tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post7776072604915475803..comments2024-01-11T07:40:01.736-05:00Comments on The Stopped Clock: Assumptions About Top Graduates and EducationAaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523334580402022332noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-12751735964829721812010-11-26T10:09:57.931-05:002010-11-26T10:09:57.931-05:00Hmmm, so on some level what we've learned is t...Hmmm, so on some level what we've learned is that places that value education have good educational systems? : )<br /><br />Does anyone really believe that if we picked-up the best .5% of the graduates of the nations twenty top ten universitites and dropped them into the Detroit and DC public schools systems things would get "good"? "average"? Not be an embarassment to the nation? (No offense to TP who seems to be the exception that proves the rule, but "wow" is any news out of the DPS ever anything but depressing?)<br /><br />I don't know how you accomplish it, but I don't see much "school reform" that works until you can change the enviornment around the schools. (i.e. make people value education)<br /><br />CWDAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-55418118300813684442010-11-22T13:19:02.639-05:002010-11-22T13:19:02.639-05:00A couple more notes on Finland:
"Finland and...A couple more notes on <a href="http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2010/11/simplistic-manipulation-of-data-paul.html" rel="nofollow">Finland</a>:<br /><br />"<em>Finland and Denmark (according to studies from UNICEF in 2005 and 2007) have childhood poverty rates of 2.8% and 2.4% respectively, while the U.S. childhood poverty rate is 21.9%.<br /><br />Further, Finland's entire population is only 5 million people, while the U.S. school system educates 50 million children with 3.2 million teachers. In short, as with Mississippi and SC, the full picture about populations reveals a "few data points" as being more about misleading than illuminating.</em>"<br /><br /><a href="http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2010/11/u-s-education-reformers-cartoon-version.html" rel="nofollow">Also</a>,<br /><br />"<em>[T]he Finns put an 'intensive investment in teacher education--all teachers receive 2 to 3 years of high-quality graduate-level preparation completely at state expense--plus a major overhaul of the curriculum and assessment system designed to ensure access to a 'thinking curriculum' for all students'<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />In Finland, the country that ranked first in the world in math, reading and science on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's most recent Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) exams, and which Guggenheim holds up as a model for a successful education system, teacher training programs recruit from the top 10 percent of high school graduates each year. Moreover, places for new teaching trainees are strictly limited by the government to match school demand, making competition for seats fierce.</em>"<br /><br />In short, if you are a top high school graduate in Finland, want the state to pay for your masters-level education, want to graduate to a near certainty of having a job, and want a career with decent pay and benefits, a lot more vacation time than most other fields, union protections, and no NCLB-style testing regimen, Finland may be the place for you.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16523334580402022332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-56756505534109993982010-11-22T11:28:28.270-05:002010-11-22T11:28:28.270-05:00One of the things that needs to be emphasized is t...One of the things that needs to be emphasized is the quality of life/lifestyle for teachers. Let's just be honest--10 weeks off in the summer, time off at Xmas, spring break, winter break, generous time off packages if you are in a union (and that I am partaking of this week!)...it ends up being a great lifestyle. I know it's sacrosanct to not be a gunner in this world, but I'm not and I love the lifestyle I'm afforded. Would I like to make more money? As the old Sally Struthers Save the Children commercial said--of course, we all would. But I also like my free time.<br /><br />I'm really tired of hearing the "more money to lure the best talent" argument because I think that quality of life should have something to do with it. (And also, I only really hear the more money to lure the best talent argument when it comes to recruiting for traditionally male occupations, but that is merely anecdotal so I will not belabor the point).<br /><br />I do agree with you that just knowing the subject matter isn't enough. You have to have some sort of charisma, a lot of patience, organization and be very flexible. I accompany my special needs students to a math class taught by someone who obviously knows her math but is very confrontational, impatient (by her own and often admission) and teaches one way and that's it. I end up teaching 1/2 the class who can't understand it "her" way. (Btw, I can't really comprehend someone who is admittedly impatient going into teaching....)TeacherPattihttp://palateofpatti.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com