Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

[Denmo]

This deserves a topic on it's own, to keep the other topic it was brought up in from getting off track.

To Armored:

Don't rate the school system by how bad/good the teachers are. There's tons of other factors that makes a school suck, make kids drop out, and affects the overall knowledge quality. Strict zoning laws make poor neighborhoods have poor schools. You could place the best teachers in a horrible school, but they can't teach because they can't afford the newest books, or the kids living in poverty don't come to class because they have to worry about how they're going to eat that day.

Take St. Louis for example. West of the Mississippi, you've got the St. Louis Arch where the ritzy middle - upper class doing just fine. But East you've got the industrial sector with high poverty/crime rate, and some of the most segregated schools you've ever seen, Brown vs Board be damned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VS9XHbEaFY

Studies have proven that kids without a high school education earn less than those with. I'm not saying that there aren't those cases where some earn more without a GED, but statistically speaking...

I plan to be the best damn art teacher I can be. I believe Art has its place in the school system just as much as math or literature does. It opens minds, nourishes creativity, and builds confidence.

That all being said, sorry if I take a little offense when someone casts doubt on me before I even get my foot out the door.

[The_Real_Crunk]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

Just dont become one of those pretentious stuck up "I am an Arteest!" teachers! Like going on about hidden meanings and how much heart, soul, and emotion is expressed on a painting thats just random splotches of paint. I hate those people.

[Denmo]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

I prefer open debate.

[Jamos]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

I read one of Armored's posts saying something about good teachers being few and too far between or something. Which isn't exactly true. There are plenty of good ones. Unfortunately, there is only so much they are allowed to do. They have to stick to a certain criteria and there is only so much they could do with it. Yeah, they can be creative with it, but there is no real insentive. They have one of the most important jobs and they are given what? A pitiful salary?

[Armored]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

Yes there are many factors, it seems like all those factors stack against students and the situations aren't really improving. Schools are getting more crowded and the student/teacher ratio is so out of proportion students cant get the attention they need. At least where I'm from that's how it was and I've heard the same from many other people. When I was in school the class size was 30 kids, and when my little brother was finishing up, they had to close all the smaller rural schools and made a new large school for the surrounding districts with class sizes much much larger.

I have no faith in the school system as it is now and when I have a kid of my own I'll want a lot better for him. Public school is not going to be an option unless there is big reform, more funding.

And I'm not doubting your ability because you obviously have a passion for teaching. What I doubt is that a few good teachers are really going to change anything.

Edited for below post:

It's creating a nation of test-takers.

Bingo.

[Denmo]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

Not to mention that the No Child Left Behind Act is currently restricting their creativity. Schools have to produce high grades in the yearly tests they give to the students, so the teachers must spend whatever extra time they have in their curriculum to prepare the students for the test. It's creating a nation of test-takers.

[archerarmored]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

Then there's the people who were like me and questioned the teachers, stimulating his peers to think above what was being taught.

I in particular, dropped out because of health reasons though not as severe as other pavilionites I've talked to, I more was busy experimenting with social groups and drugs at the time. Now, I'm in College pwnin' my way back up to my original class. I learn more daily than I ever thought I would by simply keeping an open mind and trying new stuff. Gladly, I quit the more dangerous drugs such as cocaine n' such. I still smoke though, and it's starting to affect my chemical homeostasis.

[archerarmored]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

I feel, and STRONGLY believe that America's educational system needs an overhaul, and a thorough one at that!

-Group similar thinkers/learners.
-Group similar interests.
-Find what helps the child become interested in/about the curriculum.
-Hire knowledgeable, devoted teachers.
-Provide aid to struggling students in the cause area of their struggle. (If his dad's yelling at him, causing verbal trauma, tell his Dad to lay the **** out and supply visual-auditory reparation via precise peripheral signaling.
-Keep drugs the -HELL- out of school.

[John Mora]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

-Group similar thinkers/learners.
-Group similar interests.

What about exposing kids to stuff they wouldn't otherwise be exposed to?

[John Mora]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

This guy in my class that got a prestigious scholarship to the Air Force was nutty as a fruitcake and thought we should destroy all trees and replace them with machines.

[Stormy]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

I noticed that my so-called "smart" friends got good grades,
but didn't seem to actually understand what they'd learned.

One friend thought that your brain was a muscle because you can "exercise your
mind" and that mage should be pronounced mahg because it's short for magician.

This was an honours student.

Thats because your grades are not directly related to your intelligence. I've met such Straight A Students (read: people who do their homework) myself. I'm smarter than most of the straight A kids, but I often get C's and B's because I am a lazy moron with no willpower.

[John Mora]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

But motivation and ambition are the skills that can actually carry you far in life.

[Stormy]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

But motivation and ambition are the skills that can actually carry you far in life.

Motivation and Ambition are for saps and losers :3

[John Mora]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

If I had motivation and ambition I could be making $500+ a month
just drawing for people online. Maybe that's more of a shame thing.

Ever notice that people who suck at something seem
to have the most ambition? Sonichu guy, for example.

Hey gloomy i have a commission request check the playground i am willing to pay you handsomely

[The_Real_Crunk]

Re: Shame of the Nation - Why I want to Be A Teacher

You could make SOOOOO much money drawing fetish porn for people. Theres a huge market for that **** on the internet. Oh baby wait till the FURRIES get ahold of ya.