Taxcutter
01-09-2013, 11:04 AM
Home schooling isn’t just for scary religious types any more.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/01/08/homeschool-education-schools/1812183/
quote:
“…Americans across the country -- but especially in large, urban school systems (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/24/education/largest-school-districts-see-steady-drop-in-enrollment.html?_r=1&) -- are voting with their feet and abandoning traditional public schools…”
“…for the parents we met — among them several actors, a jazz composer, a restaurateur, a TV chef, a Columbia University physical-plant supervisor, and a handful of college professors — it was a practical alternative to New York's notoriously inadequate education system."
“New York's public school system is indeed notoriously inadequate. And, like most public school systems (or public systems of any kind), it's run more for the convenience of the staff and bureaucrats than for the benefit of parents or kids.”
Taxcutter notes:
Sound like IPS (Indianapolis Public Schools).
Quote:
“…for many parents, traditional schooling is no longer the automatic default choice.”
“Traditional public schools haven't changed much for decades (and to the extent they have, they've mostly gotten worse).”
“…the risk is that the outflow of kids will turn from a trickle into a flood. At some point, it's a death-spiral: As kids (often the best students) leave because schools are "notoriously inadequate," the schools become even more notoriously inadequate, and funding -- which is computed on a per-pupil basis -- dries up. This, of course, encourages more parents to move their kids elsewhere, in a vicious cycle.”
Taxcutter adds:
In a period of Depression, home schooling becomes easier than ever. During the bush years parents were on their own and when little Johnny got beyond the 8th grade level many parents felt they had little else to offer – particularly in the math and science field. But with layoff and (particularly early retirements) there are a lot of well-trained pros now either on unemployment or working the breakfast shift at Mickey D’s. A retired engineer can easily teach math and physics. Physicians –forced out of medical practice by ObamaTax, ca certainly teach chemistry and life sciences. In both these cases, the unemployed/Retired pros are far more knowledgeable about their subject than most K-12 teachers.
One also wonders why the K-12 system – faced with an existential crisis – is so resistant to adaptation.
Part of the K-12’s problem is they aim for the wrong target.
http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/97fc1424-5928-11e2-a698-0019bb2963f4.html
As college become less affordable and les a guarantee of a job, the lower education system must adapt or be bypassed.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/01/08/homeschool-education-schools/1812183/
quote:
“…Americans across the country -- but especially in large, urban school systems (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/24/education/largest-school-districts-see-steady-drop-in-enrollment.html?_r=1&) -- are voting with their feet and abandoning traditional public schools…”
“…for the parents we met — among them several actors, a jazz composer, a restaurateur, a TV chef, a Columbia University physical-plant supervisor, and a handful of college professors — it was a practical alternative to New York's notoriously inadequate education system."
“New York's public school system is indeed notoriously inadequate. And, like most public school systems (or public systems of any kind), it's run more for the convenience of the staff and bureaucrats than for the benefit of parents or kids.”
Taxcutter notes:
Sound like IPS (Indianapolis Public Schools).
Quote:
“…for many parents, traditional schooling is no longer the automatic default choice.”
“Traditional public schools haven't changed much for decades (and to the extent they have, they've mostly gotten worse).”
“…the risk is that the outflow of kids will turn from a trickle into a flood. At some point, it's a death-spiral: As kids (often the best students) leave because schools are "notoriously inadequate," the schools become even more notoriously inadequate, and funding -- which is computed on a per-pupil basis -- dries up. This, of course, encourages more parents to move their kids elsewhere, in a vicious cycle.”
Taxcutter adds:
In a period of Depression, home schooling becomes easier than ever. During the bush years parents were on their own and when little Johnny got beyond the 8th grade level many parents felt they had little else to offer – particularly in the math and science field. But with layoff and (particularly early retirements) there are a lot of well-trained pros now either on unemployment or working the breakfast shift at Mickey D’s. A retired engineer can easily teach math and physics. Physicians –forced out of medical practice by ObamaTax, ca certainly teach chemistry and life sciences. In both these cases, the unemployed/Retired pros are far more knowledgeable about their subject than most K-12 teachers.
One also wonders why the K-12 system – faced with an existential crisis – is so resistant to adaptation.
Part of the K-12’s problem is they aim for the wrong target.
http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/97fc1424-5928-11e2-a698-0019bb2963f4.html
As college become less affordable and les a guarantee of a job, the lower education system must adapt or be bypassed.