Zero Faith in the Future of Humanity

[emilya]

emilya: I cannot blame the institution of education. It has changed in the past 150 years. I know a few women (my friends parents) that are in late 80' and one just turned 93! I am impressed with the knowledge they have. I told the 89 yr. old a few months ago, how much I admired her knowledge of just about anything! She retorted, "It isn't me, it is due to the fact, we had better teachers then!" She is right.

And "No Child Left Behind" and passe some idiots that may be in the 'Freshman' class, you are speaking of!

72' HDTV, did you catch the Baseball game tonight? Was pretty good.

My answer to "Be home at nine!" DVR and watch the programs when I can push it into my schedule!

I do understand what you are saying though! Our schools are over-crowded and parents are both working, some, even 2 jobs and it is tuff! pr

Hi PainRetreat!

You are of course right... schools have changed in the last century. Teachers are no longer allowed to discipline in their classrooms and the pledge is not being done anymore. An exceptional child now must be slowed down in order to allow the slower children to keep up and teachers are forced to spend their time making certain that their classrooms can pass the Department of Education sponsored tests instead of teaching what may be interesting to their kids.
I am convinced that we could get a better education for our young people by using our current technology. Teachers must be allowed to innovate. In the college world, a person will choose to study under a certain professor because that person has been identified as "the best" teacher of that subject. Why could this concept not be moved to our high schools using the internet? Can you imagine what would have happened if we had for instance, Larry Sabado or Bill Clinton teaching civics... Ben Stein teaching anything... Bill Nye teaching physics... The kids would love it, costs could come down in local schools and because the marketplace would choose who these very best of the teachers were, the quality of education would increase nationwide. We desperately need to get the government out of our schools, but without finding a way to cut local costs, this will never happen. The entire system needs to be restructured and my proof that we need this is the constant decline in graduation rates.

[DenverRelief]

I watched this great video yesterday about how our educational model is broken.

Very enjoyable live illustration accompanies a great presentation about how we got to where we are today.

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[DenverRelief]

Sorry, used the wrong code.

Here is the URL: RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms - YouTube

The video is illustrated by RSA, the speaker is Ken Robinson

[CanGroIt]

Sorry, used the wrong code.

Here is the URL: RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms - YouTube

The video is illustrated by RSA, the speaker is Ken Robinson

Awesome vid DenverRelief!!! Thank you for sharing!!!

CGI::::::

[beachguy in thongs]

Kids are not going to learn, and retain much, when there are commercials. My first-born's mother doesn't realize these things, and, I saw my daughter's facial expression change when it cut to a commercial. I'd rather have Nick Jr. on, and have her finish the story, then see Moose A. Moose and "Move To The Music".

Visually, the colors on Nick Jr. and Disney Jr. are softer and they speak slower. In Spongebob, there are so many negative-terms and sequences of conflict. I cannot believe the violence those "cartoons" condone.

[elimuir]

Kids are not going to learn, and retain much, when there are commercials. My first-born's mother doesn't realize these things, and, I saw my daughter's facial expression change when it cut to a commercial. I'd rather have Nick Jr. on, and have her finish the story, then see Moose A. Moose and "Move To The Music".

Visually, the colors on Nick Jr. and Disney Jr. are softer and they speak slower. In Spongebob, there are so many negative-terms and sequences of conflict. I cannot believe the violence those "cartoons" condone.

I would say that the violence in things like Spongebob doesn't even compare to that of Tom and Jerry, Popeye or Elmer Fudd... and I'm not even addressing the racism that showed up in the older cartoons. That said, we really have to remember that cartoons were developed for two audiences - kids and adults. - and for entertainment, not education. They often found a way to blend a message for both groups. There were thinks that would appear in the cartoon that the kids would never understand (Scooby Doo, for example) but still needed to retain the younger eyes for ratings... If they must watch TV it's Nick Jr. for me.

You bring up a great point about the commercials, which is part of the reason why Sesame Street retained the audience. There are a score of other reasons, but that is one. The marketing research that went into that show during development was amazing and really is worth looking into if we are talking about education of youth.

That said, I feel that if we want our children to learn/grow we must be involved in their lives. We must be active participants and not expect a TV show to replace the hands on experience we add.

[beachguy in thongs]

I would say that the violence in things like Spongebob doesn't even compare to that of Tom and Jerry, Popeye or Elmer Fudd... and I'm not even addressing the racism that showed up in the older cartoons. They often found a way to blend a message for both groups. There were thinks that would appear in the cartoon that the kids would never understand (Scooby Doo, for example)...Sesame Street retained the audience.

Popeye, I haven't seen in a while. I would shy away from showing a child Elmer Fudd's gun, but, Tom and Jerry are a cat and a mouse. The people in it act like they're from the fifties.

[Burnt Toast]

Popeye, I haven't seen in a while. I would shy away from showing a child Elmer Fudd's gun, but, Tom and Jerry are a cat and a mouse. The people in it act like they're from the fifties.

Thats because alot
of those cartoons (Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, Popeye) were made during the 1950's (and earlier).

[Shovelhandle]

the really good popeyes were the 30s and 40s.

[beachguy in thongs]

the really good popeyes were the 30s and 40s.

So, he was created by an alcoholic, during prohibition?