Gunnar
Sr. Member
- Reaction score
- 389
- Points
- 830
<Full blown rant mode>
The worse you can think of the school system in Canada, the more likely you are to be correct. Another example of Pournelle's Iron Law at work.
As the husband of a working teacher, I get to hear everything that goes on at work, and what their politically correct overlords in the School Board are trying to do to the education system. It is appalling. I don't know how she can continue doing what she does, unless she's fighting a rearguard action in the hopes of saving something of Western civilization.
No failures. It would be bad for self-esteem. If a child is failing, they explain to the parents that they are "at risk". At risk of what? It's not like they're going to fail them. Teachers are not allowed to assign failing marks, and are locked out of the pass/fail tick box in the report card software by their administration.
Standardized testing. Sounds great, until you realize that entire schools ensure that their school will get a "good evaluation" by coaching their students to the right answers, in defiance of the established test procedures.
No personalized report cards...no "Johnny was a pleasure to teach". Four standardized comments, all with the student's name substituted in. Wow. A form letter. Makes every student feel good about themselves, I'm sure.
At a recent Professional Development course, paid for by our tax dollars (from the bureaucrats to a "professional" who hasn't taught a real class in 20 years), they discussed abolishing testing entirely, as it would make the children nervous, and in the long run, wouldn't teach them. "So? They failed a test. Unless they go back and learn the questions they got wrong, it doesn't teach them anything". In a sense, they're right. Failing a test in the *modern* school system doesn't teach them anything, as they do not make the students learn that every failure has consequences. Eliminate failure, you eliminate learning.
And if you try to play it straight?
Well, if the teacher makes Johnny feel bad, because he has no self discipline, no discipline at home, and doesn't give a rat's a** about you or your so-called authority, then administration leaps in to do what is necessary. That's right, they mollify the parents, tell the teacher to "take it easy", and blame the teacher for not teaching someone who won't pay attention, doesn't see the need to listen, and who suffers no consequences for their total lack of interest. After all, the parents are implying discrimination, or personality conflicts...and if you don't give them what they want, then they'll escalate to the Trustees, already in lockstep with the school boards' policy of "No Child Left Behind".
Fast forward to the Young Offenders Act. No consequences, no learning. "You're under 18 you won't be doing any time....hey, hey! Come out and play!" "Well, they don't know any better". Of course they don't. They've never been given an opportunity to learn anything! They've been entirely sheltered and babied their whole lives. Why would they change their anti-social, range-of-the-moment behaviour now, when all they need to do is scream and somebody will come along to make them feel better about themselves?
O tempora! O mores!
</full blown rant mode>
It's funny, but my wife talks of her day in the way that women do to decompress and in order to be heard. I hear her, and in the way men do, want to come up with a solution....Except I find it hard to see one that doesn't involve big fires and swords.
The worse you can think of the school system in Canada, the more likely you are to be correct. Another example of Pournelle's Iron Law at work.
As the husband of a working teacher, I get to hear everything that goes on at work, and what their politically correct overlords in the School Board are trying to do to the education system. It is appalling. I don't know how she can continue doing what she does, unless she's fighting a rearguard action in the hopes of saving something of Western civilization.
No failures. It would be bad for self-esteem. If a child is failing, they explain to the parents that they are "at risk". At risk of what? It's not like they're going to fail them. Teachers are not allowed to assign failing marks, and are locked out of the pass/fail tick box in the report card software by their administration.
Standardized testing. Sounds great, until you realize that entire schools ensure that their school will get a "good evaluation" by coaching their students to the right answers, in defiance of the established test procedures.
No personalized report cards...no "Johnny was a pleasure to teach". Four standardized comments, all with the student's name substituted in. Wow. A form letter. Makes every student feel good about themselves, I'm sure.
At a recent Professional Development course, paid for by our tax dollars (from the bureaucrats to a "professional" who hasn't taught a real class in 20 years), they discussed abolishing testing entirely, as it would make the children nervous, and in the long run, wouldn't teach them. "So? They failed a test. Unless they go back and learn the questions they got wrong, it doesn't teach them anything". In a sense, they're right. Failing a test in the *modern* school system doesn't teach them anything, as they do not make the students learn that every failure has consequences. Eliminate failure, you eliminate learning.
And if you try to play it straight?
Well, if the teacher makes Johnny feel bad, because he has no self discipline, no discipline at home, and doesn't give a rat's a** about you or your so-called authority, then administration leaps in to do what is necessary. That's right, they mollify the parents, tell the teacher to "take it easy", and blame the teacher for not teaching someone who won't pay attention, doesn't see the need to listen, and who suffers no consequences for their total lack of interest. After all, the parents are implying discrimination, or personality conflicts...and if you don't give them what they want, then they'll escalate to the Trustees, already in lockstep with the school boards' policy of "No Child Left Behind".
Fast forward to the Young Offenders Act. No consequences, no learning. "You're under 18 you won't be doing any time....hey, hey! Come out and play!" "Well, they don't know any better". Of course they don't. They've never been given an opportunity to learn anything! They've been entirely sheltered and babied their whole lives. Why would they change their anti-social, range-of-the-moment behaviour now, when all they need to do is scream and somebody will come along to make them feel better about themselves?
O tempora! O mores!
</full blown rant mode>
It's funny, but my wife talks of her day in the way that women do to decompress and in order to be heard. I hear her, and in the way men do, want to come up with a solution....Except I find it hard to see one that doesn't involve big fires and swords.
