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Why Is American Teaching So Bad?

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11–20 of 78 posts

Re: Why Is American Teaching So Bad?

#11
post #2

i did not read the article, just quickly scanned through. but the answer to my best knowledge is: 1) it isn't always that bad, if you pay the premium for private education you can get some of the best education available in the world 2) the people who pay for private schools also pay a significantly larger share of the taxes 3) those taxes pay for the public schools thus: public teaching is bad because the ones that…

[deleted]

Re: Why Is American Teaching So Bad?

#12
post #9
post #2

i did not read the article, just quickly scanned through. but the answer to my best knowledge is: 1) it isn't always that bad, if you pay the premium for private education you can get some of the best education available in the world 2) the people who pay for private schools also pay a significantly larger share of the taxes 3) those taxes pay for the public schools thus: public teaching is bad because the ones that…

The article didn't directly address private v. Public education, but rather that our teacher preparation methods are crap. You may be able to argue those who graduate from the best programs for creating educators may be skimmed off the top by the resources a private institution hasavailableto them in terms of provided salary and other issues, but the more direct issue is that teaching is hard. One may be an expert in…

You don't matriculate from an institution. I think you mean 'graduate'.

Re: Why Is American Teaching So Bad?

#14

And yet they are the worlds leading economy and tech center of the word. Can some explain this paradox?

First world country with over 300 million people? As well as several other factors I'm sure.

You aren't doomed to failure just because one facet of your society is sub par (education in this case, allegedly).

Re: Why Is American Teaching So Bad?

#15
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article didn't directly address private v. Public education, but rather that our teacher preparation methods are crap. You may be able to argue those who graduate from the best programs for creating educators may be skimmed off the top by the resources a private institution hasavailableto them in terms of provided salary and other issues, but the more direct issue is that teaching is hard. One may be an expert in…

You don't matriculate from an institution. I think you mean 'graduate'.

Clearly I am the product of an American public school education :)

Re: Why Is American Teaching So Bad?

#16

And yet they are the worlds leading economy and tech center of the word. Can some explain this paradox?

I imagine it is because all the other countries close to the US in population size are even worse.

Granted, it is not based on very much, but i sort of feel that the US has gained the dominance it has today by being really big, and not horribly corrupt or impoverished.

Re: Why Is American Teaching So Bad?

#17
Currently in my first year teaching in an urban school. It's hard to describe how physically/mentally/emotionally draining it is. I went through an alternate certification program and was put in front of a class after a six week summer program. I am amazed that this is acceptable.

Re: Why Is American Teaching So Bad?

#18

And yet they are the worlds leading economy and tech center of the word. Can some explain this paradox?

Their (good) universities are very good and not all their schools are bad. A percentage of kids in the US do go to genuinely great schools, and then there is another group that due to various factors manage to get a decent basic education despite the school system. Due to the large US population, in absolute terms these two groups are quite large. Now feed these people through a genuinely world class higher education system and you end up with a quite large number (again in absolute terms) of genuinely smart and and well educated people.

Add to this the fact that the US has historically been very good at attracting the best and the brightest from around the world to move there and you end up with probably the largest collection of 'leading' people in the world.

Re: Why Is American Teaching So Bad?

#19

And yet they are the worlds leading economy and tech center of the word. Can some explain this paradox?

1) The big issue is inequality. America is a terrible place to be poor. A fairly large majority get a fairly decent education by European standards. But a large minority get a terrible education. America's engineering and business schools aren't filled up with kids from impoverished backgrounds.

2) Our post-secondary education is the best in the world.

3) Even counting poor schools, the American education system isn't even that bad. America is better than Italy, Spain, Austria, and even Sweden. It's about as good as the UK.

American's just think we have to have the best system.

Re: Why Is American Teaching So Bad?

#20
I have had some past association with an education franchise, and I'd say that the biggest thing stopping an American teacher from doing better in specifically math and science is probably classroom logistics.

When you are paired 1:1 with a young person of peer-ish intelligence, the speed at which you can teach them specific math skills and principles can be exciting for both involved. But most people cannot afford 1:1.

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