What is wrong with our schools?

Question

I am a teacher, and I know, but I am curious if it is obvious to the rest of the population. If you have less than 10 reasons, maybe you should think harder and come back.

Answer 1

1. They are run by teachers
2. They are run by teachrs who almost canot be fired
3. There is too much emphasis on sports
4. The circulums stink
5. Teachers have become buracrats
6. Teachers and students have too much time off
7. We have not reformed eduation
8 Teachers are lazy
9. Teachers are NOT smart
10. Schools are run by the incompetent

By the way the reson I canot spell is becuase of teachers:)

Answer 2

its just an sub-problem of a much broader question: Q: What is wrong with the USA? EVERYTHING the government is corrupt, the people are in a state of disillusioned optimism, half the schools are filled with retards that can't even find Iraq on the map, even our leader was surprised at how big Brazil is, the public is more concerned on whether or not Celeb. A will get back to Celeb. B than they are about the crisis in Darfur or Sri Lanka. And perhaps the glue that keeps all this crap together is complete and utter acceptance, no backbone or the cliche "American spirit." The USA is at the brink of its fall, and it wont be until after it happens that these zombies will wake up and realize what has been happening. But oh wait, no child will be left behind according The Decider. I am sure in his recent polls, "America is great, the schools are strong, and we are winning the war in Iraq."

Answer 3

I don't think it's the schools, I think it is the Students and the parents, and everyone wanting to take the easy way out.

Because of pressure from many parents, (and the liberals, IMHO) schools spend too much time trying to make life so simple for the students. I think Bill Gates summed it up in these 11 rules for High School Graduates...


Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your
Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine
about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life, people actually
have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Answer 4

1. not all teachers are concerned w/ the students
2. not all administrators are concerned w/ the students
3. students don't care
4. not enough emphasis is put on achieving good scholastic results
5. not all parents care of what kids do at school
6. the government screws it up with legislation
7. smart kids are punished w/ rules that pass the ones that don't study
8. studying is not required to pass
9. almost no emphasis on acquiring a second or third language
10. kids are not motivated or inspired to excel
11. the gov gives money per student to the school, not based on the school's performance
12. kids don't pick their schools, they go to their assigned district school
13. trying hard is not considered cool, and thus peer pressure. you may even be laughed at

it ultimately comes down to 4 things:
parents
government
teachers
kids as a result of the three

there was a study done where kids at random were picked from a classroom and told they had higher iq results than the rest, although not all did
those kids that were encouraged outperformed all others

i want to say some schools in kansas have top of the line athletic equipment, but that did not increase their standardized test scores

should i go on?

Answer 5

1.Lack of funds - not enough basic supplies (paper/pencils/computer labs etc.) So WE wind up spending tons of our own money!

2.Less parental/school/teacher communication.

3.Lack of QUALIFIED teachers. (C'mon not ALL alternate route teachers can handle a classroom.)

4.Overcrowded classrooms - 15 years ago I had 15-18 children in a class. Now I have 20-25! (NJ Public School.)

5.Too much administrative work in addition to lesson planning, etc.

6.Run down schools

7.Not enough security (Urban population)

8.Cut backs affecting teachers (removing paraprofessionals from classrooms.)

9.Parent expectations (we are here to teach, not raise your child)

10.Pay scale (steps) do not reflect inflation - low salaries!

Should I go on?? I could, but it is important to see the POSITIVES! I have an impact upon many minds, personalities, children - and my dedication will enable these children to learn and become responsible young adults. HOW many professions can say that? Isn't that worth all the "complaining??!" (-:

Answer 6

1. Teachers and parents not being on the same page about student expectations or no or little parental support
2. Few resources, which forces teachers into incurring out of pocket expense
3. Unreasonable or incompetent administrators
4. Teacher alienation/isolation - especially for new teachers
5. Unprepared, poorly prepared, or incompetent teachers
6. Undisciplined and unmotivated students
7. Too much extra duty and extra assignments/not enough time
8. The athletic tail wags the academic dog
9. Teachers being forced to spend excessive amounts of time on state testing practice
10. Students who raise themselves, because their parents are absent for many reasons
11. Education not being made a priority in the home

Answer 7

1. Unqualified teachers (maybe not you)
2. Teaching "isms" (racism, fachism etc)
3. History books have been changed
4. Kids still can't read
5. Kids with cell phones interrupting class
6. No real discipline allowed anymore
7 Kids not interested in learning
8. Class size too large
9. Too many vacation days
0. No respect for teachers or authority

Answer 8

Perhaps we should educate our educators a little better? I attended university in a school with a high reputation for their education program and sat in on a couple classes and they pretty much teach advanced baby sitting. Parents need to take on more responsibilty for their own spawn instead of dumping them off. If you want to have more money for teachers and schools than stop voting for people who bankrupt the country. Am I the only one who sees the contradiction?

Problem solved.

Answer 9

I can ramble on and on, but in short - the emphasis shifted away from real education and teaching towards:

1. Unofficial hyerarchy of school kids (jocks, cheerleaders, nerds etc.) and not doing anything with it.
2. No serious consequences for not studying well. Wishy-washy, it's OK not to do homework, it's OK to do this and that....
3. Lack of good teachers whom kids will love to listen.

Answer 10

First and Foremost discipline!It needs tobe given back to teachers! I grew up when you get in trouble it is handled right then and there.Not like today where kids run all over the teachers and they have little or no recourse but to kick kids out.That is no solution. 2.get gov.out and religion back in. 3Pay our educators instead of politicians! 4demand more from students other than just attendance.5Make parents more responsible.6.put gym,music,and art back in.7Make school fun and interesting again instead of just a chore.8Find more teachers that truely love teaching.9 Quit worrying about competing against other states or countreis,Focus on our kids.10put better nutrition in the diets. that is just my top ten.imiss the old school ways .PLEASE bring them back!!!!!