tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post2892841478073325849..comments2024-03-28T06:53:24.022-05:00Comments on a blog about school: Mediocrity guaranteedChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12919030671050831251noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-26289283683691551852013-01-25T08:29:47.335-06:002013-01-25T08:29:47.335-06:00"One size fits all" is a terrible idea w..."One size fits all" is a terrible idea when it comes to education. Different families have different values; different kids have different needs. Some teachers (and methods) are great for certain students, but not for others. I only have two kids, but they have completely different educational needs and we've actually got them in different school systems (one private, one public). FedUpMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00951858601020687242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-9007818242720637592013-01-25T00:01:18.538-06:002013-01-25T00:01:18.538-06:00Karen -- I agree that schools are not about to sto...Karen -- I agree that schools are not about to stop teaching math, but that they would be likely to teach it differently, and maybe at a different pace, if they were freed from state regulation.<br /><br />Pooter -- Thanks for commenting! Again, I can at least understand that argument, at least if it's accompanied by a recognition that the centralized approach is likely to limit the up-side as well. I certainly don't think local outcomes would be perfect. But you're assuming that, when you make it a winner-take-all statewide (or nationwide) battle, your views will win. Can you be so sure that the anti-intellectual areas won't outnumber you?Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07559356125770114400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-73591370676454596652013-01-24T23:55:21.822-06:002013-01-24T23:55:21.822-06:00Margaret -- Thanks for commenting! Great point; I...Margaret -- Thanks for commenting! Great point; I agree completely. Any investment advisor knows that putting all your eggs in one basket is the riskiest strategy.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07559356125770114400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-68688021317271292182013-01-20T18:57:00.033-06:002013-01-20T18:57:00.033-06:00Margaret C, I don't think there is any evidenc...Margaret C, I don't think there is any evidence that parents or communities would choose schools without math. Although I agree with you that parents and communities might have different ideas of how much math and what kinds should be required of all students. <br /><br />I think it was meant to impress upon me that other (and they do generally try to make sure you know that it isn't personally directed at you) parents/communities can't be trusted to make the "right" educational choices, which is why the DE needs to make them for us.Karen Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13075997477474697121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-53368099117916136482013-01-20T18:13:55.352-06:002013-01-20T18:13:55.352-06:00I think that the damages from bad voters against e...I think that the damages from bad voters against education in certain districts/geographic areas make the second option dangerous and unfair to the children in those predominantly republican/cheap/anti-intellectual areas. Maybe Iowa City would play out well, given the criticism of the local district on this blog I'm not positive of that outcome either, though.pooterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17267556852769572183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-4456064888758504212013-01-20T15:42:44.349-06:002013-01-20T15:42:44.349-06:00@ Karen W: Did the DE member consider asking why t...@ Karen W: Did the DE member consider asking why the might choose math-free schools? <br /><br />They probably wouldn't, they'd just make math optional and better taught. Also, there are enough careers that don't require anything more that arithmetic and the ability to tell time,(e.g. if you illustrate kid's books, how much algebra do you use?) and you can learn all those skills while cooking. Some kids would benefit from a school that emphasized other things.<br /><br />Some others would benefit from Calculus, and they would be left out, but someone has to be, with top-down control. Wouldn't a society of tradesmen be more productive/self-sufficient that a society of scholars?<br /><br />That was way longer than I meant it to be, and now I've posted 2 mega comments. Sorry.Margaret Cnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-47644053714412394132013-01-20T15:34:28.325-06:002013-01-20T15:34:28.325-06:00The first option, while sounding risk-averse, is a...The first option, while sounding risk-averse, is actually riskier. The education of (they would hope)EVERY child depends on that 1 system being right. Great if they bet right,though a system that by nature restricts freedom can`t be all that good, IMO.<br /><br />In the second option, you have to hope that the majority of people will design something pretty good. Most parents aren't abusive, so I don`t think you could end up with many abusive schools, that would require the majority of parents in 1 community being jerks. And they would obviously communicate, in this day and age NOT getting a letter(email/blog post/tweet) from California to New York is harder than getting one there. So people would here about every system and gravitate towards the best one.<br /><br />In option one,not only are you hearing less about different ideas(because national/linguistic boundaries mean something)it's almost impossible to pick a new technique and completely impossible to go for a whole new philosophy of education.Margaret Cnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-47734037984219917232013-01-20T10:06:23.689-06:002013-01-20T10:06:23.689-06:00I'm with you on taking a risk on the second ap...I'm with you on taking a risk on the second approach.<br /><br />I think centralized power really appeals to those who either don't trust other people (or communities) to make decisions for themselves (i.e. DE employee who told me that people would choose schools that didn't teach math if the DE didn't have the power to require math!!??) or who imagine that they might be in charge.Karen Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13075997477474697121noreply@blogger.com