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I am focused on getting rid of wooden stakes and having chest and back protection be mandatory at the moment. I will wok on the US economy and political issues right after I resolve the crisis in Gaza.
My best friend is a teacher
My oldest step sister is a teacher
Despite what your graphs show, school funding is constantly being cut or on the chopping block.
Those graphs don't show where the money is being spent either. Teachers unions are constantly striking or threatening a strike to get better pay. In the cases I'm aware of (albeit small sample size) the teachers often got what they wanted.
There are a few holes in the argument those graphs are trying to make. Most notably, If we spend the 3rd most per student on education, where the hell is that money going because we don't score like were the third highest educated country. And last time I checked, classrooms just keep getting larger and extracurricular programs keep getting cut.
In affluent areas of this country, I've worked with kids that have insane work loads. Especially the Asian families. The kids have absolutely no lives. That ain't right IMO. It doesn't require 8 hrs of school followed by 7 hrs of homework to properly educate a kid. But that was what these 5th graders were asked to do. I seriously wonder wtf these teachers are doing during the school days.
I know we didn't do much back when I was in school. My mom only sent me because she wanted me to socialize with other kids. She knew back then that our school system was fucked and my teachers didn't care. Then I'd get home and the real work begun. 3+ hrs of homeschooling every day. I got more done in that 3 hrs by myself than in a week at a public school. Was doing algebra by the 4th grade. Could read at a high school level, etc.
(She could've saved me a lot of wasted youth and just let me practice on my dirt bike instead of socializing with kids 8 hrs a day hahaha)
I guess I just think that Europe's public education more closely resembles our (done well) homeschooling in effectiveness. Kids are there to learn. Whereas more than 75% of my classmates growing up were a distraction and whose parents could care less what their grades were.
The Shop
The girls homework load has ALWAYS been crazy and the class sizes are smaller compared to national numbers. Downside is the girls haven't had a lot of free time during the school years but the upside is they're hopefully getting one heck of an education.
I believe there are two major factors for the decline of our education system (listed in order of importance)
1. Parents who do not provide the schools with disciplined children. These same parents will immediately take their child's side and get in the teachers face for the slightest issue. This is relatively new problem.
Look at any of the high achieving country's and you will see well behaved and respectful students.
2. Teachers union and their steadfast support for tenure.
If you cant fire a bad employee then your work force will decay.
Funding is not the problem.
CBS can't be in conflict with the NEA...can they?
My father was a GM factory worker for 38 years and experienced the positive and the negative sides of the union. He would come home and complain that people weren't working as hard as everyone else but because they were protected by the union it was kosher.
http://www.teachinla.com/research/documents/salarytables/ttable.pdf
I'm jus' sayin'...
But long term, they are bad for everyone.
But to say that the teachers are entitled and constantly unhappy with their pay would be an understatement.
Teaching is supposed to be fun. Working with kids is unbelievably fulfilling. And when it is, people will do it for peanuts. I worked for the boys n girls club and it put me in the poorhouse. I nearly lost my relationship with my girl, sold my dirt bike, and barely could make my bills. But I was never happier in life except for when I first started racing Motorsports.
The love kids have is everything that is right with humanity. I'll always cherish that experience and I still follow the kids I worked with on social media. I hope to stay in contact with them well into adulthood.
My point is, it's the fucking parents in our country that make a teachers job suck. I did it for next to nothing because I loved it and the kids wanted to be there. Teaching and coaching is as fulfilling a duty as there is but when the kids are assholes or don't have any incentive to focus or want to be there, the job is impossible and no amount of money would make it worthwhile.
The parents are just the major factor in our educational system problem. The other is the teachers and the fact that they think they're worth way more than they are. As they say, "those that can do. Those that can't, teach". If teachers think they are worth so damn much, they are free to go start there own business and stop sucking off the tit of the tax payer.
It's be interesting to see what a European teacher is paid. I doubt it's comparable to the teachers here with tenure. But there job is fun and rewarding because they have students who are ready to learn.
Sadly, for our country to cleanse itself and get on par with Germany or other cultures, were in need of a revolution and some ugly shit to happen on our soil. Wake everyone up out of the fantasy were living. I don't see any other legitimae or realistic solution.
Redding, CA. (A small community w/6 districts! WTF!?)
Dana Point, CA. San Juan Capistrano Unified School District "CAPO"
I've lived, attended or my family has attended, participated in and contributed to those school systems. With the strange exception of "some" of Redding...the teachers do pretty damn well. Often, they need to be reminded that they get full-time pay for a job that's got a helluva vacation package...every summer. Awesome bennies, holidays...and..yes...hours.
It's a calling for many. Yes, it can be fun; but, let's be clear...it's a job. It's a career. If you look at the LAUSD chart, circa '10-'11, you'll see they're doing just fine.
The unions are pushing a bit too far and some of there culture, like tenure, needs to change.
I've been to one institution that had tenure...sorta...in Palo Alto. I asked a professor, once, if he had tenure. He said, "Of-course?". I replied, "That explains a lot." It was Poli-Sci. He was one of those ass holes that made it clear that you're an idiot if ya don't think like him. Liberal. Tenure...BIG UNION pusher. I had, yet, another professor for the follow-on course a semester later. Retired politician: he instructed us to develop our own positions; because, if we regurgitated his...he'd fail us! No tenure. No Union. Just wanted to see us develop our minds...openly.
So, that's my experience and knowledge base.
I'd say the only hard part about teaching/coaching is the emotional toll. (Disclaimer: I'm referencing the hard part about teaching motivated students, in ideal conditions)
The emotional toll is extremely taxing. Kids are sociopaths by nature. And they want all the attention u can give them, and then they ask for more. Maybe I was better at my job than most, I just get the way kids think and relate, but I had a real hard time not giving everything I had to the kids I worked with and I formed a strong bond with a lot of them. There were some days each week when I'd be the only staff member with kids. The rest of the activity rooms would be nearly empty and they'd all be in the gym with me (I ain't gonna lie, being the guy who ran the gym gave me a huge advantage over my coworkers) but as one of the B&GC mottos goes, "kids vote with their feet". If they like u and ur doing a good job, u'll know it, cause they'll want to be around u. And if not, they have no problem telling u ur stupid haha.
90 kids in the gym. I gotta keep my eyes on all of them. And take turns going from group to group participating in whatever activity they were doing. It felt great to be around so many happy and innocent humans. But damn did I go home beat every nite. Kids take it out of ya. And then there are the special cases. The kids whom remind me of me when I was there age. Cocky, trouble at home, loudmouths, not afraid to stand up to authority. I took such a liking to those projects. Trying to win those kids over, breaking thru their defensiveness, and letting them know I care....I could tear up just thinking about some of those kids.
So I get it when people say that teaching isn't all fun and games. And the hours are indeed great. It is a "job/career". I just think everyone needs to hit the reset button just a bit. Parents need to start valuing and respecting the public education system. And these damn teachers unions need to be dissolved.
Pit Row
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