From: jerryn@glnserv.UUCP (Jerry Norris)
Newsgroups: misc.education
Subject: Re: Voucher Initiative
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 92 14:52:33 CDT
Organization: Vermi-net, Houston, Tx. 77098

hrubin@pop.stat.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) writes:

>
> In article <1992Mar31.192020.5211@clipper.ingr.com> ald@clipper.ingr.com (Al
> >In article <qg8h7INNfti@agate.berkeley.edu> faustus@ygdrasil.CS.Berkeley.EDU
> >>In article <10104@optilink.UUCP> cramer@optilink.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) writ
> >>> Why aren't they that angry at the crummy public schools now?
>
> >>I've worked at public elementary schools, and based on my limited
> >>experience, I would say that the reason kids don't learn isn't the
> >>school's fault.  Many kids come to school unprepared to learn.  They
> >>have behavior problems, they don't have a home environment where they
> >>can do homework, and everything they see around them send the message,
> >>"School doesn't matter".  The schools try to teach, but the cards are
> >>stacked against them.
>
>
> >I dont disagree with this assessment.  I would argue that giving
> >vouchers sends a powerful message to the parents that schools DO
> >matter, and they had better start getting involved.  We may have
> >problems with some people not valuing education, but we dont
> >have problems with consumers exercising choice in the market.
>
> Well, I do.  I missed the original article, and my comments are
> mainly directed at it.  But the mere agreement with its statements
> indicates a failure to see the problem.
>
> I claim that ANYONE who tries to teach all students of a given age
> in even roughly the same manner, not allowing those who are more able
> or more willing to accomplish more, is not interested in education.
>
> The schools are not trying to teach, they are in the business of keeping
> those who can and will learn not too far ahead of those who cannot or
> will not.  There is no curriculum, and everything is watered down so
> that thinking is thoroughly discouraged.

From your last paragraph, it sounds as if you expect more out of school
than you should.

Public schools, in my opinion, should function much like public libraries:
the should be a place which offers the opportunity to learn.  All that is
required of the student is the desire to learn.

That desire should come from home and parents, not from the teacher.
Public schools are just that.  Public.  Because you will have a larger
number of students in public institutions than private, the
teacher/student ratio depends heavily on the amount of support the public
is willing to lend to those institutions.  The same is true with private
schools, but private schools have the option of not allowing certain
problem cases into the school, since they don't have to work under
government regulations.  Also, most private schools are privately
sponsored through tuition and some private grants, so that an increase in
student population is accompanied by a similar increase in funding.

Since public schools have to deal with a mean average of ability there are
going to be situations where the "brighter" student will basically be
sitting idle while the rest of the class, or at least some of the "slower"
students, are busy trying to grasp a particular concept or set thereof.
In a well thought out public educational system, those capable of learning
at a faster rate are placed in advanced classes.  Since these "brighter"
children are placed with people in their own age group instead of being
put into a more stressful learning situation by placing the student(s) in
a more advanced age group, which tends to alienate the student(s) and
possibly stifle their need to learn, they are able to continue the process
without having to deal with the age-gap.

But that is only one situation.  The problem we are having is that people
have come to expect our public educational system as a solution to every
problem under the sun.  Many parents place all the burden of education
upon the teacher.  When problems arise it is usually considered the
teacher's fault, thereby releasing the parents from any responsibility.

>
> Let those who can and will, learn.  Until that attitude is taken, we
> do not have anything which can be called an EDUCATIONAL system.

What is needed is a way to instill in parents the sense of responsibility
in educating their child(ren).  Let the teachers do what they're supposed
to, present information in a manner tha the children can absorb it.  That
is usually a hard enough job in and of itself.  Don't require them to
instill a need to learn as well.  Leave that to the parents, since it will
make a longer impression when coming from that source than from some
stranger that they may know for only a year or so.

later,
jerry.


email address:  xcluud!glnserv!jerryn

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Newsgroups: misc.education