Political correctness. One must remember that the majority of those ruining our education system are or were teachers. It was these PC leftards that decided that giving out prizes to winners is a nono because it might hurt someone elses feelings.
When we were kids the failures did just that. FAILED. The really low marble counts had their own classes and didn't disturb the learners. Some of the smartest skipped a grade. Now the system is dumbed down to the LCD. This is especially bad for the gifted whose parents cannot aford private school.
You are mostly right here.
we were speaking about all of the above in the staffroom on Friday. The problem with complete integration into the classroom is that they have integrated everyone...that includes special needs kids who are high functioning (and should be there for part of the day) and kids who are very low functioning and kids prone to loud out bursts and violence.
If you think the public is frustrated try teaching in that environment.
Same with the every team gets a cup. The only ones who feel good about that are some of the adults...kids know they lost.
Also I get the tendency to keep saying when we were kids, when we were kids...the world has changed a lot since we were kids and it isn't doing as well as it could right now either.
When we were kids regardless of when that was, there was plenty wrong with the system then too.
The largest problem in our school system right now is the support of mediocrity. The gifted kids don't lose. They get discovered and they excel regardless. We have kids in grade 7 and 8 who go to high school for part of the morning for advanced math.
It is the average to high average kids who lose out. and thus society eventually.
5 graduates, the 2 oldest didn't. Why? because they were pushed through instead of getting the help that they needed. Because the teachers didn't give a shyte. because they weren't "easy". Because the teachers would have to actually "work" at educating those 2. They'd have to figure out what was the best way to "teach" them. What did my wife and I get when we offered to tell the teacher what was the best way to handle our ADD/ADHD child? We were told that they, the teacher, was the expert and didn't need any of our advice. THEY had gone to school for teaching these types of kids. THEY knew ALL about it.
How did that same conversation go here in Alberta with our youngest who also had ADD? Thank you, we really appreciate all the help and insight you can give. We are here to help and do what ever is necessary for your child. BIG FU CKING DIFFERENCE!
Teachers in BC don't give a rats a$$.
Yes "the experts" and attitude. Parents know their kids. People need to listen and hear and see what can be applied from listening.
It`s a shame about the two oldest. Hopefully they have learned to cope and do well in spite of the system.
I was in elementary school in the 60's and don't remember any kid every being held back.
Thankfully kids these days learn relevant things. We only seemed to taught about Mesopotamia and Shakespeare.
T'wer thou glangst o'er land thy plith. O' cometh we clast do'r Tigris stead Euphrates alonged.
a friend of mine got held back in grade 4...don`t know why she struggled so hard that year as she was quite bright but surprisingly they even explained it to us kids that her parents and the teachers felt it would be to her benefit to hold her back and allow her to repeat the lessons and so they did...they never termed it as failing... I remember being glad for here that they had approached it in a rational and sensitive manner. She did well later in high school.
I.M.H.O. the most important thing you can teach a child is that disappointment strikes everyone at some point and they have to be able to contend with it.
