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I'd rather that companies who were creating cutting edge technology (software or whatever), would visit schools more often in order to inspire at least one more

by edderly 15y ago

I'd rather that companies who were creating cutting edge technology (software or whatever), would visit schools more often in order to inspire at least one more kid in the classroom to do something creative with their skills than become another banker or lawyer. When it comes to technical education I think most schools are dreadfully inefficient at teaching children, I haven't met any one who felt particularly inspired by their high school (or equivalent) computer studies course.

technoslut 15y ago
I agree with you wholeheartedly. The problem is that K-12 teachers are paid far lower salaries than they deserve and the talented people who can inspire will take jobs at companies where they will be paid more. The situation is far more dire and my concerns are that the majority of students aren't as knowledgeable of general studies. I would love for them to know how to program but many in the US have trouble even with the basics of US history.
- randomdata 15y ago
  Where I am, K-12 teachers with a few years experience under their belt are making $80,000 per year and up. And yet, I am not sure we are any better off for it. It seems to me the problem is much more fundamental. In high school, I had two teachers who did not teach; at least not in the way we believe teachers should. They provided problems to solve, but gave no guidance on how to solve them. If you ask them any questions, they would point you to the nearest computer with internet access or a stack of books. Despite that, I feel I cam away learning far more from those teachers than I did all of my other teachers combined. One of those teachers was quite adamant that schools would be completely unnecessary by now. I think in many ways he was right. What he failed to take into account, perhaps because of the bias brought on by his teaching methods, is that most people never learn how to learn. Without that equipment, our vast educational resources are not useful.
  - technoslut 15y ago
    I don't know where you grew up but where I grew up it was different. I went to Catholic school during K-12 while the rest of my friends went to public school in Brooklyn and Queens, NY. The teacher to student ratio was far greater for public school students and many did not have good parents or parents that cared. Teachers that live in the cities with large populations get paid nothing and they will not go out of their way for their students, which is needed. I was in a similar situation as you. I had lousy teachers making a lot of money and I came away learning particularly nothing from them. The school itself had protected me from outside influence which allowed me to learn on my own. Most of my friends, which came from the now defunct Jackson H.S. in Queens, have become drug dealers, ended up in jail, died or never went to college. These are people of white, black, Asian and Indian descent. The only friend that made anything of himself went to Brooklyn Tech and is now a medical teacher at Harvard. Even he went to Catholic school with me in K-8. In the major cities, teachers are going to have to be pseudo-parents. This is not worth the effort for a salary of $35,000-45,000/year.
    - randomdata 15y ago
      many did not have good parents or parents that cared. A great point and I imagine that plays a huge role on disabling people from learning how to learn at a young age. I was very fortunate to have parents who enabled me to explore and become passionate about learning, well before Kindergarten age. But does pushing those unfortunate kids through a system that only emphasizes the regurgitation of information do them any good? When the teacher is gone, they are on their own. Teach a man to fish and all that... Most of my friends, which came from the now defunct Jackson H.S. in Queens, have become drug dealers, ended up in jail, died or never went to college. Quite literally almost everyone whom I still keep in touch with from high school is now a teacher themselves. Being a teacher may be more respectable then a drug dealer for sure, but I'm not sure it shows a success of the system. What do we gain from producing a society of teachers? A strong economy requires people creating products of value. Education itself has no intrinsic value.

by edderly 15y ago

technoslut 15y ago

I agree with you wholeheartedly. The problem is that K-12 teachers are paid far lower salaries than they deserve and the talented people who can inspire will take jobs at companies where they will be paid more. The situation is far more dire and my concerns are that the majority of students aren't as knowledgeable of general studies. I would love for them to know how to program but many in the US have trouble even with the basics of US history.

randomdata 15y ago
Where I am, K-12 teachers with a few years experience under their belt are making $80,000 per year and up. And yet, I am not sure we are any better off for it. It seems to me the problem is much more fundamental. In high school, I had two teachers who did not teach; at least not in the way we believe teachers should. They provided problems to solve, but gave no guidance on how to solve them. If you ask them any questions, they would point you to the nearest computer with internet access or a stack of books. Despite that, I feel I cam away learning far more from those teachers than I did all of my other teachers combined. One of those teachers was quite adamant that schools would be completely unnecessary by now. I think in many ways he was right. What he failed to take into account, perhaps because of the bias brought on by his teaching methods, is that most people never learn how to learn. Without that equipment, our vast educational resources are not useful.
- technoslut 15y ago
  I don't know where you grew up but where I grew up it was different. I went to Catholic school during K-12 while the rest of my friends went to public school in Brooklyn and Queens, NY. The teacher to student ratio was far greater for public school students and many did not have good parents or parents that cared. Teachers that live in the cities with large populations get paid nothing and they will not go out of their way for their students, which is needed. I was in a similar situation as you. I had lousy teachers making a lot of money and I came away learning particularly nothing from them. The school itself had protected me from outside influence which allowed me to learn on my own. Most of my friends, which came from the now defunct Jackson H.S. in Queens, have become drug dealers, ended up in jail, died or never went to college. These are people of white, black, Asian and Indian descent. The only friend that made anything of himself went to Brooklyn Tech and is now a medical teacher at Harvard. Even he went to Catholic school with me in K-8. In the major cities, teachers are going to have to be pseudo-parents. This is not worth the effort for a salary of $35,000-45,000/year.
  - randomdata 15y ago
    many did not have good parents or parents that cared. A great point and I imagine that plays a huge role on disabling people from learning how to learn at a young age. I was very fortunate to have parents who enabled me to explore and become passionate about learning, well before Kindergarten age. But does pushing those unfortunate kids through a system that only emphasizes the regurgitation of information do them any good? When the teacher is gone, they are on their own. Teach a man to fish and all that... Most of my friends, which came from the now defunct Jackson H.S. in Queens, have become drug dealers, ended up in jail, died or never went to college. Quite literally almost everyone whom I still keep in touch with from high school is now a teacher themselves. Being a teacher may be more respectable then a drug dealer for sure, but I'm not sure it shows a success of the system. What do we gain from producing a society of teachers? A strong economy requires people creating products of value. Education itself has no intrinsic value.