2 of 3 Oregon HS students graduate

[Stomper]

geez... are you running for public office or soemthing? LOL!!!

What you propose will lead to cheating and "cooking the books", as the "no child left behind" already makes certain schools and districts do that in order to mainitain their funding. Besides that, I have a hard time with the concept of "paying extra" to someone for something they SHOULD be doing in the first place... let alone already getting paid to do it. I keep it simple for my kids... I tell them if they do what's expected of them to the best of their abilities... they get to live.

 

[coastal steelheader]

I get so tired of the mind set that it's "always the teachers/systems fault" line of crapola. Are there schools or teachers that are not doing a good job? Undeniably yes. But there is responsibility on the part of students and parents. The issue of kids not graduating is far, FAR more complex than just pointing fingers at the "liberal teacher unions". A teacher can't make a kid learn or come to class or do anything. Heck, even a kid being aggressive towards teachers or other students isn't necessarily reason enough for a teacher to physically intervene.

Also, the funding comment is crapola. It's much more complex than just throwing out the money issue.

BTW, if you were a public school student you obviously didn't pay attention in class. Your sentence structure is poor and it should be " a very" rather than "avery". Also, its should be it's as in it is. If you're a home schooler do you really think you should be commenting on public education?????

I wish the NEA would do something to get rid of the bad and or burnt out teachers out there. I know its not totally the unions fault that there are bad apples, but it sure seems they get butt hurt when the topic of firing them is brought up.

 

[coastal steelheader]

geez... are you running for public office or soemthing? LOL!!!

What you propose will lead to cheating and "cooking the books", as the "no child left behind" already makes certain schools and districts do that in order to mainitain their funding. Besides that, I have a hard time with the concept of "paying extra" to someone for something they SHOULD be doing in the first place... let alone already getting paid to do it. I keep it simple for my kids... I tell them if they do what's expected of them to the best of their abilities... they get to live.

Well I think I'd do as good or better job than our current Governor. Then again so could the average circus chimp.

There's nothing wrong with rewarding a person who has done an excellent job by giving them a bonus, and I'll stick to that one til my dying day.
I do see where your coming from about cooking the books though. Thankfully there are plenty of people smarter than I am who could come up with a better mousetrap.

 

[Kevatc]

I currently have five kids in the public education system (with one HS graduate). Me and the wife are VERY involved in what's going on with our kids' education and performance, attitudes and behaviors. I always push my kids to do their best and not "settle" for a just passing grade. All of my kids can easily sail through the work given them with straight A's... if they want to. The main battle we have and the BIG lesson they are going through at the moment is TIME MANAGEMENT. So many Facebook entries and video games... so little time.

I have one kid who is in the dog house with me because he got a B+ in a particular class, but the teacher comments said he didn't turn in his assignments regularly... NOT GOOD ENOUGH. He had a hard time wrapping his brain around why I was peeved at him, and I explained it like this... I'm one of the best at what I do at work, but if I only did what I do when I felt like it and still expect to get paid regularly, my boss would fire me. I also told him that having the best time or getting the high score on the XBox-360, having a zillion friends on Facebook, or texting and PM-ing on the computer DO NOT go on a job resume.

I have another kid who got a C+ in Geometry and I'm quite pleased with him. He dragged his arse to "Saturday School" for several weeks, went to school early, stayed after school... he did the best he could and raised his grade from an F to a C+... and that is ALL I have ever asked (told actually) my kids to do... their best. Some parents are too busy trying to be their kids' "friends", some parents just don't give a rip, and I believe MOST parents are just to beat trying to make a living that they have nothing left when they get home and lose sight of things.

The teachers are generally caught in the middle as public education has been co-opted into a political instrument, plain and simple. The teachers don't get to "choose" what they teach, they are dictated to on WHAT they will teach, HOW they will teach it, and WHEN they will teach it. A lot of the curriculum has been dumbed down to the lowest common denominator because of the "no child left behind" crapola.

Parents need to step up and take responsibility for their kids. It goes back to the old adage... (figuratively speaking) my kids are more afraid of the "wrath of Dad" than they are of getting shot in the head by a thug wanting their lunch money.

PS... I went through the public education system, but I actually learned how to read, write and do math!

(Kevatc, how's my grammar and sentence structure doing? )

Great post! Good job on content and grammar. A+ for you. I believe that most parents are like you: engaged and invested in the services and product.

I'm still convinced that if funding for public schools was provided solely by parents who had children in the system, we'd have the best educated kids in the world.

Maybe but then it would be very expensive and only the most wealthy would be able to afford it. Also, it would no longer be public education.

You know what? I would put my kids in private school in a heartbeat if'n they'd give me back the portion of property taxes that I pay that fund the public system.

You reminded me of something I forgot to say earlier. Often there are comments that go along the lines of what you stated with the idea that private education is superior. Maybe so, but would you expect it be the same as or sorse than public education? Of course not. Private education can pick and choose who attends and can have rules and regulations that would never fly in the public setting.

I'd also reward parents who have children who excel in school. A 50% discount on property taxes, and 20% off on state and federal income tax would be a good way to motivate parents to take interest in their child's education. Rewarding good teachers with a yearly cash bonus, and good schools with a bigger chunk of the pie might not be a bad idea either.

What is the criteria for a bonus? Honors teachers and those that teach college credit courses are going to clean up on bonuses where teachers who teach lower level courses like some math and english offerings will get hosed. What about PE teachers? You can' force kids to participate. They will also get the short end of the stick when it comes to bonuses.

I think it's far easier to address poor teaching than it is to reward good teachers. I have seen poor teachers get help and also not have their contracts renewed.

 

[coastal steelheader]

Maybe but then it would be very expensive and only the most wealthy would be able to afford it. Also, it would no longer be public education.

Chances are those who are wealthy aren't going to put their kids in public school anyway. If you force only those who have children in the system to pay for the system, its a guarantee you'll have all the parental participation you want.

What is the criteria for a bonus? Honors teachers and those that teach college credit courses are going to clean up on bonuses where teachers who teach lower level courses like some math and english offerings will get hosed.

Well then those who teach college level courses will compete with one another for the bonus. Those who teach window licker courses will do the same. Problem solved.

What about PE teachers?

What about them. What they do serves no academic purpose.
If you want to solution how about this - if twenty percent of the kids in their classes are no longer lard asses at the end of the year, then they get a bonus. If not we put someone equally qualified to teach jumping jacks in their place - like the school janitor.
Problem solved.

You can' force kids to participate.

Sure you can. And under my system they would have real parental pressure to do well. If the kid refuses, then the parents can emancipate and wipe their hands of them. Once again problem solved.

I think it's far easier to address poor teaching than it is to reward good teachers. I have seen poor teachers get help and also not have their contracts expired.

Why should poor teachers get anything but a termination notice? That's exactly what happens if you perform poorly in the real world, so why should the teaching profession be any different?

Once again problems solved
I really should be Governor

 

[drew]

Parents need to step up and take responsibility for their kids. It goes back to the old adage... (figuratively speaking) my kids are more afraid of the "wrath of Dad" than they are of getting shot in the head by a thug wanting their lunch money.

PS... I went through the public education system, but I actually learned how to read, write and do math!

It's amazing how children whose parents care do better at school.

Even when I did poorly in elementary school, my parents asked questions and figured out I quit doing math homework because I was bored. I aced tests but didn't want to do the homework after a couple weeks.

I can read, write and do arithmetic too. I had parents that would't accept my brothers or myself not learning the basics. I'm also motivated to learn too. I guess we're both public education success stories.

 

[elsie]

I'm still convinced that if funding for public schools was provided solely by parents who had children in the system, we'd have the best educated kids in the world.

For a long time I would have agreed with you. But eventually it came to me that a decently educated populace capable of critical thinking benefits everyone. At least that's the hypothesis, since it has not really happened yet. Therefore, it is in your best interest to help the little mouth-breathers along so they can become productive members of society. Now if we can only get the education system involved in the program.


elsie

 

[Kevatc]

Chances are those who are wealthy aren't going to put their kids in public school anyway. If you force only those who have children in the system to pay for the system, its a guarantee you'll have all the parental participation you want.






Well then those who teach college level courses will compete with one another for the bonus. Those who teach window licker courses will do the same. Problem solved.



What about them. What they do serves no academic purpose.
If you want to solution how about this - if twenty percent of the kids in their classes are no longer lard asses at the end of the year, then they get a bonus. If not we put someone equally qualified to teach jumping jacks in their place - like the school janitor.
Problem solved.


Sure you can. And under my system they would have real parental pressure to do well. If the kid refuses, then the parents can emancipate and wipe their hands of them. Once again problem solved.



Why should poor teachers get anything but a termination notice? That's exactly what happens if you perform poorly in the real world, so why should the teaching profession be any different?

Once again problems solved
I really should be Governor

No, please stick to whatever it is you do for a living now.

 

[oasis618]

57% graduation rate in Portland. Liberal union teachers don't appear to be doing avery good job. Let me guess, its a funding problem!!!

Did one of those liberal union teachers teach you that 2 out of 3 equals 57%?