View Poll Results: How, dammit?

Voters
6. You may not vote on this poll
  • Eight year + trade/college

    0 0%
  • Homeschool all the way

    1 16.67%
  • Not education enough we need MOOOAAARRR

    0 0%
  • Bring back apprentice system

    2 33.33%
  • Send them all to India for tech education

    0 0%
  • Priestly schools for added guilt

    0 0%
  • Some sorta sci-fi instant-learning USB

    0 0%
  • Herbal lore, forget all this science stuff

    1 16.67%
  • Taoist system (keep people uneducated)

    0 0%
  • Something AWESOME that I didn't think of

    2 33.33%
Page 2 of 5 FirstFirst 1234 ... LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 44

Thread: Improving The US Education

  1. #11
    We're in a heap o'trouble Tesiqurasa's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Lincoln, NE
    Posts
    6,248

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bulmabriefs144 View Post
    My dad had told be that people often switched out of their majors from overconcentration, so history is a decent major for general research, with Religion minor. Expected at least to get into seminary. Seminary expected, well... something out of me that I didn't have.
    "Please list leadership roles in church."
    Wtf?!? I'm fresh out of college, and wanna be (some sort) of priest. Actually favoring being an Eastern-style nature priest, but ummm, sorry, such schools are a bit difficult to find (Taoism not even recognized as a religion, just as application in acupuncture, Tai Chi, and such). If I was okay with leading an entire service before getting proper training, would I be in this mess?
    That's not exactly what I meant by "useful minors/concentrations".


    Spoiler!



  2. #12
    I caved Merciless's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    1,485

    Default

    @pyro, German high schools had grade 13. They reduced it to grade 12 but the information they needed to know was the same. The suicide rate among teens in school increased.

    We shouldn't eliminate grades 11 and 12, but make them optional. After grade 10, we need to establish what the Germans have been doing for decades: vocational training. If you want, either drop out of school, do the actual 11th and 12th grade, or do vocational training plus some basic core classes that are not as advanced as the normal route.

    Why does Germany have some of the best engineers in the world? It is because of this practical knowledge they gain during these two years.

    My dad went through German vocationl training and he tons of practical knowledge over everything ranging from electricity to shaping metal. This is what we need.

    He later went on to get a full bright scholarship and got his ph. D in compsci.


    We need to spend much more on education. Finland, I believe, requires at least a masters degree to teach in any classroom setting, and then on top of that, a professional degree specific to that field. We Ned to hold the USA to such standards to succeed.

    I would wire more, but there is only so much I can type on my tablet before my fingers get tired.
    Quote Originally Posted by BarelyAwake View Post
    This thread quickly turned into who all wants to sex up Merciless.

  3. #13
    Jr. Necki DlPSHl7's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    458

    Default

    In Australia, we have:
    - Optional Year 11 and 12. Students can drop out once they turn 16 (or 17, it changed sometime) and have completed Year 10.
    - A government funded Apprenticeship System, which begins once you turn 16 (if you choose to undertake one). This can be full-time (leave school) or part time (continue Year 11 and 12), and you get paid during that time.
    - A desperate attempt by the current government to implement (what I think is) a terrible national curriculum.
    - Vocational Training as an optional part of Year 11 and 12.
    - A teaching system that's falling apart. Salaries are dropping, less people are inclined to become teachers and some of the current teachers are asked to teach subjects they weren't taught to teach. My Physics teacher was actually a Chemistry teacher, but the school was in short supply of Physics teachers.
    - Compulsory religious education.
    - More things I haven't thought about yet.


    For us, the major points of improvement are:
    - Get parents to stop letting their kids get so lazy
    - Improve teaching conditions and pay so we have more teachers
    - Improve the curriculum

  4. #14
    butts FailFTW's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    5,716

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Merciless View Post
    Why does Germany have some of the best engineers in the world? It is because of this practical knowledge they gain during these two years.

    My dad went through German vocationl training and he tons of practical knowledge over everything ranging from electricity to shaping metal. This is what we need.
    If that's as awesome as it sounds I wish I was raised in Germany.
    Butts.

    213 181 178 166 165 164 162 152 147 135 134 130 125 123 123 120 120 104 100 100

  5. #15
    Always the Bridesmaid... bulmabriefs144's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Here
    Posts
    888

    Default

    (Yea, Tesi, I've never taken a whole lot of those. The sciences are conventional but boring. I took horticulture for awhile (which is what I do, now), but I use my art more designing things for game graphics. And my other stuff is mainly for a Knowledge Skill Check, as they'd say in D&D.)

    I idolize the Chinese after spending about 8 weeks there. In America, we crow about how Hispanics are hard-working, but that's a load of crap. It's just a matter of comparison, as Americans lack a work drive for manual labor because they tend to be used to white-collar jobs, having had an overly book-focused education style as opposed to more hands-on stuff. You want more people to hold jobs that make things work, have equal parts practical and knowledge.

    The education system in China was kinda flawed, they were getting broadcasts of the English alphabet for most of the day. Bad Engrish broadcasts that were reinforcing equally bad pronunciation (I tried playing wheel of fortune/hangman with them and half the letters they called out I couldn't recognize, is that "e" "i" or "a" ?!?). Their school apparently went until like 7 or something, my crappy English Second Language class only went until four or so. I made more of an impact outside the school, interacting with the VCD lady in one of the stores (taught her how to say "Bye, bye" when someone like me exited the store and learned to say 再见 (sounded like "da bien" ) from her in return). And she was of course hawt so I kept coming. But the work ethic was decent. Outside the school, we had street vendors everywhere, and in about 3 weeks they repaired the inside of a store and had it business-ready. You want something done, hire Chinese. It took closer to a month and a half from what I saw for an American business to set up.

    The other thing I'd like to see an end to is overspecialization: Doctor, lawyer, farmer, vet, psychologist, engineer, chemist, biologist, computer technician, priest, druid (priest, but for nature religions), barber, hairdresser, etc. These are valid professions. Marine biologist, pet hairdresser, plant psychologist, assistant vice manager of resources, these are all BS jobs made up when people with a limited skillset applied. You don't get to pick and choose, a biologist should study the wide background, even if they later do focus on marine animals, their initial study should be the entire set of animals, so that if nobody is around they aren't saying "oh I can't do that, I'm only a marine biologist." And I'd like to see priests getting taught rituals, like exorcism and healing, whether we believe they work or not.
    Last edited by bulmabriefs144; 24th December 2011 at 03:55 PM.

  6. #16
    butts FailFTW's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    5,716

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bulmabriefs144 View Post
    再见 (sounded like "da bien" )
    1. You are filthy simplified chinese user
    2. "da bien" is romanji mandarin for "to poop"
    3. it is pronounced roughly "zhai jien" but that's probably not the pinyin for it because i was raised on bopomofo

    You want something done, hire Chinese.
    You want something done right, hire Taiwanese.
    Last edited by FailFTW; 24th December 2011 at 03:26 PM.
    Butts.

    213 181 178 166 165 164 162 152 147 135 134 130 125 123 123 120 120 104 100 100

  7. #17
    Drake
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Korea
    Posts
    836

    Default

    This is what my parents did and it was generally effective.

    Anything above 95% in school: Good Job. Work more.
    Anything lower: Grounded until you go above. Work more.

    ... Yeah.
    Spoiler!

  8. #18

    Default

    We should axe the programs that gives so little in return. Otherwise we wouldn't have the 'occupy' movement.

    Waiting for Superman is a good documentary movie about the education system.
    I'm Retired.

  9. #19
    "King of Quotes" pyrofyr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Miami, FL
    Posts
    6,898

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Merciless View Post
    @pyro, German high schools had grade 13. They reduced it to grade 12 but the information they needed to know was the same. The suicide rate among teens in school increased.

    We shouldn't eliminate grades 11 and 12, but make them optional. After grade 10, we need to establish what the Germans have been doing for decades: vocational training. If you want, either drop out of school, do the actual 11th and 12th grade, or do vocational training plus some basic core classes that are not as advanced as the normal route.

    Why does Germany have some of the best engineers in the world? It is because of this practical knowledge they gain during these two years.

    My dad went through German vocationl training and he tons of practical knowledge over everything ranging from electricity to shaping metal. This is what we need.

    He later went on to get a full bright scholarship and got his ph. D in compsci.


    We need to spend much more on education. Finland, I believe, requires at least a masters degree to teach in any classroom setting, and then on top of that, a professional degree specific to that field. We Ned to hold the USA to such standards to succeed.

    I would wire more, but there is only so much I can type on my tablet before my fingers get tired.
    Grade 11 and 12 are optional here too, you just don't get a degree if you don't take them. Once you are 16 you can choose to not go to school, you might run into **** with truancy people but once you show them that you dropped out of your own accord which you can legally do at 16, there should be no problem.

    Suicide rate increasing is not a bad thing, I'd rather they commit suicide than spend years of their life being wastes of air, the last thing we need are more people who's only goal in life is to become youtube famous.

    IMO college needs to change a lot indeed, a Master's to teach sounds good, but you should have to aspire to something past a PhD, look how many people hold PhDs today it's somewhat of a joke.

    I'm sure people are too scared to make up something 'new' past the PhD idea though since it's been holding strong for so long.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tharticus View Post
    We should axe the programs that gives so little in return. Otherwise we wouldn't have the 'occupy' movement.

    Waiting for Superman is a good documentary movie about the education system.
    Superman was denied his voice on the matter, what a shame :<

    I guess I'll go watch that documentary, been meaning to, but just haven't.
    Gone with the wind

  10. #20
    I caved Merciless's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    1,485

    Default

    then it is not really "optional" per se.

    I asked my dad after he took his nap, and I wish to amend what I have said.

    You need ~12 years of schooling to get into a university, but whether or not you go into a university is the question. Gymnasium is high school in general. You can choose to drop out at any time. My dad just happened to quit after 10th grade since he felt he was not in the right place. You then get vocational training. Many companies around Germany offer apprenticeships and training. Along with that, you do take regular theoretical school, but only about 1/3rd of what a normal gymnasium student would do. 3 years of vocational = 1 year of regular school + vocational training in a specific trade.
    The pros of this is twofold:
    1. You no longer have a student that has no interest in the classroom, slowing the rest of the curriculum down.
    2. Said student can work in a specific trade and have tons of practical knowledge. We need people like this. Ask anyone now-a-days and they probably won't have the simple knowledge over how to install a door, or even use a drill. Hell, i've seen people that can't even use a screwdriver correctly.

    as I said, my dad went through vocational training and if what he said is true, then he spent weeks at a time filing away at a hunk of steel to make various tools, such as a hammer and a set of screwdrivers.


    in conclusion... in Germany, you do not NEED to have a college education to get a decent job. Hell, my german cousins quit after 10th grade and did vocational training and specialized in banking. They get over €250,000 each a year.

    we need hands-on experience more than anything. Instead of forcing kids to go to school, send them for an apprenticeship in a certain area that interests them. They have more fun, they learn more, and they stop halting the curriculum due to their not wanting to learn.
    Quote Originally Posted by BarelyAwake View Post
    This thread quickly turned into who all wants to sex up Merciless.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •