Comments on: New Nation’s Report Card shows AZ students almost a year behind in math http://sonoranalliance.com/2009/11/03/new-nations-report-card-shows-az-students-almost-a-year-behind-in-math/ Arizona Politics, News, Commentary and Information with a Blatantly Conservative Worldview Presented by an Alliance of Writers, Activists, Consultants and Government Insiders. Fri, 25 May 2012 16:46:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: wanumba http://sonoranalliance.com/2009/11/03/new-nations-report-card-shows-az-students-almost-a-year-behind-in-math/comment-page-1/#comment-210837 wanumba Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:13:36 +0000 http://sonoranalliance.com/?p=5749#comment-210837 American public schools used to deliver a reasonable and "classical" education. It'd be terrific if they would go back to what worked before for everyone. They aren't now, absolutely due to deliberate and radical changes of every aspect of teaching and the curriculum of each subject, and are not open to changing what they're doing wrong, which is why parents, who can't wait around, are forced to look elsewhere for the skills their kids need to succeed in college or the trades. The education establishment is demanding more money with no explanation of how more money for the same losing product is going to miraculously make student achievement happen. We had four kids in four different grades in AZ schools last year - and can attest by hard experience that the schools are running ONE YEAR behind the nation, and we previously we had 6 kids in 6 grades in French schools overseas and can attest that American education nationally is running at least a year, even more behind foreign schools. Which would then put Arizona at least THREE years behind standard international expectations. UGH! American public schools used to deliver a reasonable and “classical” education. It’d be terrific if they would go back to what worked before for everyone. They aren’t now, absolutely due to deliberate and radical changes of every aspect of teaching and the curriculum of each subject, and are not open to changing what they’re doing wrong, which is why parents, who can’t wait around, are forced to look elsewhere for the skills their kids need to succeed in college or the trades.
The education establishment is demanding more money with no explanation of how more money for the same losing product is going to miraculously make student achievement happen.
We had four kids in four different grades in AZ schools last year – and can attest by hard experience that the schools are running ONE YEAR behind the nation, and we previously we had 6 kids in 6 grades in French schools overseas and can attest that American education nationally is running at least a year, even more behind foreign schools.
Which would then put Arizona at least THREE years behind standard international expectations.
UGH!

]]> By: Phoenix http://sonoranalliance.com/2009/11/03/new-nations-report-card-shows-az-students-almost-a-year-behind-in-math/comment-page-1/#comment-210824 Phoenix Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:25:32 +0000 http://sonoranalliance.com/?p=5749#comment-210824 What alternatives to the status quo should we be looking at? Dr. Ladner seems to criticize "public school apologists" and but I can't contemplate an acceptable alternative to public schools that isn't subject to the same geographic and resource limitations. Moreover, whether it's a net benefit of cost, alternatives to public school don't permit broad-based curriculum mandates from the state. Wanumba suggests going back to a "proven curriculum," and laying aside the programs that have inflated the costs of education in recent history. To a certain degree, I concur. I don't think the teaching of math, science, and English is sufficiently revolutionized every few years to support schools being made to purchase and train their teachers in brand new curricula. I've taught previously using decades old textbooks, and I failed to appreciate any failings. That said, there are many justifiable expenses for public schools, reflecting the increased role of schools as caretakers of children whose parents work. (Again, I'm not willing to take a position on whether this development is good or bad, only that it is) What alternatives to the status quo should we be looking at? Dr. Ladner seems to criticize “public school apologists” and but I can’t contemplate an acceptable alternative to public schools that isn’t subject to the same geographic and resource limitations. Moreover, whether it’s a net benefit of cost, alternatives to public school don’t permit broad-based curriculum mandates from the state.

Wanumba suggests going back to a “proven curriculum,” and laying aside the programs that have inflated the costs of education in recent history. To a certain degree, I concur. I don’t think the teaching of math, science, and English is sufficiently revolutionized every few years to support schools being made to purchase and train their teachers in brand new curricula. I’ve taught previously using decades old textbooks, and I failed to appreciate any failings. That said, there are many justifiable expenses for public schools, reflecting the increased role of schools as caretakers of children whose parents work. (Again, I’m not willing to take a position on whether this development is good or bad, only that it is)

]]> By: wanumba http://sonoranalliance.com/2009/11/03/new-nations-report-card-shows-az-students-almost-a-year-behind-in-math/comment-page-1/#comment-210741 wanumba Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:37:05 +0000 http://sonoranalliance.com/?p=5749#comment-210741 That's a year behind in EVERYTHING, not just math. Our kids just repeated the same course level they'd already completed in another state. Arizona's 8th grade is another state's 7th grade. Awful. The cost of school overhead in buildings, salaries and equipment has not translated into a corresponding rise in education achievement. Paying more money to staff who are actually "facilitators" to avoid being held responsible for competency in any given subject is throwing good money after bad. Dump "facilitating," get back to "teaching". Dump flashy, heavy, expensive textbooks for proven curriculum. It's cheaper to go back to basics. The education establishment culture argued that "facilitation" would give better results. Hard experience has proved that wrong. Back to "teaching" and teacher competencies. That’s a year behind in EVERYTHING, not just math.
Our kids just repeated the same course level they’d already completed in another state. Arizona’s 8th grade is another state’s 7th grade. Awful.
The cost of school overhead in buildings, salaries and equipment has not translated into a corresponding rise in education achievement.
Paying more money to staff who are actually “facilitators” to avoid being held responsible for competency in any given subject is throwing good money after bad.
Dump “facilitating,” get back to “teaching”. Dump flashy, heavy, expensive textbooks for proven curriculum.
It’s cheaper to go back to basics.
The education establishment culture argued that “facilitation” would give better results. Hard experience has proved that wrong. Back to “teaching” and teacher competencies.

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