Left: 4.2 A stupid thing
Right: 4.4 Despair
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Left: 4.2 A stupid thing
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Right: 4.4 Despair
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There are
many different approaches to education. It seems that certain ideas cycle
through the years. This sucks...this new method is better even though the
other...blah blah. To me it seems that each system has its advantages and
its disadvantages for each individual. But one of the things that has
definitely degenerated is the power base of the teacher. It seems in the
huge education business the people that have the most impact don't have
the power they used to. Now they get pushed around by parents feeling
left out of their child's schooling, principals who are trying to keep the
lid on everything, or by their own union who have more rules than any board
game on the planet.
It seems to me that mediocrity is the best way to survive this system. If you are dead in the middle no one will complain about you or disagree with your method they will complain about the other people the people who are making waves or are really bad. Now there is no real reason for excellence in the present system so there will be no evolution into a better education system. If anything the is the fitness criteria for evolution it is how nondescript you are so there is no face to the problem.
What should be done? Well first I think we should nuke the current system. One idea would be privatize the whole thing. At least this way you could choose the best rated teachers suited for your needs and all of the really bad teachers would eventually either have to improve or be forced out of business. I'm sure there would be more resources since there would be less bureaucracy to maintain. Of course the problem with this scenario is that I'm assuming that in general parents are intelligent and care (or have to time to care). Still I feel that education should take a hint from the world around them on how organization these days succeed--down size. I also believe that we are paying fine restaurant prices for MacDonald education. Maybe the problem lies in the fact that after we hire a teacher they have the job for life regardless of your ability or effectiveness (well unless of course you rape a student or something). Sometimes I think if the Simpsons were Canadian Homer would be a Teacher--it would be the perfect job for him.
Of course there are also good things about having an institution that is separate from individuals. Certain ideologies won't be perpetuated--racism, sexism, etc. Bad parents don't have complete control over their children learning so at least in school there is some normalcy. There are many traits of individuals that would be bad to have influence a learning environment. But by taking away the individual factor must we lose so much?
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