posted May 27, 2001 05:25 AM         

All of the postings here I feel have a good measure of merit, but in my opinion, I must just say this:

<~~~~ what he said!!!!

YES! from the brain cramp boring textbooks (if there are any) with interesting subjects turned so dry they become a chore to even read, full of mostly worthless information to the PATHETIC war waged on the american public by the medical and pharmacudical industries...

And, uh.. er.. duh, creative, bright kids can't pay attention in school!" - they have been made to conform, as Randall says, and art, and star signs do not conform! They are prohibited from expression and near void of inspiration.

Yes Montessori... Yes Private School... Yes interview your second gragers teacher 'first'... Yes get schools out of governments control (but not financing) ... We need to figure out how to get the pioneer teaching mentality back into the educational bloodstream, by that i mean not only much more one on one, but one (or many!) on individual needs/talents! With today's technology that is more possible now than ever before. I vote for home teaching (or shared home teaching? some kids have both parents working outside), and save the "socialization" of our children's s-elves to happen socially while contributing to, interacting with and re-creating in the community?

...just a thought

posted May 27, 2001 06:41 AM         

The Animal School, by RH Reeves.

posted May 27, 2001 11:48 PM         

The public school people are screaming it is an outrage...making money off our kids. They don't believe 'wall street' should have a hand in education. The Edison schools are free as in public, and are springing up everywhere.

I didn't catch the entire article, so I am now sure of how they are making money. Did any of your see it? The guy even said that for a while if one is not making a profit they will continue to support it till it does. So far they haven't had to close any of them.

I do think the government has ruined school...like the story said...average is much preferred to one student standing out in one subject. It all goes back to the asinine nonsense of POLITICALLY CORRECT...

posted May 27, 2001 11:51 PM         

My idea centered around property tax vouchers.

posted May 29, 2001 05:34 AM         

I think one thing that could help our school system immediately, maybe even re-inspiring our teachers, is if parents took a realist attitude about it, and participated in their children's study habits. America seems to have left the "whole" educational process up to the schools, so far as to not even be aware of assignments, homework, how their child applied themselves to it, whether or not they understand it, or what they hand in as completed work! How many parents of high school students even know what classes they are taking any given semester?

There is less than an hour devoted to an average high school class (in the US) for any given subject, with all subjects allowed the exact same amount of time. I can't imagine that is enough time to do much more than go over the previous days homework and hand out the next assignment! The "research/discovery/study" process must come from the homework <~~~ critical

The idea of our public schools being run by corporations smacks of weirdness to me. But if we consider as Marigold pointed out, the better curriccular and educational exposure some private schools can offer is not within financial reach for the masses, if Edison schools are producing better educated (more inspired) children it's better than the alternatives available to most?

posted May 30, 2001 05:48 AM         

Homeschooled kids don't suffer from lack of social skills. How can they? They get a chance to speak with so many people under the guidance of parents or tutors.

posted May 30, 2001 01:17 PM         

Grasshopper~ Yes, it's the few in the apple cart that spoil it for the rest of the bunch, and you are right, society produced the gun toting, smack and crack drugged children, not the schools. All the more reason for home-schooling, I think, for the reasons stated above - not to mention saving our children (and ultimately oursElves?) from being exploited by big buSINess for profit. Although, as I stated earlier here, Edison schools may be a better option than what is in place now, and most easily implented (?) I don't believe it's the *best* choice. Now we are trading the concept of *giving* corporate profits to schools in exchange for corporations *earning* profits from schools? I know some corporations funnel some funds back into education, but not on a scale proportianate with profit margins, and how often *only* to those that already work for them, or agree to work for *them* later?

I would aslo like to see the American voters insist "we say" how tax dollars are spent, especially in the areas of education and research <~~~ first project, purple plates for all elected officials>

posted June 15, 2001 11:04 AM         

Wise words, IN DEED!

posted June 15, 2001 12:10 PM         

Teachers salaries should be subsidized by the state........I agree with YIVY home schooling is a wonderful option...the kids who are home schooled don't lack anything...except learning how to be rude.

My son still attends public school because he could not pass the test to get into the other school....he has come a long way this year and was soo lucky to have a teacher in the public school who really loved and cared about him. The elementary school he goes to has about 300 students.

One last note............the parents must be involved 110% in their children's schooling....that's the bottom line....it's a lot of work but there is no other way.

posted June 15, 2001 01:24 PM         

That the 'state' would help out with expenses so one parent could stay home...at least until they were ten or twelve...

I bet the savings from social services, juvenal courts, public schools, etc..would be more than enough to cover that expense with plenty left over to provide better than decent care for the elderly.

It would also cut way back on unwanted children...knowing you had to really raise them, be with them and show results..

It would mean you truly wanted that child to invest so much time and effort. Just imagine how the kids would turn out, all of them knowing they were really wanted by their parents for just who they were..

posted June 15, 2001 02:04 PM         

Perhaps when parents do take responsibility, making the child the priority rather than any number of other things we see parents put before it, the kids can have the best of both world's - public education resources for labs or things requiring very expensive tools/facilities or special instruction (like observatories and human/eco- friendly science), reinforced and expanded at home by parent participation - assuming text books and curricculum are brought into the Aquarian Age and history at least includes herstory.

My own children attended private and public schools, but always had the benefit of parents that did *parent* taking active roles in their education/work and their recreation, not to mention making them aware of esoteric, ethereal and metaphysical things...
~ Uni-Versal Law

posted June 16, 2001 12:42 AM         

You sound like a very responsible and caring parent. I bet your kids are proud you are their 'MOM'.