In fact, I don't prescribe to a bell curve solution. When I was
teaching, which was many years ago, I was a stickler for teaching the
curriculum and setting an inflexible standard. But in the failing
school systems of out-of-control inner cities, there comes a point
where it just doesn't work. Pittsburgh's program is reasonable. It
still sets a standard, but allows some chance of success.
Paul
On Sep 25, 2008, at 9:21 PM, Bob Blakely wrote:
Well, we disagree.
It's clear that the solution that you were part of (and,
apparently, still subscribe to) just (hopefully-maybe) keeps
students in building, but to who's ultimate benefit? Not the
students, they're still uneducated. They're still unprepared for
life. Not our society, it's not getting it's young competent for
adult life.
Further, students know when what they're getting is crap. They'll
never value crap! The school system philosophy you describe,
regardless of the reasons or intentions, has abdicated it's
responsibility which is to offer a competent and useful education
to our young. If it doesn't, it's no more than very high priced day
care for students who don't value education and have no reason to.
Apparently, our public schools, having failed their first
responsibility, have taken on some other responsibility that I,
personally don't wish to pay for.
I attended public elementary school in Rutland VT. and public high
school in New York. In those days (I'm 61) my grade school was
(apparently) excellent, as I, with only average grades, had no
problem entering and competing at university for bachelors and
advanced degrees. My children and all my grand children attend
private school. I scraped and my children scrape to do this. We do
this because your thinking is rampant in public school systems and
would cheat them. Now, many - if not most - of the students you may
be describing may not be blessed with parents who care, or if they
do they can't afford to get out of school you describe. Well then,
it's up to you, the education professional to at least not cheapen
their education and waste our money in the process.
Day care workers are cheaper than educators.
Regards
Bob...
---------------------------------------------------------------
"I don't mind if you don't like my manners.
I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad.
I grieve over them long winter evenings."
-- Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart)
----- Original Message -----
That's all well in good in theory. But there are times when
pragmatic decisions must be made. I taught ninth grade in a
Chicago inner city high school. If I had taught the curriculum as
provided by the board of education and failed anyone who didn't
achieve 70%, NO ONE would have made it beyond ninth grace, and
the school would have become non- functional. Sometimes you have
to deal with the reality of the situation you're confronted with.
Paul
On Sep 25, 2008, at 2:44 PM, Bob Blakely wrote:
1. The mandate of any school system, public or private, is to
EDUCATE our children.
2. The level of education MUST be such that our
children have what is necessary to compete in the REAL world.
3. It is NOT the job of ANY school system, public or private,
to "adjust the truth" concerning student performance to
meet some local curve chosen using rather dubious assumptions.
The standard is the REAL world.
3. After the students graduate, they will automatically
be - in the community, - in their search for
higher education, - in their school of higher
education - if they can get in,
- in their competition for employment, - in
their performance on their job
by a curve that represents not just their community, but
the entire country and also the best of many other countries.
4. It's just not ethical to cheat students, their parents and
their community out of a realistic assessment of their
preparedness for adult life.
5. FYI, the REAL curve is often bimodal.
The result of cheating students out of a real assessment of their
preparedness for life is to fill the world with dependent fools.
The just desert for those who cheat them and for those who abet
in this
process is to later be governed by the fools they've created.
Regards
Bob...
---------------------------------------------------------------
"I don't mind if you don't like my manners.
I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad.
I grieve over them long winter evenings."
-- Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart)
From: "Paul Stenquist" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Based on my ten years of experience teaching in inner city
Chicago high schools, I'd say it's a realistic policy.
Percentages alone mean nothing. The curriculum should be based
on real needs, and the success ratio has to come close to
resembling a bell curve. The alternative is little or no
success for any student. It's a fact of life. Doesn't make me
puke.
Paul
On Sep 24, 2008, at 10:11 AM, Scott Loveless wrote:
OK, so this isn't photo related at all. Try not to puke.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08266/914029-298.stm
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