One teachers resignation letter

[Racket_Man]

A 45 year veteran teacher goes out in style.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...longer-exists/

This is perhaps the best quote from the letter:

After writing all of this I realize that I am not leaving my profession, in truth, it has left me. It no longer exists. I feel as though I have played some game halfway through its fourth quarter, a timeout has been called, my teammates’ hands have all been tied, the goal posts moved, all previously scored points and honors expunged and all of the rules altered.

The one thing I do not believe the teacher mentions is all of the parental BS such as complaining about "low" grades, non-parental involvement, no student accountability, etc.

Welcome to the world according to Idiocracy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiocracy

[fireheart17]

The one thing I do not believe the teacher mentions is all of the parental BS such as complaining about "low" grades, non-parental involvement, no student accountability, etc.

Funny you should mention that. One of my awesome tutors today mentioned that at several schools in the well-off areas (all public), parents actually complained that their childs grades were too high! The reason was that the kid was being given an A or a B and the work standard didn't seem that high (the public have access to the curriculum as well as work samples for each year).

ETA: Have a look at the comment about 2-3 comments down (not replies, comments)

Just one more shred of proof that the USA has been secretly infitrated and taken over by an oligarchy of foreign criminal bankers with dreams of a police state to enforce the usurpation of power and the destruction of Constitutional freedoms, to be replaced by a one world fascist global government (New World Order) where they are able to exercise their control over the masses of "useless eaters" (as they like to call us) with a forceful hand of absolute power. "Power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely". "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they're free". Our Founding Fathers warned us about this. Are we listening?

Thank you for proving my point about the education system....

[HYHYBT]

Sounds about right. (The letter, not the quoted comment.)

[Greenday]

I always feel like I got a half-decent education compared to other people (The simple stuff I learned in middle school even I find people don't ever learn at all). But I've talked to my mom about classes she took in high school and they had all sorts of awesome stuff. For instance, they had auto shop. We did not. They had tons of different gym electives (Archery, volleyball, fencing, gymnastics, etc. etc.). Our gym teachers just rolled out the basketballs and told us to keep busy. They had lots of art electives and music electives. We had very basic art electives and the school had tried to cut the music program all together. My mom's version had all sorts of ways to branch out. Ours, you didn't. You could just take honors classes instead of regular classes and even AP classes senior year (Supposing you could fit the ones you wanted with the mandated classes).

Schooling today restricts creativity and no longer lets us be who we are. And to me, that's a huge problem.

[Jetfire]

The loss of Auto Shop and similar Trade programs in Schools was a sad decision. Up my way, it happened when the province got stuck on the idea that Everyone Must Go To University, and reworked the programs towards that end.

Nowadays, we're seeing the 'results' of that sort of thinking. People taking a term or two of University and dropping it because they didn't like it (but getting the debt that goes with it). And an increasing demand for Tradespeople as the old ones retire without new blood to take up the wrench and the hammer.

My mom (a high school teacher) has seen this and laments it. She and the other teachers know full well that not everyone is meant for University, and that the Trades are a perfectly valid skillset to develop if that's where your interest lies. The districts still aren't quite getting it, but there is a slow change happening.

[fireheart17]

The loss of Auto Shop and similar Trade programs in Schools was a sad decision. Up my way, it happened when the province got stuck on the idea that Everyone Must Go To University, and reworked the programs towards that end.

We seem to be getting the opposite end of the stick (at least down here).

A number of public high schools in my area linked together to create a vocational college. Kids could go and study a particular skill and have it count towards their high school certificate (formerly it meant you couldn't go on to university if you changed your mind, but they've managed to work around this now). The courses were run at different schools one afternoon a week and by the time students left, they'd have a low-level qualification in whatever they were interested in.

At the time, my high school ran a mechanics and I THINK a construction course. Now they've thrown in an allied health and hospitality course as well.

Students who DID want to go onto further study were still supported, but those same students who did a vocational course (or a school-based new apprenticeship) weren't being locked into one particular area for life.

[jackfaire]

My school district along others in the area opened a "Skills Center" that was a trade school in conjunction with local high schools to give a technical alternative to kids with no college aspirations that planned on jobs where a college degree is superfluous at best.

I also noticed that one of the problems was keeping the Advanced Placement label but removing the Remedial label from any classes. Thus giving the illusion that no students were falling behind because after all they are all taking either regular English or AP English. My school had an over inflated honor society full of kids in "dumb kid" classes that were getting A's in classes that were at an Elementary school level in greater numbers than the kids studying Shakespeare.

[fireheart17]

My school district along others in the area opened a "Skills Center" that was a trade school in conjunction with local high schools to give a technical alternative to kids with no college aspirations that planned on jobs where a college degree is superfluous at best.

That's pretty much the scenario. There are options nowdays for those who've done those courses to still go on to tertiary study if they wish and they can prove that they are capable. This is usually done through one of three methods (at least in my state):

-Take part in a foundation study/bridging course. Basically you attend various classes looking at skills that uni students need and addressing certain skills that they may be lacking in. After that, students are eligible to apply for any degree barring the ones that need specific subjects in Year 12 or those that have particular entrance requirements (science, medicine and some art degrees). There is usually a certain percentage of places set aside for those students.

-Take part in the STAT, which is basically a standardised test. The score from this, plus any extra bits of information can help you enter particular degrees.

-Take part in a specific entrance test that the university may provide. This is usually done as a second chance type thing where students need to have graduated from high school in that particular year. The results of that plus your Year 12 scores are combined. (this is how I got into my undergrad)

For vocational training, at a certain level, you can apply as well without needing to do one of those three, but most people will sit the STAT anyway.

Those that want to consider a career in certain medical fields however, are likely to be sheer out of luck.