Scathing resignation letter slams education

[PoliticalNick]

This long-time educator has given his resignation in a letter that exposes the current system for a complete failure in teaching our children the skills they need to succeed at anything other than being robots. The letter has gone viral and I hope that it may be a wake-up call to many parents that we need to force our legislators and those directing the education system to return to teaching our children to be creative, free-thinkers.


See letter here...Gerald Gerald Conti’s retirement letterConti Letter

Goodbye, Mr. Conti: a Westhill High teacher's retirement letter hits home with students, parents | syracuse.com

 

[Sal]

An interesting read. I note he has had to adjust the settings on his Facebook page.

 

[Cliffy]

"The last thing the government wants is a well educated population capable of critical thought" - George Carlin.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

That's a letter by an American about American circumstances. What I've learned from talking to Americans indicates their education model is quite different from ours,I'm a little doubtful about how applicable that criticism is to Canada.

 

[PoliticalNick]

That's a letter by an American about American circumstances. What I've learned from talking to Americans indicates their education model is quite different from ours,I'm a little doubtful about how applicable that criticism is to Canada.

If you had children in school now or in the recent past you would know it is fully applicable.

 

[taxslave]

I will agree with him that the education system is letting students down but not necessarily the way he thinks. There are many differences between Canada and the US education systems that it is hard to compair. We have union problems that limit change as well as setting courses to the loest common denominator and lots of money spent on LMCs but not near enough on the best and brightest.
A student in Newfoundland should be able to move to BC and be within a day or two of the same spot in every class. This is not the case now.
Students are being turned out totally unprepared for the work force and have no clue about simple things like showing up for work on time and prepared to work.

 

[Just the Facts]

I will agree with him that the education system is letting students down but not necessarily the way he thinks. There are many differences between Canada and the US education systems that it is hard to compair.

Uh huh. You were saying.....

 

[damngrumpy]

In some respects I agree. The propaganda about sitting in the dark for an hour
is going to help the earth. The idea that we can make our lives uncomfortable
in order to save the world is of course nonsense. They don't want us to save
power to help the planet, they want to sell our power to the Americans so we
should cut back for the big profit picture of those who have the power.
They are setting up a generation of squealers and tattletales with everything from
reporting people for minor offences and school deviants from the rules.
That is the social aspects of it all. When I was a kid you didn't squeal on anyone.
The exception being rape or murder but we were not confronted with that.
As for the learning aspects of education our schools are doing a reasonable job.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

If you had children in school now or in the recent past you would know it is fully applicable.

I have had children in high school and university in the recent past, and it doesn't ring true to me.

 

[Liberalman]

The old generation complaint was a sore wrist the new generation are all thumbs.

Simulation trumps stimulation in the new world order.

 

[L Gilbert]

This long-time educator has given his resignation in a letter that exposes the current system for a complete failure in teaching our children the skills they need to succeed at anything other than being robots. The letter has gone viral and I hope that it may be a wake-up call to many parents that we need to force our legislators and those directing the education system to return to teaching our children to be creative, free-thinkers.


See letter here...Gerald Gerald Conti’s retirement letterConti Letter

Goodbye, Mr. Conti: a Westhill High teacher's retirement letter hits home with students, parents | syracuse.com

It's an opinion.
personally, I see the usual mix of deadheads, lazy kids, ambitious kids, and bright kids.

The old generation complaint was a sore wrist the new generation are all thumbs.

Simulation trumps stimulation in the new world order.

 

[PoliticalNick]

It's an opinion.
personally, I see the usual mix of deadheads, lazy kids, ambitious kids, and bright kids.

Setting aside that there is, and always has been a that mix of students there is a distinct difference these days in the education system. The whole idea of not failing anyone and giving them umpteen tries to pass a test or allowing homework that is a month late to get full marks is ludicrous. It is a sad state of affairs when the schools concentrate more on feelings than on actually having the students learn math & english.

 

[CDNBear]

Setting aside that there is, and always has been a that mix of students there is a distinct difference these days in the education system. The whole idea of not failing anyone and giving them umpteen tries to pass a test or allowing homework that is a month late to get full marks is ludicrous. It is a sad state of affairs when the schools concentrate more on feelings than on actually having the students learn math & english.

LOL, that's funny, you've expended a lot of energy around here doing just that, whining about feelings.

 

[L Gilbert]

Setting aside that there is, and always has been a that mix of students there is a distinct difference these days in the education system. The whole idea of not failing anyone and giving them umpteen tries to pass a test or allowing homework that is a month late to get full marks is ludicrous. It is a sad state of affairs when the schools concentrate more on feelings than on actually having the students learn math & english.

Well, the way I see it is that if kids are still learning enough to get jobs, how the system works to do that is less relevant than how long it takes and how much it costs. 12 years is still the length of time it takes to get to sec. ed., so your big beef seems to be the amount of money it takes to accomplish that and whether they can weather the nannying that goes on in schools (and has been since I was a kid).
My concern is more along the lines of the kids actually getting enough basics to start the actual job training. They seem to be doing that.

 

[Sal]

Well, the way I see it is that if kids are still learning enough to get jobs, how the system works to do that is less relevant than how long it takes and how much it costs. 12 years is still the length of time it takes to get to sec. ed., so your big beef seems to be the amount of money it takes to accomplish that and whether they can weather the nannying that goes on in schools (and has been since I was a kid).
My concern is more along the lines of the kids actually getting enough basics to start the actual job training. They seem to be doing that.

I think in "some" ways they are so far ahead of my generation and it awes me... but I see English spelling/grammar has gone by the wayside. Now for me, my spelling sucks at the best of times, but I know it, these kids don't seem to know it. It quite amazes me when I see a kid that I know is bright analyze a situation and their critical thinking is dead on, but the way they present their argument it appears as if they are illiterate...I don't get how that is happening...explain please.

 

[L Gilbert]

I think in "some" ways they are so far ahead of my generation and it awes me... but I see English spelling/grammar has gone by the wayside. Now for me, my spelling sucks at the best of times, but I know it, these kids don't seem to know it. It quite amazes me when I see a kid that I know is bright analyze a situation and their critical thinking is dead on, but the way they present their argument it appears as if they are illiterate...I don't get how that is happening...explain please.

IMO, they simply have different priorities and language/literary skills are not high in the list. I also think languages evolve so that may have some bearing on things, too. Personally, I think that area needs work, but if kids can comprehend stuff, it's a bit more important than if they can explain what they comprehend.

 

[karrie]

I think in "some" ways they are so far ahead of my generation and it awes me... but I see English spelling/grammar has gone by the wayside. Now for me, my spelling sucks at the best of times, but I know it, these kids don't seem to know it. It quite amazes me when I see a kid that I know is bright analyze a situation and their critical thinking is dead on, but the way they present their argument it appears as if they are illiterate...I don't get how that is happening...explain please.

Our kids have a broader access to communications tools than any generation before them. Presentation systems, computer generated imagery, internet aided research... the amount of information available to them is staggering, and the number of ways they can communicate it is overwhelming. Our schools are struggling to keep up with it. The problem is, with this plethora of formats, comes the fact that almost any information is available in its easiest to digest form, and students are not learning literacy the same way we did. They are consuming such a wide variety of communication that their language will be different from ours.

 

[L Gilbert]

Our kids have a broader access to communications tools than any generation before them. Presentation systems, computer generated imagery, internet aided research... the amount of information available to them is staggering, and the number of ways they can communicate it is overwhelming. Our schools are struggling to keep up with it. The problem is, with this plethora of formats, comes the fact that almost any information is available in its easiest to digest form, and students are not learning literacy the same way we did. They are consuming such a wide variety of communication that their language will be different from ours.

That's what I meant by the evolution of language and whatnot, yes.

(Had to edit my post. Let out a "not") lol

 

[karrie]

Yeah, I came to yours after replying. It doesn't surprise me we see things much alike.

Having two kids in the school system now, grades 6 and 7, I've had to resign myself to the fact that the system is different for them, plain and simple. And some things I don't agree with (mainly the lack of life skills being reinforced in class), but many changes are there for a reason. Many adaptations are there because they found they really, truly, do not aid scholastic outcome. A lot of what I hear people complaining about seems to amount to 'I want kids to have to do what I did', with no interest in the research on actual learning outcomes.

 

[L Gilbert]

Egg Zachary.