It's the students, stupid

You have to ether laugh or cry.

"Bauerlein, the author of "The Dumbest Generation," wrote a review for Commentary about another book, Robert Weissberg's "Bad Students, Not Bad Schools." Weissberg has a theory about what causes the pathetic state of American education.

To quote Weissberg: "It's the students, stupid, not the facilities or the curriculum." Bauerlein seems to agree with him.

"Millions of lazy, incurious, disruptive, unintelligent and nearly illiterate youngsters flood classrooms every day," Bauerlein writes, "and none of the popular and hugely expensive initiatives and ideas peddled by 'education mayors,' well-meaning foundations and professors of education will change them."

http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/c ... hat-expect

They aren't stupid. They are ignorant as a result of their upbringing, environment of video games, texting, computers and the lack of incentive. They have been brought into this world and instead of being exposed daily to reading, writing and arithmetic ( even in modern versions ) they have been left to teachers with no authority to discipline in any fashion, to raise and to educate.

Over the last few decades teaching has become more controlled as to curriculum taught, and PC has allowed them to be raised ignorant of real life scenarios. Life is a television program or a video game to them. Press the button and a new life begins. Our culture is at fault, rap music teaches violence and a demeaning outlook of women, elderly, responsibility, etc.

I think we have good teachers in most regards, but they have been handcuffed.

How else can you guarantee your political future? Make sure the next generation isn't highly productive, and risk taking. That way they will be dependent on govt. for life, and will vote you back in to keep the goodies coming!

The last think many politicians want is a generation of people who think the govt is the problem, and not the solution.

lets hope that sometime, like now, parents, admin and teachers will reassess and really put the students first.

Nmysys wrote: They aren't stupid. They are ignorant as a result of their upbringing, environment of video games, texting, computers and the lack of incentive. They have been brought into this world and instead of being exposed daily to reading, writing and arithmetic ( even in modern versions ) they have been left to teachers with no authority to discipline in any fashion, to raise and to educate.

Over the last few decades teaching has become more controlled as to curriculum taught, and PC has allowed them to be raised ignorant of real life scenarios. Life is a television program or a video game to them. Press the button and a new life begins. Our culture is at fault, rap music teaches violence and a demeaning outlook of women, elderly, responsibility, etc.

I think we have good teachers in most regards, but they have been handcuffed.

Are you kidding? Todays kids are some of the sharpest and most confident I have ever seen. It seems there is nothing that they can't do, and with the resources kids have today, they can do anything.

But then you're probably just looking for an excuse to complain about the state of the world. Sorry. Carry on.

Scruffy wrote: Are you kidding? Todays kids are some of the sharpest and most confident I have ever seen. It seems there is nothing that they can't do, and with the resources kids have today, they can do anything.

But then you're probably just looking for an excuse to complain about the state of the world. Sorry. Carry on.

\

I'm guessing you aren't in the business of hiring the next generation of employees. I've found the majority of them to be extremely competent in technology, but on the other side, they feel entitled. They think they shouldn't have to do the "entry level" work, want to be highly paid right away, expect to work when they want to work, and that they deserve to get promoted/raises (not that they must earn them). I've found many a young person looking for work who, when offered a job that isn't exactly what they want, for the wage they want, would rather sit at home (usually parents home). Their parents provided everything they wanted growing up...and are still doing so. They have no desire to go sweep floors/stock shelves/etc just to make some $$ till the job they want comes along. Parents are a lot to blame for this though...they allow the kids to just mooch...

Scruffy wrote:

Nmysys wrote: They aren't stupid. They are ignorant as a result of their upbringing, environment of video games, texting, computers and the lack of incentive. They have been brought into this world and instead of being exposed daily to reading, writing and arithmetic ( even in modern versions ) they have been left to teachers with no authority to discipline in any fashion, to raise and to educate.

Over the last few decades teaching has become more controlled as to curriculum taught, and PC has allowed them to be raised ignorant of real life scenarios. Life is a television program or a video game to them. Press the button and a new life begins. Our culture is at fault, rap music teaches violence and a demeaning outlook of women, elderly, responsibility, etc.

I think we have good teachers in most regards, but they have been handcuffed.

Are you kidding? Todays kids are some of the sharpest and most confident I have ever seen. It seems there is nothing that they can't do, and with the resources kids have today, they can do anything.

But then you're probably just looking for an excuse to complain about the state of the world. Sorry. Carry on.

That may be true of some of the kids and maybe for a good number of kids. But then explain the horrific drop out rate at many metro area schools.

Pretty soon, we'll have a generation of kids who never had dial-up Internet access.

They'll be the ones after Generation Y. I guess they'll be called Generation I (for Internet).

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m ... _59283651/

The generation of people who cannot remember, imagine, or comprehend a world without the Internet, because the world is so wired, and connected.

By 2065, there will not be a single human being on the face of the Earth who will not be in "Generation I".

I don't think the kids are stupid either. As some have mentioned, they are quite intelligent in some areas and weak in others. Some of this might be due to our current culture...but face it folks, older generations have been denegrating younger generations (and vice versus) for centuries. We always have our doubts about the younger folks...but somehow they always come around and pull it together. They may not do it exactly as we would but that's okay....they are a reflection of us whether we care to admit it or not.

The youth of America....good, bad or indifferent....are our youth. Most of the ones I meet have good common sense, are fairly articulate. motivated and want to do good things-what they need is guidance. I have seen an incredible amount of compassion and care among our younger generation for their fellow man too...this is a sign of an advanced civilization. I think this lays the challenge squarely at the feet of our older generation (that's us folks) to step up and coach and mentor them...mold them into the next generation of great Americans.

And for the record I think they have had a pretty crappy deal. We have saddled them with the longest war in America's history, incredible national debt and a lousy job market due to our past greed (yes us).

I've travelled and lived all around the world and still think our kids are the best. If you don't believe me you ought the join a few of them who are hanging their young ass out there tonight trying to sort out this mess we have created in South-Central Asia. My money is STILL on American kids...anytime, anywhere. Sorry to be the defiant voice but I think our kids are still the best.

RenegadeCJ wrote:

Scruffy wrote: Are you kidding? Todays kids are some of the sharpest and most confident I have ever seen. It seems there is nothing that they can't do, and with the resources kids have today, they can do anything.

But then you're probably just looking for an excuse to complain about the state of the world. Sorry. Carry on.

\

I'm guessing you aren't in the business of hiring the next generation of employees. I've found the majority of them to be extremely competent in technology, but on the other side, they feel entitled. They think they shouldn't have to do the "entry level" work, want to be highly paid right away, expect to work when they want to work, and that they deserve to get promoted/raises (not that they must earn them). I've found many a young person looking for work who, when offered a job that isn't exactly what they want, for the wage they want, would rather sit at home (usually parents home). Their parents provided everything they wanted growing up...and are still doing so. They have no desire to go sweep floors/stock shelves/etc just to make some $$ till the job they want comes along. Parents are a lot to blame for this though...they allow the kids to just mooch...

That's not been my experience. The kids I know want to get any job they can so they have $$ to spend. To answer your question I am not hiring kids right now, just noticing what a great crop of teenagers we have here in the mountains. It may be different down the hill, but I'm impressed by what coming out of the Jeffco schools.