No failure

[Walter]

I did some checking at my son's school (he's in grade 6) and not one of the 100 kids in his grade has ever failed a grade. Kids must be a lot smarter now than when I was in grade 6 in the 60's. We had at least 1 or 2 kids in each class who had failed at least once.

 

[Kreskin]

Really? I didn't even show up and I managed to pass. They probably track absenteeism better these days.

 

[lone wolf]

Failures look bad on a teacher's record so they just hand 'em on up to the next guy. That's why we have captains of industry who can't even spell or add now....

Woof!

 

[gerryh]

:rollolicy is, that the school system does not fail kids. It's bad for their self esteem.:roll:

 

[Kreskin]

My daughters grade 1 teacher rules the classroom with an iron fist. If they don't pull their weight they get their asses kicked.

 

[lone wolf]

My daughters grade 1 teacher rules the classroom with an iron fist. If they don't pull their weight they get their asses kicked.

We need more teachers like that. Best education I ever got was in a one-room schoolhouse taught by this frail-looking little old lady who had a right cross that would tame the toughest of ruffians....

Woof!

 

[Kreskin]

We need more teachers like that. Best education I ever got was in a one-room schoolhouse taught by this frail-looking little old lady who had a right cross that would tame the toughest of ruffians....

Woof!

Hers is nearing retirement and would certainly appear as an old lady to them.

 

[Unforgiven]

Some kids need help while others just who trough phases. Holding a kid back is probably the worst thing you could do to them as it alienates them from their peer group and stigmatizes them as stupid, lazy and usually unproductive. While they may have undiagnosed issues relating to their scholastic performance, simply pasting them with being a dummy isn't really much of a solution.

 

[Tonington]

Failures look bad on a teacher's record so they just hand 'em on up to the next guy. That's why we have captains of industry who can't even spell or add now....

Woof!

Not sure what it's like in Ontario, but in NS it's nearly impossible to hold kids back. My mother teaches grade Primary, and she can't hold kids back without a meeting with the parents and other educators/administration. It's the parents who fight retention, and it can get very nasty.

 

[Kreskin]

I agree with you Alistair, in elementary school a person can jump comprehension levels quickly. Our daughter's teacher said kids in grade 1 can go from having virtually no reading skills to a grade 3 reading skills in a matter of a couple of months. She also feels the worst thing for them is to take away their confidence.

 

[jenn]

I did some checking at my son's school (he's in grade 6) and not one of the 100 kids in his grade has ever failed a grade. Kids must be a lot smarter now than when I was in grade 6 in the 60's. We had at least 1 or 2 kids in each class who had failed at least once.

lets see how many of the ones that should have failed, but instead were passed along.... make it past grade 10...... once they hit high school they are in for a rude awakening.....

 

[Unforgiven]

I agree with you Alistair, in elementary school a person can jump comprehension levels quickly. Our daughter's teacher said kids in grade 1 can go from having virtually no reading skills to a grade 3 reading skills in a matter of a couple of months. She also feels the worst thing for them is to take away their confidence.

Some years ago I volunteered in an elementary school for about 5 years. I ran a number of after school programmes, helped out in special ed classes and got to know hundreds of kids. Watching them change over that time taught me that very thing. Kids can grow in spurts not just physically but mentally as well, and confidence is a delicate thing at that age.

I wonder how many kids that had been held back was due to neglect and a teacher who just wasn't a very good fit with the kid?

 

[Tonington]

I wonder how many kids that had been held back was due to neglect and a teacher who just wasn't a very good fit with the kid?

Or due to the increasing work load dumped on teachers. Not only are they educators, but they are now involved heavilly in program implementation for special needs children, front line behavioural psychologists, etc.

If you saw the brand new binders that the Department of Education sends to teachers each year, you'd see how much their roles have changed over the years. Most school boards are setting up programs now to allow their teachers to work and study towards a Masters degree at the same time, in a variety of areas. It's basically to catch up to the responsibilities they are now being mandated with, without adequately being trained for.

But again, I'm not sure on how a province like Ontario compares to NS. I just know that teachers often get a bum rap, and most don't deserve it.

 

[Unforgiven]

Or due to the increasing work load dumped on teachers. Not only are they educators, but they are now involved heavilly in program implementation for special needs children, front line behavioural psychologists, etc.

If you saw the brand new binders that the Department of Education sends to teachers each year, you'd see how much their roles have changed over the years. Most school boards are setting up programs now to allow their teachers to work and study towards a Masters degree at the same time, in a variety of areas. It's basically to catch up to the responsibilities they are now being mandated with, without adequately being trained for.

But again, I'm not sure on how a province like Ontario compares to NS. I just know that teachers often get a bum rap, and most don't deserve it.

Oh I agree with that. I've seen the workload and personally know teachers who have so often gone above and beyond. But like any workplace, there are one or two that are just coasting along, taking home a paycheck and not too damn interested in putting the effort in. It's these people I point towards with my question. Not the average hard working teacher who's calling is to educate.

 

[Tonington]

Unfortunately ehh? A decent pay check and lots of vacation time is mighty tempting to some graduates.

 

[TenPenny]

In my kids' school, there are several kids who fail each year. And I know of some parents who agreed with the gr 1 teacher that their son should repeat Gr 1, because he hadn't grasped the reading well enough, and it was such a fundamental skill.I think it totally depends on the particular school and system. If EVERYBODY understands EVERYTHING, then it's too simplified.

 

[Walter]

SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2007
Scenario : Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counsellors called in for traumatized students a nd teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1957 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbour's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school .
1957 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario : Pedro fails high school English.
1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2007 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy .