The "problems" with our educational system

[MEATMAN]

Originally Posted by AChimp

Or teach stuff faster. You could learn adding, subtracting, multiplying and division all in Grade 1. It's a proven fact that kids learn better when they're younger, too.

I say we reverse everything so that you're doing the hardcore stuff when you're little, and you're learning to colour when you about to graduate.

But seriously, I think I can add something of worth.

Originally Posted by Emu

I honestly can't even remember being taught to read. Maybe that's because I learned how before I actually entered school and I didn't pay attention, but I can't recall a single grammar lesson before 7th grade.

Originally Posted by El Blanco

While I do get what you saying, Kev, and think you do make good points, I think the problem doesn't lie in funding or goverement evaluations. It is in the home and the lack of personal responsibility I've perceived from parents.

Originally Posted by ArtificialBrandon

A question to conservatives that I never thought I'd have to ask: isn't it possible that maybe, just maybe, poor performance by a student is his or her own fault? His or her parents' fault?

Originally Posted by Perndog

If a kid fails in school while his peers succeed, it's rarely because he's not getting the attention that he absolutely needs. It's more likely that he's been raised by inattentive parents or that he's simply a loser. At least all the dropouts in my public school were, and I know this because I went to school with them and met most of their parents. The ones who actually needed help were all put in special education (with the retards ) and got shipped off to tech school after they graduated (they make more money than I do now :P ).

I may be mentally disabled, but even I know a few things.

I remember much of my life, mainly because my mother fills in the blanks. I learned to read before I started going to school, because I taught myself how to read. I was enrolled in military survival training, and learned to swim before I was 18 months old. I accept help only when I ask for it, which isn't often, since I'm rather stubborn and dislike having others do things for me. Even when I had a financial aid meeting for college for students with disabilities, (I have an ESE class, which I loathe to no end) I blatently refused to listen to a word that was said, because my stepfather earns $72,000 a year, and college was already paid for. I learned to fend for myself even before I entered middle school. I had a test in kindergarden that said I have an I.Q. of 140+. I've applied for engineering for my major. Sure, I've had problems. I was hit by a falling tree branch when I was two, and have the bald spot to prove it. I've had constant middle ear infections, which kept me from hearing much until I was three, so I started speaking late. I've been taking Ritalin since the first grade, because my idiot for a psychiatrist said I had autism. (I only learned recently I have an extreme case of Asperger's Syndrome) I've been on more medications than I can count, including Seroquel, which made me gain 50 pounds in two months. (I've never been able to get rid of it) I've been in a half-drugged stupor for half a year once. I've been a constant source of ridicule because of my extreme dislike of any sports, and my love of science and learning. (which I still do) I've been to Shands at Vista (a mental hospital) no less than five times since the eighth grade, because I kept getting into fights, including assault and battery on a police officer because I grabbed him. (no charges were filed, as he knew me for a long time, he wasn't hurt. and he knew I never meant to hurt him) I never went to my middle school graduation because of it. And yet I still manage to do things by myself. So what's with all this talk that says kids are incapable of taking care of themselves and dealing with life? I say, fuck the shitheads that complain all the time, and try dealing with the real problem, which is the so-called 'help', and not the symptoms, which is the results of this so-called 'help'.