Do teachers really know that there talking about?!?

[Erodge]

I wonder? Is all there text computer made and text book tests. Are what we learning in school generated garbage from some people sitting there writing bs textbooks. How do we know if teachers arent part of this big brainwashing scandal to turn kids into stupid zombies. What can you really prove. Are the text books made by aliens?!? We could be getting stupid by alien textbooks. And really aliens eat stupid peoples brains!

[Joe Matt]

Originally posted by Erodge
I wonder? Is all there text computer made and text book tests. Are what we learning in school generated garbage from some people sitting there writing bs textbooks. How do we know if teachers arent part of this big brainwashing scandal to turn kids into stupid zombies. What can you really prove. Are the text books made by aliens?!? We could be getting stupid by alien textbooks. And really aliens eat stupid peoples brains!

Did you forget to take your Ritilin today?

[hixofthehood]

...

No.

...

I suppose this is supposed to be some sort of joke, so I won't go on and on about teachers and textbooks and aliens.

No further comment.

[Brandon Martus]

Hey, I have an idea!

How about we post in the correct forums. This definetly belongs in the Chit-Chat forum. Next time I'll just delete it, instead of moving it there for you... again.

Thanks.

[jon]

Judging from your spelling and grammar, apparently not.

[FotoPlasma]

Originally posted by Brandon Martus
Next time I'll just delete it, instead of moving it there for you... again.

Thanks.

No need to thank anyone else, we all should be thanking you. Thank you, sir.

Other than that, I believe that most [high school] teachers have at least a little experience in the field in which they teach. Most of my high school teachers had/have degrees related to the subject they teach, which is really nice.

The great Eric Stokely, former coach of 258 and current coach of 360, had a story about the application process to become a physics teacher at Lincoln High School. Eric Stokely has a degree in nuclear physics, mind you, while the other two applicants (one was a lawyer, I can't quite remember what the occupation of the other was) were nowhere near as qualified, and had very little knowledge about the subject. This story was really eye-opening to me in that it showed me that it's possible to have a teacher who does not know anything about what they teach, practically (though for something like english or possibly math, it's possible to just read out of the book, and have it not matter the experience of the teacher).

Another story comes from the well known college student, 'round these here parts, named Ken Leung. I interviewed him for a school project, and he mentioned the fact that in Hong Kong (where he grew up) many of the teacher have no idea what they're teaching, and that American teachers apparently have much more knowledge about their specific subjects.

Werd.

[MissInformation]

Actually, only the stupid aliens eat the brains of stupid people. Intelligent aliens know the fat content of a stupid person's brain clogs arteries like you wouldn't believe, therefore, intelligent aliens only eat the brains of intelligent people. And since intelligent aliens are most likely going to be the ones to have developed the capacity for space travel, they would only write text books that would improve the intelligence of humans.

MissInformation

<===========>
This space for rent.

[Amber H.]

I had a big long message for this but it had wayyyyy to many characters in it. Darn....It was good too. I'll send you an Email Erodge.

[AdamT]

The real question here should be "Who is the minority, teachers who care or teachers who don't care about what they do?"

Most every teacher has a better idea of what they're teaching then you (harsh, but true). Whether they are a little crazy from dealing with people like us for 20+ years, inexperienced, or just don't care if you learn a thing or not, they still know more.

One of the smartest things I ever have done in high school or college is getting to know my teachers. Talk to them and you'll get more out of your time in class.

At least this is my experience...

[FotoPlasma]

Originally posted by Miss Tree
I had a big long message for this but it had wayyyyy to many characters in it. Darn....It was good too. I'll send you an Email Erodge.

You can split it up into two, or more, posts. This kind of thing happened a few times in the Iraq thread... Anyway, I'd like to hear it, too.

[Amber H.]

Amber's soap box part 1

I think I might understand what you’re getting at Erodge.

When I was considering home schooling for my son, I talked to many teachers and found some published accounts of their experiences in the public school system.
If there is a conspiracy, the teachers are most likely not part of it. So many of them want to help their students reach out beyond their potential, truly learn and apply themselves. They desperately want to affect a positive change in society and build up the generations that follow them. Sadly, they often find their hands tied by the long tradition of beaurocracy and red tape that has evolved over many years.

It’s not a conspiracy; so much as it is a series of habits that were acquired during the industrial revolution. Back then, the factory efficiency model of training, and educating the masses made sense. A higher percentage (of people) needed to be prepared for the kind of mindset repetitive factory work required. Our society, lifestyle, economy, and future depended on it back then. Have you ever wondered why children have in straight rows in the classroom for so long? Such attitudes and methods were highly effective for that current industrial society.

[Amber H.]

Amber's soap box part 2

The industrial model of schooling was so efficient that few were willing to change it when the information age came along. It worked so well for so many years before; why mess with what appears to be a good thing? Also, change is a frightening thing.
Now we have ourselves in an advanced age with an archaic education system. Many want to change it for the better, but find them selves swimming against a very strong current of tradition, fear, and the question of how to measure the results of a new system.

Change is good and an overhaul is definitely needed. However, sometimes change can be disastrous if not done properly. What happens if we go in the wrong direction? Would you be willing to risk the future and livelihood of the next generation?

Just be glad you’re involved in FIRST to keep you sane until attitudes and fears can be put to rest for a more positive change in the approach to education.

[Amber H.]

Amber's soap box part 3
Remember also that YOUR attitude makes a difference. You may be in a factory style classroom with straight rows and dry textbooks, but you don’t have to think that way. The information may not be presented in a way that peaks your interest, but YOU can make it interesting for yourself. Find ways of tying in the things you learn to your every day life. Flip ahead in your books to a picture or subject that interests you that you haven’t studied yet and trace your way back through the book to see how what you are now studying ties into that. So what, if you have a silly test that is graded by a computer? So what, if the teacher doesn’t know the subject matter?

[Amber H.]

Amber's soap box part 4

What matters is that you find a way to learn the subject yourself; teacher or no teacher. Your life will change dramatically. Don’t you go out and do the same thing with FIRST when you need to learn how to do something to build your ‘bot, or make a presentation to a possible sponsor? You go out and find the info and learn it all by yourself.

This can very successfully applied to your school experience. I know because during my junior year in HS I was in a program that made me responsible for literally designing my own curriculum. When I got back into the regular school system I saw things a whole lot differently. Yes I was disgusted that my fellow classmates seemed like drones most of the time, but I made the most of what I had and would usually research stuff outside of class on my own (for no credit). I turned my own experience into a very fulfilling one. I don’t regret it one bit.

Whew! sorry that was so long everybody!

[Ian W.]

i hate some teachers. i love some teachers. some teachers i could care less about.

for the most part, i have great teachers this year, and pretty much every year in high school (i'm a junior now) i've had great teachers. apart from english this year, i love them all. what do i do in english then? being the bad student i am, i always come up with the right answer that the teacher doesn't want. i act all cynical and pretty much oppose all of her views. it actually makes the class more enjoyable to me (yeah, i'm weird that way ), and it probably raises my class participation.

i find that if i hate a teacher, i can become extremely cynical and sarcastic. i think it's a self defense mechanism against jumping out a window in fustration or something . whatever the cause, it works for me, and i get through the 40 minutes of english.