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The US Education System and Why We're Behind
 

DonVon's picture
IB
(King Kong, 1,914
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 10:30am
school.jpeg

Regardless of which political affiliation you adhere to in this great country, one fact remains that is almost universally agreed upon from the streets of NYC to the deserts of New Mexico: our education system sucks at the primary and secondary levels.

Chicago-schoolers call for vouchers, others call for increased funding to impoverished areas, and still others call for complete privatization of education, but the boogeyman still looms of us not doing the best job we can do to prepare people through school.

One blogger for the Harvard Business Review doesn't attribute the problem wholly to disparate socioeconomic levels, but instead to the dramatically different degrees of technological pervasiveness that are faced by children inside and outside the classroom.

You can read the full article here.

I will agree that, as a 23 year-old now, high school was most likely dramatically different when I was going through it than it is today. The fact of the matter is that no one had smartphones, fewer people were constantly connected to one another through Facebook, and though the internet still played a pretty large role in our lives, I wouldn't consider it to be preponderant.

Now, on the other hand, kids in middle school have smartphones and access to essentially infinite information 24/7, and I can see how this could greatly disrupt the almost draconian perception that the "teacher is always right" and is the voice of reason and authority between the hours of 8am and 3:30pm. This, coupled with the fact that the people I know who became primary and secondary educators post-college were academically unimpressive, leads me to agree with the author's points that the traditional method of teaching kids is starting to become dated.

Where I live, for example (in the Dirty South, famous for terrible education), a greater number of school systems are implementing online coursework for kids in high school. Some of these kids only have to go to the classroom for tests -- akin to distance education at the college or even graduate level -- and are free to work on their own schedules throughout the day. I'm not sure this is the approach to take, and might only work for students who have already demonstrated high achievement and self-discipline, but I do think it is at least a step in the right direction.

But the author also suggests that we dilute the prototypical public school curriculum of math, science, social studies, and english courses in favor of classes that kids want to take (the author claiming that these courses include computer science, business, and other marketable disciplines). To what degree can this be diluted before kids really do begin to no longer be "well-rounded"? I have always been of the belief that, in college, everyone should have to take courses in the liberal arts (i.e. through a core curriculum) because those courses teach us to think critically and abstractly about many different problems and questions -- I think this applies to a degree to primary and secondary education too. What do you guys think?

What do you all make of all this? Transition the classroom to the interwebs, or keep it old-fashioned and force up those artificially high ADHD rates? No but seriously, why does everyone have ADHD now?

Thanks for reading.

"An intellectual is a man who takes more words than necessary to tell more than he knows." - Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Comments

MonkeyMath's picture

This is ridiculous. To fix

CO
(Baboon, 139
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 10:58am

This is ridiculous. To fix American schools you've got to pay teachers a competitive wage (which doesn't mean just a raise, I mean competition) and force students to be in school ALL YEAR 'ROUND, particularly in disadvantaged areas where going home means exposure to drugs, gang-bangers and other illicit activities.

tyrets's picture

I think the other problem

ST
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:05am

I think the other problem besides the fact that the pay is the biggest deterrant for teachers is that our education system is geared for the SLOWEST kid in the classroom. I think this is the biggest thing that has to be changed. I used to get in trouble all the time in grade school because I grasped everything immediately and the teacher had to spend 30 of the remaining 45 minutes of time teaching everyone else. I'd get bored and cause trouble. I used to even finish the tests of the kids next to me so I'd have someone to play with, so to speak.

The structure needs to change, but I have no idea how to do it or even how to suggest it.

melvvvar's picture

tyrets: I think the other

(King Kong, 1,693
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:11am
tyrets:

I think the other problem besides the fact that the pay is the biggest deterrant for teachers is that our education system is geared for the SLOWEST kid in the classroom. I think this is the biggest thing that has to be changed. I used to get in trouble all the time in grade school because I grasped everything immediately and the teacher had to spend 30 of the remaining 45 minutes of time teaching everyone else. I'd get bored and cause trouble. I used to even finish the tests of the kids next to me so I'd have someone to play with, so to speak.

The structure needs to change, but I have no idea how to do it or even how to suggest it.

yep. having tailored curricula would solve this problem and FAST.

SirTradesaLot's picture

For better students, you need

 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:12am

For better students, you need better parents.

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BlackHat's picture

SirTradesaLot: For better

HF
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:15am
SirTradesaLot:

For better students, you need better parents.

I hate victims who respect their executioners

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MonkeyMath's picture

SirTradesaLot: For better

CO
(Baboon, 139
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:20am
SirTradesaLot:

For better students, you need better parents.

No that's wrong (unless you are referring to genetics, in which case yes, you're right, intelligence is hereditary).

For our education system to be fair you need a system that to the greatest extend possible transcends bad parenting (or good parenting) or rather any disadvantage not related to intellect for that matter. School all day, required extracurricular or extra help. This also relates to pay; as it stands you cannot support equal pay for someone who works only 1/2 a year and 6 hours a day.

That_Aston's picture

Last time I checked, teaching

CF
(Gorilla, 574
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:25am

Last time I checked, teaching is a public service. Ironically enough, these teachers are more concerned about their pensions than the long term well being of the students.

Here to learn and hopefully pass on some knowledge as well. SB if I helped.

melvvvar's picture

the system is in its current

(King Kong, 1,693
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:26am

the system is in its current shape because americans spend on education like they do on everything else: like cheapskate assholes who want quality but don't want to pay for it, and then piss and bitch about it. like the average moron complaining about the shitty quality of their chicom-made walmart crap, but then they refuse to pay a few dollars more for a product made by their neighbors right here in america.

you get what you pay for, assholes. that's an iron law of life.

SirTradesaLot's picture

If the parents don't care

 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:27am

If the parents don't care about the student's progress, all other efforts will largely be wasted.

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All American Reject's picture

BlackHat: SirTradesaLot: Fo

CF
(Baboon, 105
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:29am
BlackHat:
SirTradesaLot:

For better students, you need better parents.

The chicken or the egg? Which do we fix first.

melvvvar's picture

All American

(King Kong, 1,693
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:30am
All American Reject:
BlackHat:
SirTradesaLot:

For better students, you need better parents.

The chicken or the egg? Which do we fix first.

what's so chicken/egg about this? of course you fix the parents to fix the kids. how does fixing the kids fix the parents?

All American Reject's picture

melvvvar: the system is in

CF
(Baboon, 105
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:31am
melvvvar:

the system is in its current shape because americans spend on education like they do on everything else: like cheapskate assholes who want quality but don't want to pay for it, and then piss and bitch about it. like the average moron complaining about the shitty quality of their chicom-made walmart crap, but then they refuse to pay a few dollars more for a product made by their neighbors right here in america.

you get what you pay for, assholes. that's an iron law of life.

We have been paying exponentially more and our quality has not improved. We've tried throwing money at the problem and it isn't working.

melvvvar's picture

All American

(King Kong, 1,693
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:34am
All American Reject:
melvvvar:

the system is in its current shape because americans spend on education like they do on everything else: like cheapskate assholes who want quality but don't want to pay for it, and then piss and bitch about it. like the average moron complaining about the shitty quality of their chicom-made walmart crap, but then they refuse to pay a few dollars more for a product made by their neighbors right here in america.

you get what you pay for, assholes. that's an iron law of life.

We have been paying exponentially more and our quality has not improved. We've tried throwing money at the problem and it isn't working.

agreed. but we have been feeding the tail and not the tooth. all that money has been dumped on administrators and equ,ipment, when what you need are good teachers. triple their salaries and you will attract better brains.

the other part of "spending" is parents spending time disciplining their little bastards before dumping them on the system. you can't teach when your little fucker is so much of an ADHD disruptive cocksucker that he destroys the learning environment for everyone else.

freeloader's picture

That_Aston: Last time I

PE
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:35am
That_Aston:

Last time I checked, teaching is a public service. Ironically enough, these teachers are more concerned about their pensions than the long term well being of the students.

That attitude is probably a strong contributor to why teaching attracts the lowest competency talent. Teaching is an investment into a nation's economic and political stability. The teaching profession should be incentivized to attract the best and brightest - lots of latitude in lesson planning and day-to-day execution, high entry level salaries, better defined performance metrics.

All American Reject's picture

melvvvar: All American

CF
(Baboon, 105
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:35am
melvvvar:
All American Reject:
BlackHat:
SirTradesaLot:

For better students, you need better parents.

The chicken or the egg? Which do we fix first.

what's so chicken/egg about this? of course you fix the parents to fix the kids. how does fixing the kids fix the parents?

They become tomorrows shitty parents obviously, sometimes while still in highschool. Given that the parents are already established, you're less likely to change their parenting styles now.

melvvvar's picture

All American

(King Kong, 1,693
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:36am
protectedclass's picture

OP: I don't think you know

 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:42am
prospie's picture

melvvvar: All American

(King Kong, 1,680
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:47am

Financial Modeling Training
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TNA's picture

You can lead a horse to

O
(Human, 13,531
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:49am

MSF Website
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KozzAndEffect's picture

There needs to be a

(Monkey, 30
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:51am
melvvvar's picture

TNA: You can lead a horse to

(King Kong, 1,693
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:51am
Addinator's picture

Vontropnats: Regardless of

ST
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:53am

Contact: [email protected]
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melvvvar's picture

the problem is that we are

(King Kong, 1,693
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 11:58am
seedy underbelly's picture

SirTradesaLot: For better

IB
(King Kong, 1,090
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 12:02pm
seedy underbelly's picture

.

IB
(King Kong, 1,090
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 12:02pm
txjustin's picture

The Department of Education

O
(Neanderthal, 2,447
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 12:08pm
That_Aston's picture

KozzAndEffect: There needs to

CF
(Gorilla, 574
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 12:25pm

Here to learn and hopefully pass on some knowledge as well. SB if I helped.

Going Concern's picture

the fact that teachers arent

(King Kong, 1,702
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 12:41pm

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

kidflash's picture

I think you just need magnet

IB
(Gorilla, 684
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 12:41pm
leveragealltheway's picture

Frankly, the biggest problem

CF
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 12:43pm

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

mperit01's picture

I honestly believe teachers

ER
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 12:43pm
leveragealltheway's picture

mperit01: I honestly believe

CF
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 12:56pm

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

TNA's picture

Here is an interesting idea.

O
(Human, 13,531
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 1:06pm

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adapt or die's picture

My gf is a teacher at a bad

(King Kong, 1,233
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 1:31pm
crazylikeafox's picture

I'm not sure if this has been

HF
(Chimp, 13
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 1:37pm

“We are buried beneath the weight of information, which is being confused with knowledge; quantity is being confused with abundance and wealth with happiness. We are monkeys with money and guns.”

SirTradesaLot's picture

adapt or die: they allocated

 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 2:02pm

Turbo leverage for capital explosion -- BD Capital

My WSO Blog

Anomanderis's picture

TNA: Here is an interesting

ST
(Orangutan, 357
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 2:07pm

But Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rhaegar fought nobly, Rhaegar fought bravely.

And Rhaegar died.

TechBanking's picture

adapt or die: The best and

EN
(King Kong, 1,115
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 2:11pm
TNA's picture

Anomanderis: TNA: Here is

O
(Human, 13,531
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 2:19pm

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SirTradesaLot's picture

TNA: I am of the mindset that

 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 2:27pm

Turbo leverage for capital explosion -- BD Capital

My WSO Blog

TNA's picture

SirTradesaLot: TNA: I am of

O
(Human, 13,531
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 2:30pm

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Mr. Hansen's picture

Am I alone in thinking

(Gorilla, 519
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 2:39pm
West Coast rainmaker's picture

TNA: SirTradesaLot: TNA:

ER
(Neanderthal, 2,072
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 2:44pm
SirTradesaLot's picture

Mr. Hansen: Am I alone in

 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 2:46pm

Turbo leverage for capital explosion -- BD Capital

My WSO Blog

Ron Paul's picture

for better students, you need

 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 2:51pm
Aspirant21's picture

SirTradesaLot: TNA: I am of

CF
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 3:05pm
droking7's picture

I've always believed in $

ST
(Baboon, 166
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 3:31pm

Suck my black ****.

TNA's picture

You know what is cheaper than

O
(Human, 13,531
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 3:33pm

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TNA's picture

Side note. Anyone read

O
(Human, 13,531
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 3:37pm

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Going Concern's picture

TNA: You know what is cheaper

(King Kong, 1,702
 
Points)
 on 8/27/12 at 3:38pm

And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time

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