomplish our tasks?
5. Do you understand that there are far too many obstacles that are beyond our control as teachers? truancy, for example, and child abuse


I could go on and on, but unfortunately, I cannot dumb down my message more than this.

Anonymous wrote:

If you look at the history of education, the public school system wasn't really founded to ensure that students get excellent education. The literacy rate at the time the public school system was founded was already high in America, at least among whites. It was considered important that people be literate so they could read the Bible. The school system was founded to ensure that American students learned American history and how to be part of the American community. It was founded so that adults could work and their children would have a place to learn, rather than everyone having to homeschool or using small private schools. It was founded based on "universal access" (back then meaning whites) to ensure that even those who weren't wealthy would have a place for their children to go and learn so that they could work. It was not founded to provide outstanding education. In some areas it does, but that wasn't the promise the school system made to you.

And now well into the 21st century in America with dynamics of the real estate market and property taxes to fund public education (no longer the wild, wild, west of yesteryear) more will be demanded of the American public school system or the funding formula will change or be amended --just like the constitution of our founding fathers.

Maybe, maybe not. Under Starr, definitely not.

If you look at the history of education, the public school system wasn't really founded to ensure that students get excellent education. The literacy rate at the time the public school system was founded was already high in America, at least among whites. It was considered important that people be literate so they could read the Bible. The school system was founded to ensure that American students learned American history and how to be part of the American community. It was founded so that adults could work and their children would have a place to learn, rather than everyone having to homeschool or using small private schools. It was founded based on "universal access" (back then meaning whites) to ensure that even those who weren't wealthy would have a place for their children to go and learn so that they could work. It was not founded to provide outstanding education. In some areas it does, but that wasn't the promise the school system made to you.

And now well into the 21st century in America with dynamics of the real estate market and property taxes to fund public education (no longer the wild, wild, west of yesteryear) more will be demanded of the American public school system or the funding formula will change or be amended --just like the constitution of our founding fathers.

Anonymous wrote:Free enterprise in the educational marketplace can be very threatening to those with monopoly stakes. Throughout American history many have heard similar comments as the PP (this is a good and positive sign). The decline of the American public education school system and the slow rise of competing and disruptive alternatives my be just the prescription needed for a swift kick in the butt or slow obsolescence.

If you look at the history of education, the public school system wasn't really founded to ensure that students get excellent education. The literacy rate at the time the public school system was founded was already high in America, at least among whites. It was considered important that people be literate so they could read the Bible. The school system was founded to ensure that American students learned American history and how to be part of the American community. It was founded so that adults could work and their children would have a place to learn, rather than everyone having to homeschool or using small private schools. It was founded based on "universal access" (back then meaning whites) to ensure that even those who weren't wealthy would have a place for their children to go and learn so that they could work. It was not founded to provide outstanding education. In some areas it does, but that wasn't the promise the school system made to you.

Free enterprise in the educational marketplace can be very threatening to those with monopoly stakes. Throughout American history many have heard similar comments as the PP (this is a good and positive sign). The decline of the American public education school system and the slow rise of competing and disruptive alternatives my be just the prescription needed for a swift kick in the butt or slow obsolescence.

Anonymous wrote:To meet friends in the neighborhood. Perhaps if education were funded by vouchers and not my property taxes your classrooms will slowly empty out.

Wow

You really are an idiot.

I wish I could only call you ignorant, but that's simply NOT the case. You are a bitter idiot.

To meet friends in the neighborhood. Perhaps if education were funded by vouchers and not my property taxes your classrooms will slowly empty out.

Anonymous wrote:I still think you are a darling. It's clear why public education is where it's at in America. As you so aptly infer, the parents and the children are the prime problem. Good luck on your Master's degree. How long has it taken you to earn this?

If you have such distant for the teaches and schools in MCPS, why are you sending your children there?

Anonymous wrote:

PP, you are an idiot. Teachers don't choose the curriculum, so your anger at them is misplaced. As for 360 feedback. You don't think that children who don't like their teachers tell their parents, who in turn call the school? Your posting high lights the premise of the thread. I would not want to have to deal with you at my child's school.

You are a darling. Parents and students don't choose the curriculum either. Do you like the curriculum you alledgedly teach? How about teachers who don't like the parents or the kids ... complete the feedback loop here (report card)?

Thank you, I am a darling. But I am not a teacher.

Anonymous wrote:I still think you are a darling. It's clear why public education is where it's at in America. As you so aptly infer, the parents and the children are the prime problem. Good luck on your Master's degree. How long has it taken you to earn this?

I am 04/09/2012 12:59 - but not the same poster that you originally addressed. However, as a teacher, I felt the need to defend someone else in my profession.

Your posts ooze with insecurity, as you stoop so low with some fairly simplistic slams. They are laughable.

Please stop now, as you are clearly not able to keep up with the discussion in an intelligent manner.

And I stand by what I say - that students with problems develop those problems at home. They come to us damaged. Thanks for doing a great job parenting!

Signed,
a teacher AND a mother of two

OP I agree with you. I guess I don't care if there are parents who want advancement. But I want a school where kids are respected, not given much homework, where they get plenty of physical activity throughout the day, where they exercise their creativity and critical thinking, where they are not taught to any tests but taught core subjects well, where they learn about the world and eachother, go on fieldtrips, enjoy school and don't experience stress at or about school, where they are allowed to flourish as children. Kids don't need half the make-work that MCPS gives them to become academically competent when it counts: high school and beyond. I want my child to go to a school where they don't post a poster of the 7 Keys to College Readiness on the walls of the elementary schools! http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/keys/. You know there is something very wrong if school staff and adminstrators think an elementary age child (or any child) should see this poster.

Why would you want a "one-size schoo"l fits all children. Would it not be preferable to have a school has a little something for all the different children, more pathways to advance play, recess, physical exercise and math?

I still think you are a darling. It's clear why public education is where it's at in America. As you so aptly infer, the parents and the children are the prime problem. Good luck on your Master's degree. How long has it taken you to earn this?

OP I agree with you. I guess I don't care if there are parents who want advancement. But I want a school where kids are respected, not given much homework, where they get plenty of physical activity throughout the day, where they exercise their creativity and critical thinking, where they are not taught to any tests but taught core subjects well, where they learn about the world and eachother, go on fieldtrips, enjoy school and don't experience stress at or about school, where they are allowed to flourish as children. Kids don't need half the make-work that MCPS gives them to become academically competent when it counts: high school and beyond. I want my child to go to a school where they don't post a poster of the 7 Keys to College Readiness on the walls of the elementary schools! http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/keys/. You know there is something very wrong if school staff and adminstrators think an elementary age child (or any child) should see this poster.

Anonymous wrote:

PP, you are an idiot. Teachers don't choose the curriculum, so your anger at them is misplaced. As for 360 feedback. You don't think that children who don't like their teachers tell their parents, who in turn call the school? Your posting high lights the premise of the thread. I would not want to have to deal with you at my child's school.

You are a darling. Parents and students don't choose the curriculum either. Do you like the curriculum you alledgedly[u] teach? How about teachers who don't like the parents or the kids ... complete the feedback loop here (report card)?

I don't necessarily use the lessons in my guides. I do, however, make certain to teach all of the indicators. That's the mandate - that the indicators are taught. How they're taught is up to you.

So do I like my curriculum guides? They're guides; that's the key.

And about "teachers who don't like the parents or kids" - That's such an odd way to phrase it. There will always be parents I don't like but mainly b/c they come across as arrogant know-it-alls. Oftentimes, they're so poor at parenting that they lash out at us. It's pathetic actually and easy to identify at a parent conference. I've seen kids avoid conferences knowing that their parents will be there to embarrass them. So if we don't like you, you probably don't like yourself very much either.

As far as students are concerned, again, we'll click with some instantly and we'll learn to deal with others b/c we have to. Usually, if there's a student who's particularly intolerable, other teachers have problems with him/her, too. And when a parent conference is held, most of the problems stem from home. (Refer to above paragraph.)

So in MOST cases, it's an issue that started at home - and not the teacher's fault.

Parent PP, you sound bitter and antagonistic, btw. I can only imagine that you're a parent teachers would wish to avoid. The apple, I'm sure, doesn't fall far from YOUR tree.