US educational system?

[Skwirl07]

Yea but the key to getting kids a good education is good teachers along the way that can motivate them to want to open their minds to learning.

Great teachers can only do so much, it still comes down to whether or not a student wants to learn. I have had great teachers in the past and also my fair share of bad ones. Never affected me one way or the other.

[40oz]

Great teachers can only do so much, it still comes down to whether or not a student wants to learn. I have had great teachers in the past and also my fair share of bad ones. Never affected me one way or the other.

The education process is more than just teacher and student. There's also family, friends, and the whole culture at that point in time. family is usually where people get most of their support and motivation, especially when it comes to trying hard in school. Some people don't have that. Also some people just learn slow and it takes some time to learn things. Some kids are also just not interested in school at all. They need help from good teachers, a teacher that can inspire them.

If not the teacher then they will look for inspiration in other places, like friends and in our current culture. They might get lucky and find it but come on...thats hard to do in the world today.

All the United states education system can really do to have a smarter population is to get better teachers for the kids.

[Iplaybass182]

I think my mom said it best the other day why america has some kids who can't do a thing and some that can. My brother is having trouble in a few classes, so since his teacher sucks ass, my mom and dad have to help him and teach him everything. Then that teach goes onto look good, because so many parents don't want to see their kid fail, this keeps happening in districts like mine were people have the money and time to help their kids. Then the school and teachers look good on state wide exams so these shitty teach pass the qualifications. The school gets their money and they are happy. So when people look at how "good" teachers in our district are we laugh.


Last year I got a tutor for math becuase the teacher didn't teach us a think and it was an honors class so lots of kids got help. Then this year I took a nonhonors math class and the teacher is great I actaully learn. But he doesn't look as good because it isn't honors so you have a bunch of lazy asses who don't give effort.

[RedLocks]

Redlocks, maybe sometime you'll get a chance to teach in both types of schools so you can see why a teacher would feel lucky to teach in a more affluent district. If the realities of socioeconomics and their correlation with IQ trouble you, I consider that a good thing. Those are unfortunate--but well-known--realities. Feel free to research that fact. Here's hoping you'll put your energies and frustrations into affecting change in both education and socioeconomics someday.

I'm eternally grateful to the people who grew up in my, well I guess we can call it less "affluent district", that gave back to the community that made them, or even the people who just wanted to be there and had a talent for teaching regardless of what "grades they got in college". Men and Women like Joe Clark (the movie "Lean On Me" was a story about my hometown) who actually gave a shit about us really made the difference in a lot of our lives rather than turn their back and run towards the more lucrative and easy path. Look at his life, he aimed to put himself where he felt he could do the most good despite the obvious frustrations that would come with the positions. If more people could be like that maybe it would counteract the rich kids who grow up to be G.W. Bushes..

I'm proud to say my wife teaches art in towns I won't mention to the local Girl Scouts troops every week of the year, and I was lucky enough to teach the kids from Passaic, Essex and Hudson County NJ Skiing and Snowboarding and plan to soon take a position as a Soccer Coach for one of our local traveling teams if Maria has her way ;p While none of the above are actually considered teaching in schools, we find it extremely rewarding to be able to spark that interest in children. Maybe something that will stay with them for the rest of their lives, or the difference between getting into county college at age 18 rather than being charged as an adult at 18 and spending 5 years in prison, later to be the same people I remember on the same corner 12 years ago now sporting necklaces of black and yellow beads and a braid down to their ass..

ok I'm starting to get into full out rant mode I'll stop there isn't much point in what I am saying. By the way, no I can't see how anyone would "feel lucky" Really, I don't like people much who come out of upper class areas, they waste what they have, and make up the lazy, ignorant and greedy America that other countries hate.

damn and I was trying to stop my rant, runaway post!!!! Sorry it's a bit late and came home to a house that was a mess lol, ya know I love ya right?

[Dave Byrd]

My wife Birdie comes from fairly modest circumstances herself and grew up seeing the difference that education made, which is why she feels strongly about it. I'll let her respond more later. Just make sure you're not painting everyone with affluence with the same brush. There are hard, hard workers and contributors among the affluent, too, and it was those students that she most enjoyed teaching. It was a new experience for her to see students whose parents were totally behind the educational process, which wasn't her experience during student teaching or in the school district where she got her early education.