It always gets me when we compare our education system to other countries. We are not playing on a level playing field. Other countries can track and remove students in ways that we cannot. In some of these countries students are identified by middle school age if they will continue on a college course or begin being trainged in more of a vocational training path. So we are comparing our whole to their top part.

 

Then why not change our systems? We only do it this way because we choose to.

Couldn't agree more, but I would add that health/PE and nutrition also need to be taught more. Not just for the sake of being prepared for college, but to prepare you for life. At some point the kids need to shift from Ultimate Frisbee to the importance of exercise and nutrition.

 

We stress nutrition and life long sports at our school in the health/PE classes.

I find the Pearson Education comment to be interesting...my wife for a rival company.

We stress nutrition and life long sports at our school in the health/PE classes.

 

That's great. I wish more would do so.

That's great. I wish more would do so.

 

I've set in the last couple of times PE/ health had interviews and that is one of my questions is "what lifelong sports can you teach the students?"

Here is an interesting read: Randy Turner: A Warning to Young People: Don't Become a Teacher

Here is an interesting read: Randy Turner: A Warning to Young People: Don't Become a Teacher

 

Very good article. I will be sharing this with other.

Despite the ever increasing technology at our disposal, business and technology teachers are on the decline. You'd be amazed at how many TEACHERS, not just students, don't even know past the basic applications of Microsoft Office programs. Talking Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher, etc. These are invaluable programs that teachers and students must know. Not only that, but I am fairly certain there is a certain amount of money granted to schools for each student that is "college ready" and then a different amount of money given per student that is certified in the use of Microsoft Office Programs, and the latter is significantly less. So that in itself shows the de-emphasis on those programs.

 

Also, would it kill schools to have a "Financial Literacy" class? I'm not talking anything crazy, but an alarming amount of 18 and 19 year old kids don't know about checking and savings accounts. They don't know how to fill out a check or in some cases what it means to overdraft an account! Credit scores! These are all things that are useful in living an everyday life outside of school that go by the wayside so that we can teach kids how to do logarithms (and other random subjects) because it's on the common core! Lets use some common sense here and prepare kids!