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I'm starting a educational software company right now, and while I think she's on track with her criticisms of educational effectiveness (let's face it, I went

by gsaines 18y ago

I'm starting a educational software company right now, and while I think she's on track with her criticisms of educational effectiveness (let's face it, I went to public schools and learned veritably nothing), it seems like a supremely silly way to go about proving the market need. Who is going to buy these educational products again? Parents? And who do parents listen to? In our experience, parents listen to the teachers. So it doesn't look like a valid marketing strategy to start and educational company by saying "teachers are stupid and can't teach." Our goal in marketing ourselves is to give teachers some degree of control, but avoid the stultifying effects of "fun classroom technology" by mainly targeting self-motivated learners. Who knows if we'll make it to profitability, but having just attended a conference with over 500 teachers, pitching on the basis of teacher stupidity wouldn't have made any sales.

dhimes 18y ago
I don't know when you went to public school, but these days you can get a first-rate education there. Even in the non-magnet sector. I used to hire kids from Thomas Jefferson HS in Alexandria, VA. They were amazing--but that's a public magnet. But you are absolutely correct in recognizing that you can't sell educational software by saying to teachers: "you're too stupid, so use this." I'm amazed how many people try to do this.
russell 18y ago
I don't think you should overlook parents. Professional parents are always looking for things to help their children. My son was very intelligent but had ADD, so it was very difficult to keep him engaged with standard materials. Administrators often tried to put him in the slower classes instead of challenging him. I would certainly have subscribed to a service that engaged him.
- sdurkin 18y ago
  " Professional parents are always looking for things to help their children. My son was very intelligent but had ADD, so it was very difficult to keep him engaged with standard materials." "The problem comes when parents use direct methods: when they are able to use their own wealth or power as a substitute for their children's qualities. Parents will tend to do this when they can. Parents will die for their kids, so it's not surprising to find they'll also push their scruples to the limits for them. Especially if other parents are doing it." - PG, After Credentials This is why the Princeton Review, Kaplan, etc. make fortunes. Test prep is probably the easiest to make, most profitable type of education software.

by gsaines 18y ago

dhimes 18y ago

I don't know when you went to public school, but these days you can get a first-rate education there. Even in the non-magnet sector. I used to hire kids from Thomas Jefferson HS in Alexandria, VA. They were amazing--but that's a public magnet. But you are absolutely correct in recognizing that you can't sell educational software by saying to teachers: "you're too stupid, so use this." I'm amazed how many people try to do this.

russell 18y ago

I don't think you should overlook parents. Professional parents are always looking for things to help their children. My son was very intelligent but had ADD, so it was very difficult to keep him engaged with standard materials. Administrators often tried to put him in the slower classes instead of challenging him. I would certainly have subscribed to a service that engaged him.

sdurkin 18y ago
" Professional parents are always looking for things to help their children. My son was very intelligent but had ADD, so it was very difficult to keep him engaged with standard materials." "The problem comes when parents use direct methods: when they are able to use their own wealth or power as a substitute for their children's qualities. Parents will tend to do this when they can. Parents will die for their kids, so it's not surprising to find they'll also push their scruples to the limits for them. Especially if other parents are doing it." - PG, After Credentials This is why the Princeton Review, Kaplan, etc. make fortunes. Test prep is probably the easiest to make, most profitable type of education software.