Where does the Mississippi flow to?

[Labontet]

It boils down to teacher's unions.

Most individual teachers are there because they do deeply care about the children. But the circumstances and the powers that be literally tie their hands behind their backs.

As you move further up the ranks, the motivations are NOT about what's best for the students, but what is best for the teachers & the lobbyists for the unions.

It's sad, but it's true. We are actually considering sending our youngest to our local public school next year for K, but only if he gets a certain teacher. I know this teacher personally, I know her philosophy and I know she bucks the system regularly and does things her own way because it's what's best of the students.

However, I'd pull him out for first & second grades (at least) because those teachers are tenured and are simply counting the days until their retirement. They put their 8 hours in and then go home. Period. THAT is not acceptable.

AMEN, sister!!
I know that we have some very dedicated teachers on this board, but I believe that Unions, in general, are a BIG part of what is going wrong with our nation. Not so much the general members of unions, but the people that RUN the unions. I can't believe that they spend their member's money so casually as they do. (on that matter, I am appalled at how our government leaders spend OUR money)

[Nishu]

Then why isn't that same outstanding result applied to being a standard for ALL schools in the US? There's absolutely no excuse as to why any school should not be performing at the same level as other schools. Teachers should be there to teach children how to enable themselves to want to learn more, to be better students and to excel as much as they can.

So basically, what you're saying is that all schools in the U.S. should be performing at the same level, whether that school is in a wealthier, upper middle class area where children have every financial and educational advantage known to man, or if that school happens to be in an inner city or an impoverished hill country where single parent homes are standard and many of the kids come to school hungry?

Is that what you're saying?

This same philosophy should be carried into the home where parents should take the initiative to make sure that their child does their absolute best at everything they can.

Oh, so you're saying that the parents matter, and that parental involvement plays a large part in the success of a kid and that the quality of the school only goes so far?

Wait, that's kind of contradictory...

[zakity]

I don't think that anyone said that all teachers are bad. I think the discussion is about the overall quality of the schools and the teachers. There are some teachers who just don't care and are just doing their "time" until they can retire. The districts can't fire them. That is unfair to the children in their classes. It is also unfair to the teachers that get them on down the line.

I have three children who are at three different "levels". It has been difficult for me to help everyone and I just have three. I can't imagine a class of 30, all at different levels, and trying to help all of them.

I know I have ragged on our local school district. I am sure in our local school district that there are good teachers. But, overall, our school district sucks big ones. It isn't worth it to me to risk my children's educations on gambling on if they get the "good" teachers or not each year.

[imagine]

It most certainly lags behind other countries.

Education in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"In 2010, American students rank 17th in the world."

"Out of 21 industrialized countries, U.S. 12th graders ranked 19th in math, 16th in science, and last in advanced physics."

I find fault with these statistics you can't compare apples and oranges and rank them. Debated this topic several times but will just make it my opinion here.

Personally, our public school here have great engaged teachers. They have to be. They have to prove that all children are learning. They have to prove all children are on grade level or what they are doing to catch that child up. If the child is a head they have to prove what they are doing to keep that child learning. They can't slack off. They can get fired even if tenured.

One school's motto was "Success is the only option" which was/is a true statement.

There is my two cents on a million dollar topic.

[madjen]

I want to personally THANK all of the teachers at Frugal Village for their hard work and determination to make a difference in the lives of children today! <3

Do what's best for your child's education whether that be homeschooling, public, private or charter schooling. Parents need to be pro-active to ensure that their child is getting the best education possible.

I'll keep my $.02 to myself on everything else.

[imagine]

I want to personally THANK all of the teachers at Frugal Village for their hard work and determination to make a difference in the lives of children today! <3

Do what's best for your child's education whether that be homeschooling, public, private or charter schooling. Parents need to be pro-active to ensure that their child is getting the best education possible.

I'll keep my $.02 to myself on everything else.

Yes, Thanks to all teachers public, private, and homeschooling.

And Thanks to all the parents that teach "be it" they are their child's primary teacher or they partner in teaching with a public or private school teacher.

The children our our future.

[Labontet]

My 2nd grade grandson told me that he had a geography test today on rivers. One of the rivers was the Mississippi.

So I asked him where the Mississippi River flowed/ran to. He said he did not know. (Not acceptable!!) I told him to go look at the globe and come back and tell me where it ran to. He came out and told me that it ran to Buffalo. Uh, No!

I told him to sit down and find what large body of water the Mississippi flowed to. Answer: The Atlantic

One more time..... Where does the Mississippi flow to? If you do not get the correct answer you will not get to eat a snack this afternoon. No snack?... you got it, no snack. After a few minutes he said Baton Rouge.

After the famous "Look" that I can give, he finally pointed to the water and said, The Gulf of Mexico. I wonder what question was on his test. Hmmmmmmm.

Lord, help me....

I started this thread in a lighthearted fashion. I hope that it does not develop any further into something that will inflame comments to harshly. I did not intend for this to become a political statement and wish that I had not posted previously anything about unions. I did not create this thread for that purpose. Sorry.
Thank you to all of the teachers on this site.

[imagine]

I started this thread in a lighthearted fashion.

I asked my fourth grader after a long day at school What the Mississippi river emptied into. She said she needed a map.

I said try in your head. "Which way does the river move?". Trying to get her to say south and to think of the answer.

She took her hands and made a snake motion and said "like this" LOL

[AmyBoz]

The guy probably wouldn't be able to tell you what side of the US Oregon is on, but I love him anyway lol...

But, does he know how to access that information? Because, I believe that's what's most important in today's world.

There are a lot of things that I don't teach my students, because as an adult, I have never needed to know them. I'm not going to load them up with useless information that they will memorize for a test and then forget.

Instead, I teach them how to access information and how to distinguish between valid information and nonsense, or biased information. In the world in which they will be adults, THAT will be what will help them be successful. Not memorization of random facts, dates, and names.

The comments about public education and teachers that I've been reading in the past four pages make me want to weep.

[Nishu]

Darlene- you are oh so right about it flowing to wherever it wants to! I have to pay thru the nose for flood insurance because we live so close to it. & the spring seepage gets so bad in my back yard (& it's not low) that I sometimes can't mow until June. Looks harrible, but can't be helped.

I didn't get her joke until I read this. Definitely right on that part.

I asked my fourth grader after a long day at school What the Mississippi river emptied into. She said she needed a map.

I said try in your head. "Which way does the river move?". Trying to get her to say south and to think of the answer.

She took her hands and made a snake motion and said "like this" LOL

hhahahahahahhaahah! Love it!

[erinalexmom]

Amy, read my post on page two- I am with ya 100%

[Debbie-cat]

On a lighter note.....

The Mississippi starts not too far west of me, near Bemidgi Minnesota.

The capital of Canada is Ottawa.

I am a geography high school teacher and Amy is right. It is not pushing all the facts and figures on the students they is important but rather how to access the information when needed and to determine which is the correct information.

P.S. Madhen - I know that song by heart as my Mom played it constantly when I was a child. Thanks for the memories!