Student Performance

[CattleHand]

Sure all of those kids are failing now but i wouldnt be surprised if those teachers some how gave out enough extra credit to get them to a passing grade. :roll: I think they should let the kids fail and repeat and stop making it easy to get their grade back up. I graduated from high school a year back and had a 4.0 but I had alot of friends who would be sitting at 40s at the midterms and somehow get a 70 to pass and I guarantee they didnt work any harder.

Another problem is how hard it is to fire a teacher now and these days (I'm not meaning any of those teachers out there on this board) but we have all seen those teachers that let anything fly by. They aren't helping anyone.

 

[novatech]

School atheletes should not be given any more slack than a non-athelete. Teachers that doctor the grades should be tossed.

Grades are important as a measure progress and level of performance. Yes, there are a few kids that are very bright but don't do well in a school setting but too bad, IMHO - -send them to private school. If they can't handle school, how will they handle living in society?

Todays younger teachers are excellent!! The sad fact is that we have a lot of irresponsible parents who want the teachers to parent their children as well. And when things aren't working out, they blame the educational system. Go figure that one!! Parents need to be involved daily in their childrens education and if they don't then, they have NO right to complain.

You got backwards. The problem is that everyone assumes it is the students fault, or the parents fault. The teachers or school are never held responsable. The school will always back the teacher. They are getting payed to do a job. They get payed weather they do it or not. They have the kids a lot more at school than you do at home yet it is the fault of the parent if anything is wrong. Teachers cater to the good students the others are simply written off.
What do schools teach that is important to real life other than reading writing and arithmetic. I'm talking of the students that are not college bound? They teach them nothing about how to handle money, get a job, act in a working environment, social skills, etc. Not to mention a trade.
Sit down Johnnie and memorize that history book. We wrote it to be boring as .... so we don,t give the author credit for writing skills.

 

[fit2btied]

The days of artistic license for teachers are gone. Teachers in my district have been told, "If it's not on the test, you had better not get caught wasting time teaching it!" We are currently rewriting curriculum to match the new goals and standards of the state. If it's not on the test, it doesn't go in the curriculum. If it's not in the curriculum, it doesn't get taught. It's like weighin' a hog to see if it's gainin' weight. Weighin' 'em won't get 'em fat, testin' kids won't get 'em smart! JMO as a teacher.

 

[Lammie]

For what it is worth, I wish now that I had gone to techinal or vocational school instead of getting a degree. I have seldom used it. It has opened up a few doors for me, but that's about it. If I had gone to nursing school like my sister, and become an LVN, I could have retired by now. My son is going to a vocational school to be a mortician and I support him 100%. I know too many folks out there who have degrees that mean little except that they had four years to kill and someone to pay for it all. My step-daughter is another example. Degree in Native American Studies from in Ivy League school and she's never set foot on a reservation except for photo ops for her myspace page. She's in law school now and I really seriously doubt she'll ever practice law. It just requires too much time and effort.

I really think that kids now are too self involved. We have made our worlds revolve around them and they are spoiled and entitled as a result. Not all, but a lot to be sure. My son has those tendencies at times and I never raised him like that. I think that kids have never been allowed to fail and don't know what it is like. We give trophies for participation and rewards for showing up. Then that kid gets a job and is stunned when he gets canned for being late. Or they expect you to recognize them when they do show up on time.

I think this is referred to as external motivation. Doing something for the reward in it, rather than doing a job right every day because that's what you are supposed to do. We hover over our kids. We remember what it is like to fail and we desperately do not want our kids to have that sinking feeling.

That sinking feeling made us what we are, which is, or should be, motivated to get up and get going because that's the way it is. Period. Reward? The blessing of employment and the pay and benefits that go along with it. Knowing you can put food on your table and pay to keep the lights on.

 

[Brute 23]

The days of artistic license for teachers are gone. Teachers in my district have been told, "If it's not on the test, you had better not get caught wasting time teaching it!" We are currently rewriting curriculum to match the new goals and standards of the state. If it's not on the test, it doesn't go in the curriculum. If it's not in the curriculum, it doesn't get taught. It's like weighin' a hog to see if it's gainin' weight. Weighin' 'em won't get 'em fat, testin' kids won't get 'em smart! JMO as a teacher.

:clap: Yup. In high school your worth is measured by your test scores. ALot of kids get left behind because they were "marked" and made to feel like they couldn't make it. Some of us get our revenge but it is still sad for those who don't.

The state backs teachers into a corner, so do the parents, and the kids. They get told you have to do this for the state, this so you don't hurt little sally's feelings and this so we don't get sued.

I have nothing but respect for teachers and if more people would back them you would get alot more productive results. The quality of teachers is declining as a whole. It is not a profession that most want to go into because there is nothing like having to go to a 4 yr Univ. just to be told how to do things all the time, blasted for every thing, and get paid nothing.

Its sad that the people intrusted with teaching the youth get so little respect. In alot of cases they get looked down apon by others, "Oh, there just a teacher.." They spend more time with most people's kids than the parents. IF the kid does good the parents take the credit, if the kid does bad they blame the teachers. :x

 

[milkmaid]

Well... it may happen in high school and grade school, but those kids get a rude awakening when they reach college. One gal on my floor failed all her classes last semester. :shock:

 

[Brute 23]

Yup, I hated high school and did what I had to do to get buy, was a "marked" student.
Had no problems in college. I actually have a ton of college hours and not much of a formal degree. I just hit a bunch of core classes for different degrees. Hope it pays off one day.

 

[Caustic Burno]

This all goes back to home it is that simple, it's Mom and Dads fault. You get out of kids what you put into them and what you expect. Can there be a bad apple yes as I have seen good parents with a bad kid but it wasn't for lack of trying. Anything under an 85 was unacceptable at our house with the exception you were studying and trying. If your were not trying it wasn't going to be pretty.
Need to write a manuel I am your Mom or Dad not your friend, it is my job to love you provide food, shelter,clothing and most of all guidance. As my Dad used to say you can't plow the field till you get the mules attention a fine piece of hickory works best.