22 minutes ago
Monday, January 21, 2013
Well put.
This morning, I opened my email to find one from a woman who'd found this blog through searching for sites that mentioned college instructors' opinions about new students' levels of preparedness for college (as in: they're really not prepared academically). She sent me a link to the work she'd been involved in.
I followed the link, and read the article, then looked through the graphic representation of current college students. I'd sort of known all of the information that the article put together, but I hadn't quite put it all together.
It's an ugly picture, folks. And it's actually worse than the graphics and article indicate. Why do I say that?
Reading comprehension and information retention levels are dropping. It doesn't show in the test scores, thanks to all of the class time spent on test-taking strategies, and thanks to the fact that there aren't really essay portions to the standardized tests. But anyone who teaches can see it happening.
If I were conspiracy-theory prone, I'd swear it was deliberate on the part of the political elite--after all, their kids go to private schools, not public schools. Their kids aren't being damaged by the latest edu-babble theories, lack of classroom discipline, and inferior curricula.
Yeah, definitely home-schooling my kids.
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As one of my (now deceased) dearest friends would put it...Yuppers!
ReplyDeleteSince I crawled away from grad school in the early 70's I have watched and been appalled at the nonsense, rubbish, and outright Bull hocky that passes for edumacation any more.
Many, many virtues to homeschooling. Not least, your kids will learn to think and actually know something...like how to state a problem and then get to solving it. Sure don't see much of that in schools today.
Winston
I will admit that I felt horribly cheated by my graduate program. It was...easy. No challenge. And it was mostly leftist BS theory forced where it didn't fit.
DeleteAnd it's just getting worse.
Holly,
DeleteI once did some work for a college professor long after I had escaped the nonsense. I found he had hung his PhD over the toilet. When asked about it he just hurrumphed and said that was about all it was worth. Further inquiry proved he was Dean of something or other, quite highly placed in administration.
I never cared to hang my own, neither BA nor PhD, because both hold Ronald Reagan's autographs and he was far from my favorite president.
My own grad work was tedious and seemed everlasting. I don't think I read a book for two years after completing the work. But after all these years I feel like one of the last to gain the mythical "well rounded" education.
Winston
I don't even know where my diplomas are. That's how high I hold them in esteem.
DeleteFrankly, I haven't liked any president in my lifetime. I don't like most of the ones in history, either. They've all been too inclined to meddle too much in the everyday lives of the citizens who hired them.
Last one I held in some esteem was Eisenhower! Despised Jack Kennedy for Viet Nam. Forgave Tricky Dick for getting us out. Obummer makes him look like a saint.
DeleteWhen I was still in grad school the big joke was In '64 we got the Bird; in '68 we got the Dick, what's next? Now we know, eh?
Yes, sure been a long downhill run. No clue what could improve it. Maybe Ken Lane has the answer???
Winston
I only know about the Presidents you mention what history has written. The twit in office when I was born was Carter. And he must be doing cartwheels about 0bama--King Putt makes Carter look the picture of competence.
DeleteI do agree with most of his stuff. I just want the government to leave everyone the hell alone. Legalize everything, decriminalize everything that isn't murder, fraud, kidnapping, etc. It is nobody's damn business what someone else wants to do to/with themselves on their own time and dime.
Most of all...get the government the fuck out of schools. Better yet, get the kids out of schools. Leaving a kid in today's school is abusing the kid.