Government's Role in Education--Again

[belverron]

Origin.

Quote by: Pale RIder If the government were to actually ask me how to greatly reduce poverty in this country, I have an answer. Education. Not education as it is being practiced now as it is clear that we are failing now. I would suggest that beginning at the pre school level, all of our kids begin getting a comprehensive financial management education. We would have to require that the teachers be exquisitely qualified, pay them out the ass, and require that they pass rigorous requalification testing every 3 years in order to keep their jobs. The students would be required to pass their financial management courses every year in order to advance to the next grade. I would even go for starting an account of 100 dollars or so for each and every student that could be manipulated as part of thier continuing financial education but could only be withdrawn at the end of their senior year of high school upon reciept of thier diploma.

I like this idea, in a theoretical sort of way. Allow me to practice tweakage upon it.

I think that if government is going to educate young people it needs to go about it a different way. There are two types of schooling: the kind that leads to a career and the kind that leads to an education. I don't think that the government actually needs to be responsible for providing an education.

Now, here's what I'm thinking. It's very simple. We get rid of high school. We leave basic education the same with, as Pale Rlder suggests, the addition of some more practical options.

The beauty of it all is that we don't have to add anything. High school courses are already available at the college level. And students could always stay at home and take courses at junior colleges, courses that are affordable enough that a part-time job could pay for them.

So, does anyone have a reason I've overlooked for which we need high school?

*edit* This idea seems so simple that I'm sure there must either already be a thread on it, in which case I'd appreciate a link, or there is a serious flaw in it.

[Jack]

Football.
Parents in the great mid-West will kill you if you deprive them of high school football.

:)

[bishop]

so many people talk about pre-college education as if it really does anything... people REALLY learn when they're in college. and people really interested in investing in themselves go on to school after they get their bachelor's..

getting your high school diploma was more important in the 50's than it is now... in the 70's, you were in good shape if you got a bachelor's.. now, if you get a master's degree, you're in better shape..

educating yourself by choice means a whole lot more than what happens with pre-college students where they are force fed information, imo.

[GodBlessAmerica]

I've been in classes of 60 where people excelled in the class. The government isn't able to ever fix the problem because it's the parents.

Newest generations are selfish, less interested in their children and the failing kids don't get the support or preparation to learn from their family at home.

In general to be a good student in class and do at least OK, you need to be able to.

#1 Attend all classes
#2 Be prepared to sit in the chair and listen.
#3 Participate in class to the level your teacher wishes.
#4 Behave
#5 Not make fun of education and people getting good grades in your culture.
#6 Do homework
#7 Study a few hours a day.

Until parents can bring children to school that are ready to learn, the government and teachers can't educate to any meaningful level.
The teachers unions growing their jobs, power and pay are useless regarding the solution.

[belverron]

... What does that have to due with the question I've raised, GodBlessAmerica?

[Autolykos]

I'm going to ask a very obvious question...

Why does government have to have a "role" in "education"?

- Rob

[belverron]

It's entrenched. Getting it out is messy. This is a simple step.

I would greatly appreciate discussion about the specific issue I have raised.

[Autolykos]

Quote by: belverron It's entrenched. Getting it out is messy. This is a simple step. I would greatly appreciate discussion about the specific issue I have raised.

If the government were to have no role in education, your issue would be moot.

As to getting it out being messy, "it's a dirty job, but someone has to do it..."

- Rob

[tman_ndsu08]

The government has no role in education.

"Life, liberty, and the persuit of happiness".

I don't see anything about education in there.

[G. Adams]

Quote by: belverron It's entrenched. Getting it out is messy. This is a simple step. I would greatly appreciate discussion about the specific issue I have raised.

I like the idea, but it needs expanding.

I believe in Swizerland you can stop your 'generic' education at 14. After that, you go onto apprenticeships, or a pre-University preperation education. I like this idea, as you get the chance to get away from subjects your not interested in any longer, and get really good at the ones you enjoy. It would alleviate somewhat the problem of some people being pains in the arse in class when you start to get into real education, because they are only there because they want to be. It would help them, and it would help everyone who is prepared to put the effort into all subjects. And if you had specialised from 14, imagine how good you would be at 18? You could be at degree level before you start, so you could start designing degrees to be even more advanced. For more academic subjects, this isn't so imporant, but for sciences it would be fantastic.

Of course, there is the problem of people choosing courses wrong for them personally in the long run, but that happens already and people cope.

[GodBlessAmerica]

Quote by: belverron ... What does that have to due with the question I've raised, GodBlessAmerica?

Government can't do it is the answer to your question and I showed you how the problem is with the parents.

[belverron]

Quote by: GodBlessAmerica Government can't do it is the answer to your question and I showed you how the problem is with the parents.

Sorry for the late reply, but I had to say something. It's ridiculous to hold back all students because some students have a bad work ethic or a bad home life. And right now our public school system does just that. You would perpetuate that, GodBlessAmerica.

[Clarence]

The future of education lies under your finger tips at this moment. The future of education is teaching kids first how to learn and then exposing them to the information available on the complex evolution of metal sitting in front of you. I always read books in class. That was the best I could do to participate. Get an A on the test and hope that there weren't to many at home assignments. cause they weren't getting done period. It's funny, I seriously doubt that I actually made the required grades to pass in most classes. I was bored just like 30% of my class. too slow. However; I was and still am digesting information at a rate Plato or Aristotle would not believe. The gov't only role in education should be programs that link the need for a skill to the people who need to learn it. The real problem with my thoughtless ramble is, I never considered the social aspect of going to the same building every day with lots of other people. Many things to be learned about people at school.