Even Kids Know
My granddaughter was over at the house thisafternoon. She was busy writing a letter to two teachers that had visited her class earlier in the day. I told her it was nice that she was writing a thank you note to them. She became indignent (as only a 10 year old young lady can) and replied" "It is not a thank you note. It is an apology. All of the class has to write one. Two of her class mates had acted rudely and disrupted the presentation the visiting teachers were giving.
Her teacher instructed the entire class to write an apology to the teachers. She very politely pointed out that only two of her classmates had acted poorly and asked why the entire class had to write an apology letter. The teacher replied that it was "nice" to point out the fault of others and all needed to apologize because the entire class was present. My grand daughter also mentioned that several other classmates asked the same question.
She asked me if that was correct and the "right thing to do". I told her no it was not correct and it was not the "right thing to do". I told her that the innocent should not be punished with the guilty. Only those misbehaving should be punished. The ones behaving should not have to write the apology note.
If a ten year okd (admitted very bright :) ) can see the inequity in the situation, one would think a teacher could also.
Each person is responsible for their actions, even fifth graders. They know right from wrong, good from bad. School should engourge this rather than teach collective/group guilt.
Her teacher instructed the entire class to write an apology to the teachers. She very politely pointed out that only two of her classmates had acted poorly and asked why the entire class had to write an apology letter. The teacher replied that it was "nice" to point out the fault of others and all needed to apologize because the entire class was present. My grand daughter also mentioned that several other classmates asked the same question.
She asked me if that was correct and the "right thing to do". I told her no it was not correct and it was not the "right thing to do". I told her that the innocent should not be punished with the guilty. Only those misbehaving should be punished. The ones behaving should not have to write the apology note.
If a ten year okd (admitted very bright :) ) can see the inequity in the situation, one would think a teacher could also.
Each person is responsible for their actions, even fifth graders. They know right from wrong, good from bad. School should engourge this rather than teach collective/group guilt.
Dear Visiting teachers,
Thank you for your presentation to our class today on the life and customs of the ancient Mayans. I am interested in history and how other people live. I have a friend who says “history is gossip”. What is your opinion on that?
The purpose of this letter is not, unfortunately, only to compliment you on an interesting presentation. I am writing this letter as an assignment from my teacher, who has required everyone in the class to apologize for the behavior and Scott and Dylan, the 2 boys who kept rudely interrupting you. I think she should have sent them to the Dean’s office the first time they interrupted you, but she doesn’t believe in that. I am sorry your presentation was interrupted; please do not think that the opinion of 2 self-important morons is the opinion of the entire class.
I would like to know, however, what you think about my teacher’s requirement that every student present write a letter of apology to you, even if they were interested like I was. Do you think it’s fair to punish everyone because 2 people behaved rudely?
Thank you for your time,
mminnick’s granddaughter
Individualized education! no "bunches' of ANYthing! kids. older kids [like 32 yrs old]. stuff. transportation. the question "What if....?"
Like our Constitution and what has happened to original intent... when the progressives get a hold of it they abuse and twist it. I do not trust them. The track record is plain.
Respectfully,
O.A.
If you mean in any way shape or form a kid touches a computer without severe damage to his fingertips.... I disagree.
It's also interesting that there are some not public schools that still teach this way....learn the basics or suffer the consequences.
HOORAY FOR THOSE SCHOOLS.
And it's called "penmanship".
"Read Tony Wagner's book Creating Innovators for some good ideas on how to educate your children"
Better idea; pick up a textbook from before 1913.
After 4 years of working within the public education system, I can see that change must come through disruptive innovations. I strongly suggest avoiding public schools altogether, using either home schools, online schools, or private schools. No matter what school you choose monitor what is taught very carefully.
Read Tony Wagner's book Creating Innovators for some good ideas on how to educate your children.
Consider Ayn Rands "Open Letter to Boris Spassky" (Philosophy: Who Needs It). If you have children, one of the most important things you can do is to ensure they are not a product of public education. If you choose not to educate your children in the public education system you will be considered elitist and experience many types of social pressure. If you send your children to public school, it's very possible that they will embrace group think, and support socialism. You may think they will grow out of this once they have a job and start paying taxes...some will, many will not.
I was with you right up until, "The Common Core Standards are far from perfect".
The solution to our problem is very, very simple.
What we need (make a list; SMOFs always make lists):
Millions of McGuffy readers/writers/math equivalents from the turn of the 20th century.
Millions of flexible but not easily destructible rulers.
Thousands of post menopausal nuns in a bad mood.
Sit the kids down, make them memorize and learn... or bleed; their choice.
When are you people (and by you people in this context I mean anyone who doesn't agree with me on this) going to figure out that the problem was caused by us screwing with the educational system, so the most obvious solution, at least short-term, is to return to the methods and philosophies we were using prior to our screwing the system up?
I can hear the counter-arguments now.... "but... but... COMPUTERS!"
Posted by marysnow 0 minutes ago
The Common Core Standards are far from perfect. The original idea was to define what should be taught at each grade level in core subjects to create a base of shared common knowledge. This would make it easier on students who change schools. As the Common Core Standards were defined and considered by the states for adoption, it was decided that each state could make some modifications to them.
To really understand the original intent of the Common Core Standards read Cultural Literacy by E. D. Hirsch 1987, and The Schools We Need and Why We Don't have Them by E. D. Hirsch, 1996. The Common Core Standards were originally based on the Core Knowledge Curriculum. See the website http://www.coreknowledge.org/.
The Common Core Standards are not a curriculum. School districts, and sometimes even schools select the curriculum to implement them. In our district, the elementary schools could not agree on the Math curriculum to adopt (these are the math book publishers like Pearson, Envision, Saxon etc) so the district allowed the elementary schools to select different publishers.
What concerns me the most is the interpretation of "teaching to mastery". The Common Core Standards include "teaching to mastery". "Teaching to mastery" means if you don't master the content you don't move on to the next level. The alternative is "teaching for exposure". In "teaching for exposure" if you don't get it this year you will still move on to the next level where you will be exposed to it again (usually next year). This is how some students reach high school unable to read or to do basic arithmetic.
As Common Core is implemented schools and districts interpret "teaching to mastery" in their own way. If schools are really teaching to mastery then some students would be held back in certain subjects or grades. Parents should see some evidence of this happening. This does not happen often in New Mexico. This year the New Mexico Legislature will again debate the law to hold back students in the third grade who cannot read at grade level (social promotion). For the last two years the legislature has been unable to reach agreement on this topic. (In the meantime the reported statistic is that nearly half of NM third grade students cannot read at grade level.)
What's interesting is technology enables students to progress based on mastery by subject rather than age level cohort, but the public education system has found it difficult to embrace this concept. A few charter schools have had success implementing this concept.
Standards are something we ought to fight for ?
I enjoyed re-watching the clip. Tx.
Jan
Post the address where the "apology" letters are to be mailed here, so we all can add our apologies to the pile. After all, we're all here as guilty of her classmates' rude behavior as your granddaughter is...
That was 40+ years ago.
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