I remember a story from someplace around Boise, Idaho, back before the Internet and spam came around. A man got himself on every mailing list he could. And literally got pounds of junk-mail every day. He then sorted the stuff that wouldn’t burn. The he rolled up the rest and put it in his wood stove to heat his home for free. All paid for by the junk-mailer’s and delivered by the U.S. Mail. I always thought that he had something there.
The description of when, how, and why education faded to the level is it today is one that can’t possibly be accurately discussed or accepted in this forum. In any such situation, one would need to think about some of the following factors.
A few prominent educators decided the general run of students could not handle traditional levels of work. Course loads were modified. As a further insult, grade brackets were widened to 10 points each, thus 60 became a passing grade.
During that time, the ‘every child must go to college’ movement was born. Pressures from both parents and ‘financially needy’ colleges assured that ‘no child must fail’ and ‘grade-flation’ attitudes became the norm.
One must also include interference from various local, state, and federal agencies with ‘revolutionary’ ideas, standardized tests, and funding tied to ‘performance standards’ per school system. That program was and is not noted for being either successful or helpful.
Those standards were not applied to performance at the college level. Those were considered to be doing their jobs without need of guidance. One might wonder how current output from our ‘institutions of higher learning’ might measure up in comparison with that from 5 to 7 decades past. Certainly the costs have risen astronomically, but has that brought a similar improvement in the quality of the graduates?
And one thing that has never seemed to change, i.e., the attitude of the general public toward the teaching profession. In many communities, the educational costs are the largest item in the annual budget. That alone generates resentment. The so-called ‘summer off with pay’ stokes public tempers, and nNothing said about teaching summer school classes, working one or more jobs, or paying to attend re-certifcation classes, or personal money spent for school supplies will cool things down.
These are not the only areas of concern but they should be considered.
Travel for teachers anymore comes between training courses and trying to get all the household maintenance chores that they are too tired to do during the school year done.
Argythree over 5 years ago
Yes, they love to dream about places they will never be able to afford to see in person…
jagedlo over 5 years ago
One person’s “trash” is another’s treasure!
littlejohn Premium Member over 5 years ago
I remember a story from someplace around Boise, Idaho, back before the Internet and spam came around. A man got himself on every mailing list he could. And literally got pounds of junk-mail every day. He then sorted the stuff that wouldn’t burn. The he rolled up the rest and put it in his wood stove to heat his home for free. All paid for by the junk-mailer’s and delivered by the U.S. Mail. I always thought that he had something there.
sandpiper over 5 years ago
The description of when, how, and why education faded to the level is it today is one that can’t possibly be accurately discussed or accepted in this forum. In any such situation, one would need to think about some of the following factors.
A few prominent educators decided the general run of students could not handle traditional levels of work. Course loads were modified. As a further insult, grade brackets were widened to 10 points each, thus 60 became a passing grade.
During that time, the ‘every child must go to college’ movement was born. Pressures from both parents and ‘financially needy’ colleges assured that ‘no child must fail’ and ‘grade-flation’ attitudes became the norm.
One must also include interference from various local, state, and federal agencies with ‘revolutionary’ ideas, standardized tests, and funding tied to ‘performance standards’ per school system. That program was and is not noted for being either successful or helpful.
Those standards were not applied to performance at the college level. Those were considered to be doing their jobs without need of guidance. One might wonder how current output from our ‘institutions of higher learning’ might measure up in comparison with that from 5 to 7 decades past. Certainly the costs have risen astronomically, but has that brought a similar improvement in the quality of the graduates?
And one thing that has never seemed to change, i.e., the attitude of the general public toward the teaching profession. In many communities, the educational costs are the largest item in the annual budget. That alone generates resentment. The so-called ‘summer off with pay’ stokes public tempers, and nNothing said about teaching summer school classes, working one or more jobs, or paying to attend re-certifcation classes, or personal money spent for school supplies will cool things down.
These are not the only areas of concern but they should be considered.
lordhoff over 5 years ago
Mike?
hagarthehorrible over 5 years ago
Teachers are in constant touch with kids. That’s the secret of their happiness for adventures travels.
3cranes Premium Member over 5 years ago
Travel for teachers anymore comes between training courses and trying to get all the household maintenance chores that they are too tired to do during the school year done.