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News :: Education |
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OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
Current rating: 0 |
by Wayne D. Pickette
Email: waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified!)
Phone: (217) 359-3619
Address: 302 S. Second St., #711 |
27 Feb 2005
Modified: 09:18:11 AM |
My Wife, Anna V. Epelbaum is a certified teacher in both Illinois and California. Her credentials in Mathematics are unprecedented, yet no High School would hire her. I have been an adult education instructor at community colleges.We both have proven methods that we have successfully utilized in instructive situations to reach students with great results. We have addressed this situation as it has developed by media, litigation, letters to politicians, and letters to news editors, all our efforts have been thwarted, mostly by illegal means. Now, even top leaders around the country are realizing that the current secondary education's shape and policies of it's administration are suicidal for the country and it's population. We urge the members of neighboring communities to understand this as well, and to join us.
Wayne D. Pickette |
U.S. National - AP
Governors Work to Improve H.S. Education
Sat Feb 26, 5:19 PM ET U.S. National - AP
By BEN FELLER, AP Education Writer
WASHINGTON - The nation's governors offered an alarming account of the American high school Saturday, saying only drastic change will keep millions of students from falling short.
AP Photo
"We can't keep explaining to our nation's parents or business leaders or college faculties why these kids can't do the work," said Virginia Democratic Gov. Mark Warner, as the state leaders convened for the first National Education Summit aimed at rallying governors around high school reform.
The governors say they want to emerge Sunday with specific plans for enacting policy, weary of statistics showing that too many students are coasting, dropping out or failing in college.
At least one agreement is likely. Achieve, a nonprofit group formed by governors and corporate leaders, plans to announce Sunday that roughly 12 states are committing to raise high school rigor and align their graduation requirements with skills demanded in college or work.
The high school summit drew at least 45 governors from the 50 states and five U.S. territories, along with top names in U.S. industry and education. The leaders broke into groups late in the day to debate ideas, and planned to do the same through Sunday.
Most of the summit's first day amounted to an enormous distress call, with speakers using unflattering numbers to define the problem. Among them: Of every 100 ninth-graders, only 68 graduate high school on time and only 18 make it through college on time, according to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
Once in college, one in four students at four-year universities must take at least one remedial course to master what they should have learned in high school, government figures show.
The most blunt assessment came from Microsoft chief Bill Gates (news - web sites), who has put more than $700 million into reducing the size of high school classes through the foundation formed by him and his wife, Melinda. He said high schools must be redesigned to prepare every student for college, with classes that are rigorous and relevant to kids and with supportive relationships for children.
"America's high schools are obsolete," Gates said. "By obsolete, I don't just mean that they're broken, flawed or underfunded, though a case could be made for every one of those points. By obsolete, I mean our high schools — even when they're working as designed — cannot teach all our students what they need to know today."
Summit leaders have an ambitious agenda for every state: to raise the requirements of a high school diploma, improve information sharing between high schools and universities, and align graduation standards with the expectations of colleges and employers. Governors say they're in a position to unite the often splintered agendas of business leaders, educators and legislatures.
But such changes will take what Gates singled out as the biggest obstacle: political will.
Requiring tougher courses for all students, for example, could face opposition from parents and school officials, particularly if more rigor leads to lower test scores and costly training.
Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., said the most reliable predictor of success in college is a student's exposure to challenging high school courses — and that governors know they must act.
"This is an issue that transcends all those typical things that cause people to split in different directions," Huckabee said.
The governors also planned to meet with President Bush (news - web sites) and his Cabinet while in Washington.
The summit is the governors' fifth on education, but the first devoted to high schools. The original governors' education summit, organized by the first President Bush in 1989, is credited with spurring a movement of basing student performance on higher standards.
Warner has made improving high schools the centerpiece of his chairmanship of the National Governors Association, which is co-sponsoring the summit with Achieve. He is considered a possible candidate for the 2008 Democratic nomination for president.
Among the more high-profile governors who did not attend Saturday were two Republicans: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) of California and Jeb Bush of Florida, the president's brother.
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Comments
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Competing Models for Public Education |
by Robert Freeman
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
27 Feb 2005
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Beware the corporate interest in education...
Cultures live by their models. They die by them as well. Ulysses spawned ancient Greece. Horatio Alger defined rags-to-riches America. Rambo epitomized the 1980's.
When it comes to education, our models are not people but, rather, ideas. Our seeming schizophrenia about education can be understood as the struggle between two different models, two competing sets of ideas.
One model views schools as a process of cultural birth, of bringing forth a new generation of children who will carry on - replicate - the culture. The other model views schools as a machine, an industrial process not unlike an assembly line. Its purpose is to mass produce "factors of production," well trained, obedient inputs that can be used in the manufacture of wealth.
Not surprisingly, these competing models produce radically different prescriptions for how to improve our schools. The differences show up in everything from how to pay and retain good teachers to curriculum design, teaching methods, and discipline.
In order to improve our schools, getting the model right will prove not nearly so important as getting the right model.
Mass public education in America was conceived and designed as a production process. In the late 1800's, millions of farmers and immigrants were arriving in American cities in search of their mythic riches. The challenge for the country's leaders was how to at once assimilate these teeming masses to both American culture and industrial society.
The answer was simple: students would be moved from station to station, hour by hour, year by year, and fitted with various types of "knowledge." It was not unlike moving a car through a factory while bolting on engines, axles, and wheels, only, the "parts" were literacy, vocational skills, and citizenship.
In addition to its physical process, the factory model has an economic side as well: capitalism. Adam Smith, capitalism's patron saint, was in awe of Isaac Newton's model of the universe as a big machine. He determined to apply Newton's idea to social life and so, in 1776, wrote The Wealth of Nations, the book that ultimately became the Bible of capitalism.
Where Newton's world was made up of planets in motion, Smith's was composed of consumers in motion. In each world, fundamental forces-gravity in one, greed in the other-held things together in a balanced, harmonious whole. But where Newton had centrifugal force to balance gravity, Smith had to invent a theological agency to moderate the destructive excesses of greed: The Invisible Hand.
It is not an accident that calls to "reform" schools, to make them more "efficient," almost always come from business interests. They not only have long experience with the factory model but an abiding need for cost effective "inputs" as well. They also see education as a business opportunity in itself, a chance to cash in on the half trillion dollars a year spent on public education in America. They wouldn't be good capitalists if they didn't at least make a try for it.
The other model of education - call it the cultural womb - we can trace back to Plato's Academy and up through the universities of medieval Europe. It views the student not as a factor of production to be assembled and put to work, but as a human being to be nurtured and set to thinking. Its primary goal is not mass production of vocational competence but rather individual cultivation of human maturity.
In the cultural womb model, society replicates itself by creating thoughtful human beings who will carry its "cultural DNA" into succeeding generations. It is those thoughtful human beings who embody and therefore model society's values for those who come after them. This concept of education as cultural womb could not be more different from that of the school as a factory.
Clearly, American education today is more factory than womb. But it is a towering irony that it was saved from becoming a completely de-humanizing process by the "factory workers" themselves: the teachers. In the beginning, they were overwhelmingly women. They were natural nurturers, instinctively able to shelter their students from the cold, harsh depersonalization of the machine process.
It was the teachers, both women and men, who, through their simple humanity, bridged the seemingly unbridgeable gulf between factory and womb. It was the teachers who birthed generation after generation of productive workers AND thoughtful human beings. It was they who may have saved society itself from destruction at the hands of its own ideational schizophrenia.
All of us know the difference between organisms and machines. We would think it insane to put dirt into our engines or motor oil onto our plants. Yet we've become so captivated with the machine model we no longer know when it is appropriate or not. We can no longer understand that in some settings it is simply destructive.
Most of the calls for "educational reform" today would have us do what we intuitively recoil from: make our schools even more machine-like, even more relentlessly mechanical. The "reformers" want to make schools into businesses, profit-making educational factories stripped of the very humanizing sheltering that saved such factories from themselves in the first place.
In the emerging industrial model of education, standardization is everything. No matter that all children are different, that all learn in different ways and at different rates. Learning is not about thinking but memorization. Imagination is replaced by regurgitation. Tests become totems to be taught to. Efficiency becomes the iconic measure of performance where out-of-spec. "products" are discarded. Questioning is replaced by obedience. Freedom succumbs to fealty.
Worst of all, the teachers are expected to become industrial robots, dutifully bolting on prefab knowledge components while remaining subservient and docile. No more guiding the strongest, succoring the weakest, while inspiring the rest. The compassion, empathy, and love of human growth that led teachers to education in the first place, that humanized an otherwise dispiriting process, is winnowed out and replaced with regimentation, routine, and reverence for return on investment.
And it is not enough to hope that its greed-driven mechanism might be moderated by an "Invisible Hand," no matter how Providentially inspired. If it is not mitigated, balanced by an intentional, palpable Visible Hand of nurturing, encouragement, and compassion, the school-as-factory will simply chew up its inputs, making cogs, parts, and Frankenstein-like assemblies of human beings.
What kind of society, what kind of humanity, could such people-as-products reproduce? For, let's not forget: society still needs to replicate itself. But factories cannot do that. Only wombs can.
As a society, we've become besotted with the language of costs and benefits, as if everybody was a commodity whose highest purpose in life was to be put to work. In our thrall to mechanism, we have already destroyed a formerly vibrant public health system so that businesses could earn more profits by letting accountants make "cost-effective" medical decisions.
And we stand now in danger of destroying the most powerful democratizing institution in the world-public education-and for the same reason as well: so that private interests can make a profit off of it. It will be a fateful, perhaps irreversible decision.
Remember: cultures live by their models but they die by them as well. In the debate over how to improve public education we would be wise to listen not to the "educational entrepreneurs", the accountants, the politicians, or the ideologues. We would be wise to listen to the teachers.
It is the teachers who already saved public education once from the worst depredations of its inner machine. Not only is it the teachers who know education best, it is they who care about it most. For it is one thing to commit your investors' money to an enterprise. It is another thing altogether to commit your own life. Which commitment-which model-would you rather trust your children to?
Robert Freeman writes about economics and education. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
27 Feb 2005
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I would be interested in understanding why your wife has been denied teaching positions. What reasons have been given? What illegal means have been taken? |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by IMC Supporter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
27 Feb 2005
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Have your or Anna considered running for the school board? Your passion and activism need a larger platform to implement. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
27 Feb 2005
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The structure of the secondary education here was and is more than very low according to ALL developed countries standards. There are many reasons for that. The most tragic part is the INTENTIONAL damage to the quality of secondary education which I and my Wife have been watching in Chicago mostly since 1995 and later. Right now under the increasing requirements of ACCOUNTABILITY the public education is rapidly deteriorating, as its quality is so bad that it can't WITHSTAND check ups. My Wife and I think that it has been the intentional policy within the last decade of so. First to diminish the quality as much as possible, and then under the requirements of the accountability to abolish COMPLETELY the free secondary education in this country. Besides, the dream of Federal Government leader is the country with mostly service industries, and the mainly overwhelming number of white collar well paid jobs are transferring abroad. For such kind of the future the secondary free education is certainly excessive, and our Federal Government badly needs the money to expand its influence, especially over oil and gas rich regions. It is possible, of course, to make a journey towards the historical and philosophical roots of public education in America and in other highly developed countries, but the reality is obvious even without this kind of journey:
1. The quality of the secondary education in this country is on the very bottom (maybe second or third from the bottom) among developed countries;
2. The quality of public education (the only FREE education) is lower in general that the quality of all other non FREE kinds;
3. The public education is not capable to survive under the current intensive scrutiny of the accountability unless it would do A VERY LOT rapidly to increase its quality;
4. If it doesn't withstand this "accountability pressure" the secondary free education in this country would be abolished shortly, which would make another giant step towards the transformation of the USA into the underdeveloped, developing or whichever country, which CAN'T COMPARE AND COMPETE with other DEVELOPED countries;
5. The level and quality of the life of the population's majority would be seriously decreased. The faster we are losing the main social achievements of the two last centuries, social security and free education, the faster the level of quality of life for the majority of this country is decreasing.
That is why the problem of the quality of the secondary education, and, especially, public education, IS SO VERY IMPORTANT ! |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
27 Feb 2005
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To answer Another voter, and IMC supporter I need to say following:
1. In the case of my wife there were and are NO logical reasons given ever. Default, different kinds of frauds, and unlawful violations. There were also no reasons given in my case, but she has been trying more intensively and she has some really exquisite background and experience. Her case is even brighter, therefore, than mine to illustrate how suicidal this system of public education is or made to be by its "parents"-the Federal and State governments.
2. IMC supporter, how can anyone to reach to the top of the system if, under all kind of false pretenses, he/she is not allowed to place even a foot into the door?
3. Another voter, right now she is even running in Urbana Federal Court the lawsuit against Champaign Public School District #4.
The trial should occur on 10/28/05. She is running Pro Se, as there was and is no lawyer to take this case on contingency basis.
She is fully correct, of course, according to official school laws of the state and the country. How it is going to be, though, we would see. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by IMC Supporter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
27 Feb 2005
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Wayne, I feel for your difficulties in life. Anna and you are living a tough life. Hope all works out soon enough for you both. You may want to start with may be doing a story via the "IMC radio news" or "IMC Public I " or WILL Public Square (www.will.uiuc.edu). Goodluck, Wayne and Anna. I wish you nothing but the best. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Soap Opera Fan
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
28 Feb 2005
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I see that we're being treated to yet another episode of the Wayne and Anna soap opera. Today's episode is about education! The plot is predictable: Anna agitates for some vague, unstated change in the educational system, and then complains that her attempts at educational reform have been rebuffed "by illegal means." Then, we realize that this isn't about educational reform at all, but is instead about Anna not being able to get a job, again for reasons that are vague and unstated, except that we are reassured that it wasn't due to lack of ability to teach on her part (of course!), but instead is due to "default, different kinds of frauds, and unlawful violations." What surprises are in store for us? Will it be that Anna is writing under Wayne's name? Will we hear the whole lurid story of the court case in all its gory details? And... what about the troll? Will it continue its effusive, but insincere support for our tragic protagonists and continue to dupe and mislead them into further public humiliation?
The final installment of the soap opera (or will it be a cliffhanger?) will be shown October 28, 2005. I can hardly wait! |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
28 Feb 2005
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Oh, Soap Opera Fan, what are your problems exactly? You don't want to listen about the discussed topics? Fine, be that way! You need to offend my Wife as any other way you have no means to feel yourself worthy, don't you? Sorry, but I am sure that not only I (I might be biased about my Wife), but everybody can see that you need to express your bitterness, and, maybe, envy or whichever else your storage of "nice " qualities is in possession of. Nothing in this article and/or my comments is "vague". Once again, you hate me, Anna, and/or a lot of other people, be that way! You have no other way to establish your own validity but offending other people and neglecting obviously very IMPORTANT topics, so, be that way ! It is pitiful, however, that ML hasn't deleted such senseless and full of "nice" feeling comment as yours. My previous article submitted the address of troll whom you seemingly are interested in. So, contact him/her directly. I really hope ML would further delete such messages as yours in order to clean this web from spam, and even much worse things , which your comment is exhibiting. I am sure no fan of soaps where such characters as you exist. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
28 Feb 2005
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Re: Soap Opera Fan's comments
As Anna and I sometimes walked in downtown Chicago, different bellboys and parking attendants (students working night jobs) would stop Anna and publicly thank her for the help she provided at UIC as a Graduate Math tutor. I also witnessed another amazing event. Anna was called to a Chicago high school because the regular teacher had broken her leg while skiing. The substitute assignment was to be for at least 60 days. When Anna taught the class the students complemented her on the new ways she utilized to explain lessons. These students said they had never been shown the method of proofs. The injured teacher returned to reclaim her class in two weeks, on double crutches!
Anna has a thick pile of letters of recommendation some in Russian and some in English. How dare you challenge her ability to teach? She has had more than 20 years of teaching experience in Russia, Austria, Italy and the USA!
About court, the Chicago school district produced three fraudulent letters of detrimental evaluation. Anna had never been supplied with a copy of these letters until the discovery phase of the Chicago trail.
All three of the letters were from the principal of the school where ACT cheating was exposed two years later than the date of one letter! One of these letters was actually dated 3 months prior to her receiving her Teacher ID Badge, she could not possibly have been at this school before receiving her ID badge.
The court allowed these fraudulent letters, in spite of the evidence to the contrary. Further evidence Anna had compiled concerning the common practice of using uncertified or mis-assigned teachers to teach scientific courses, such as a music teacher teaching Geometry or a math teacher being assigned to teach English as a second language.
According to Anna's observations of the statistics which the school board was ordered to provide under the discovery ruling and her own experience, more than 60% of the teachers were not qualified to teach the subjects of their assignments. Either they were not qualified to teach at all or they were certified for another subject not closely related to that of their assignments. These teaching assignments were mainly not voluntary in nature.
This statistical evidence was illegally withdrawn from the court file by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeal. How does it look for the explanation of our justice, lawful judgments, etc., etc., etc. ? The Court of Appeal specifically wrote in the case docket that they WITHDREW lower (district) court's documents from the file. If it is not the admission of the intentionally committed crime under the federal government's pressure then what is it? For those who are not familiar with this part of laws the "tampering" with court material is always considered to be A FELONY, never anything less, and the second highest court in the country is committing it and officially ADMITTING it !! |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by IMC Supporter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
28 Feb 2005
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As a poor graduate student (supporting via graduate hourly position and student loans), I have a particular feeling for others who may be going through personal crises of their own. Everybody is unique. Everybody has difficulties. We should support everybody. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
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Can you say, "megalomania?"
I think what people are objecting to with Anna and Wayne's posts is that the story is always about *them.* Moreover, if Anna has a suit before the court,, any attorney who did take her case would advise to her *stop* talking about it in public and to *wait* for the appropriate moment before a judge.
Back to point, many people are motivated to pursue issues of social justice because of personal experience, but the truly sincere ones do *not* make the issue about *them*. They stick to the issue. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
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Another voter, you put your finger on the important issue, which is who can and can not be trusted as a leader of any cause.
When I watch people, preaching for any cause, I am always interested whether this cause is beneficiary for them themselves or not. And I am usually ignoring their preaching, if the cause is NOT beneficiary for them. I am usually ignoring all their suggestions, slogans, etc.. In my opinion (and I am sure that I am right), there are two reasons why people can preach for the causes clearly NOT beneficiary for them, themselves. And these reasons are in the order of the importance:
1. People are provocateurs, and are entering the movement for the cause (s) in order to ruin this cause(s) completely. I would not join provocateurs whether I am personally interested in the cause or not. I would not do it, as I hate provocateurs, and don't want to be involved with them anyhow;
2. People, who are preaching for the cause (s) are brainwashed, usually suicidal, and simply don't understand what they are really doing. I wouldn't join such team because I have enough common sense for not to be suicidal, etc..
Besides, people are usually choosing their causes in the proper correlation with their natures , characters, history of their lives, etc.. In short, they build their lives on these causes. So, progressive people are therefore getting benefits from the victories of progressive causes, it is an obvious conclusion.
The doctor, who is trying a dangerous vaccine on him/herself considered to be a hero. But my Wife, who risked a lot fighting for available education of the high quality for everyone, being true to her youth' movement "Hello, we are looking for talents!!", is considered to be anything and anybody but a hero. Why is that?
Current shape of public education is terrifying.
Let us look at the facts:
1. On 2/10/05 during the meeting in Champaign Public Library it was actually admitted that, if all requirements for vouchers are satisfied by Public System, as they should be according to the law, financial basis of Public Education would be ruined completely;
2. On the other hand, ONLY elementary education was presenting there good examples of achievements;
3. In January of 2005 or, maybe, even in February the chairman of Curriculum and Instruction Department at UIUC , David Brown - the specialist in high school science, was exchanged by Mrs. Garcia- the specialist in the teaching reading to beginners.
Anobody can understand what it means.
Those Public School Administrators or even teachers, who were fighting my Wife on their own initiative not only following harsh orders from above, were intensively buring themselves, as if public education is ruined, a lot of these people would become unemployed automatuically.
Now, what are the ways the public can oppose to this incoming disaster? There are, of course, petitions, demonstrations, and they should be employed and widely utilized, but lawsuits WERE and ARE the very important tools in the shaping of this country policies in many areas, including, or, maybe, even starting with education.
So, I hope that I 've answered your question. If not, get back to me! |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
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My read is that you're saying no one can take up advocacy of a cause without some personal benefit or selfish motive. I couldn't disagree more. Is there no room for those who act out of pure conviction? Is there no human capacity to see beyond oneself and seek redress of injustice done to others?
Let's say, for example, that I support Habitat for Humanity, both through volunteerism and financial gifts. I am not nor have I ever been homeless, and I can't imagine any personal benefit coming my way as a result of my support of this organization. This does not make me special -- far from it. Indeed, many many folks contribute in their own way, to their own capacity, to causes, issues, and ideas which simply seem right to them.
My point in the earlier post is that I'd have more interest in your views on public education if your statements were not habitually peppered with your personal issues. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
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Excuse me, but you seem to read incorrectly. My point is that people with honest convictions in any cause are USUALLY building their lives AROUND this cause, if the cause is big enough, and the ONE, we are discussing hereby is BIG ENOUGH and very well defined. (Your example with Habitat For Humanity doesn't illustrate anything even slightly similar). At that point, they (people, who are building lives around the fight for well defined, progressive causes) are practically always benefiting not only spiritually but also with more real tokens from the victory of this cause (s). I honestly don't understand what point you are trying to promote here. You would trust me or my Wife more , if we have no connection IN REALITY with the cause(s), which we are preaching. Is that it? But, it is against the very basic common sense. Read, please, attentively my previous comment. If your wishes were true, we would be most probably either provocateurs, or blind and brainwashed and subsequently suicidal persons, nothing else. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
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My point is that your posts are always focused on your personal problems, not on the issues. I'm sorry you're having a difficult time with your career, but I would suggest that IMC is not the place to pursue your objectives in that regard. If you'll refer to the mission statement of UCIMC you will see that the expressed purpose of the site is to provide an open forum for the discussion of social, political and economic issues.
I would challenge you, then, you begin a process of posting articles and information about public education in America -- goodness knows there is an incredible amount of work that needs to be done in this regard -- without mentioning your employment situation or other personal matters. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
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Another voter, it seems obvious that your real concern is to prevent this cause from being pursued by ACTIONS. The situation with public education in the USA is more than terrible, the presented in the main text AP article is confirming it. And, as it is perfectly confirmed by the content of the presented article, such local media center as IMC, and its authors, including me, should propose the seria of rapid actions to improve local conditions, as other approaches are currently untimely. So, sorry but your challenge and its details in your presentation don't seem under the circumstances even slightly of any value. Seems, actually, just vice versa.
Forgive me, but under the circumstances your challenge even looks like an intentional attempt to let public secondary education in the neighborhood be ruined even much further that it is already. The question is rising , pertinent to the content of our discussion, "Which side are you on? The progressive, which, certainly, would want to save free secondary education in the neighborhood, and would want it to be of the high (or, at least, sufficient for the accountability) quality. And at that point should start to ACT fast and intensively towards this goal. Or the regressive, which, under the circumstances, would want to abolish FREE public education, excluding the lowest elementary division of it. This side , under the current circumstances, would like to look for any even very unreasonable excuses to avoid any actions, until the goal is achieved , and FREE secondary education is abolished."
I think, another reader, that ANY unbiased beholder can conclude that your comments and their contents are much closer to the goal of the second side than to the goal of the first. Quite frankly, I can't understand then what you are trying to accomplish on the web site of the progressive side, ah? To assure the victory of the regressive side, or what?
More probably you are trying to protect yourself, but I still can't understand completely why you are doing it through the opposition to such obviously progressive cause, as the one we are discussing. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
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I have two children in the local public schools, am myself the product of a public school system, stay involved in our community schools, and care a great deal about these issues. I volunteer my time with the kids, make donations as possible, keep informed of the issues, write letters to legislators, etc etc etc. That's how I do my share, right here in the community, with our own public schools.
What are you doing to support our local schools? |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
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On 2/10/05 it was addmitted that Urbana Public Schools District is more unsatisfactory under the program NCLB that many other districts in Illinois. Champaign District #4 admitted that they are a failure also, maybe, not as much as Urbana School District . I have written already that it means that a lot of students want VOUCHERS from the schools of these two districts. It is also clear that as soon as ALL these requirements are satisfied many schools of these two districts would be due to be closed.
Probably, whichever you, personally, and/or other people who are on the administrative boards of these two districts are doing is not what needs to be done, not at all. My Wife was trying to share and to give her exquisite knowledge and skills on the behalf of these districts, but was offended, ridiculed, etc., etc., etc.. I don't know what exactly you, personally, are doing as a administrator of these neighboring districts, but the districts ARE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING and, your actions, whichever they are, are not preventing this deterioration. So, it means that what you are doing is , certainly, not what needs to be done, and, evidently, JUST VICE VERSA. Assuming, of course, that it is not your goal to eleminate here and nationalwide FREE secondary education, except of its lowest division. According to our previous conversation, it does not seem to be the sure assumption.
However, it might be that you are still not a "provocateur" but a "victim" who doesn't understand how suicidal his/her actions are.
It might be also that like Louis XIV of France you don't care at all what would happen after your fast upcoming retirement, or whichever.
I, personally, am doing nothing for neighboring schools as I am working currently two jobs (both underpaid), as my Wife is not allowed to teach.
She however offered to both of these school districts her exquisite proven abilities to have high students' scores in mathematics, but was ridiculed, mistreated, offended, etc.. I have mentioned this fact above, as well.
The schools are almost ready to be closed, as they are not PROVIDING qualified teaching, and administrators and other activists are trying to isolate highly qualified teachers from the students. What else needs to be said, ah?
In short, if I were in your shoes of the school administrator or the long time activist, I would not be bragging about it currently, and, sure as hell, wouldn't be aggressive at all. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
|
The schools in this community are not "nearly ready to be closed." There are serious issues, to be sure, including graduation rates, gender and racial equity, funding, and so on, but let's please keep things in some sort of rational perspective. The schools in both Urbana and Champaign are filled with talented students, dedicated teachers and support staffs, and involved parents. To suggest that the schools in this community stand on the precipice of doom cannot be supported by the facts on the ground.
Back to my question, then. Anna is the teacher, and apparently has no job to consume her days. So what is SHE doing to improve the quality of education in the public schools here. Complaining that she can't get a teaching position is NOT a answer to my question.
The reason I am so persistent in this is that many -- many -- members of this community are working hard to help improve our schools, to provide serious imput to administrators and school boards, to insist upon change when needed, to volunteer time with the children, and so on. Given these genuine and sincere efforts, I take offense at the idea that since a single individual cannot land a teaching job, then the schools are rotten pits of failure and corruption. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
|
It is amazing! What I am writing I have heard during the meeting of Illinois School Board Representative, UIUC representatives, and both school districts representatives. According to you, ALL OF THEM were lying.
Now, about Anna! She is suing Champaign School District because they obviously DISCRIMINATED AGAINST HER AND REFUSED EVEN TO INVITE HER FOR INTERVIEW for at least one of their NUMEROUS openings. And you are suggesting that she is supposed as a volunteer TO TEACH these district administrators and/or teachers how NOT TO FAIL their jobs?
It is more than exquisite approach. You are NOT ABLE because of absence of knowledge, proper experience, proper attitude, etc.. to AVOID the complete failures of your professional duties, and she, whom you are afraid even to hire because she, in difference with you, perfectly knows her profession, should teach you and other like you on VOLUNTEER'S BASIS how to do your job !!
You know , your arrogance is even above anything I have been ever able to imagine!
It is Public Education, another reader!! If you have no knowledge about what your profession needs, you should try to inspire knowledgeable people to share with you their experience and knowledge, not to try to squeeze these people by applying to them ALL kinds of mistreatment. YOU AND OTHER LIKE YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE for the current failure of Public Education, and should be punished for it. The fact that you don't have the proper knowledge and experience for the success is NO REASON to forgive you this failure. Instead of the hiring of knowledgeable people, you are mistreating them, being afraid that they can do your job much better than you. And they do, of course !!As result, you (and other like you) are failing the entire system but saving your salaries (not for long, of course).
And you were even trying in the comments above to talk about idealism, etc., etc..
Come on, lady / sir, it is fully obvious that THE ONLY THING, which you are interested in, is to save your own salary, no matter how much damage to others it would cause !!!
That is why the lawsuit is so important. It is possibility to show to the majority that the QUALITY of education is much more important than selfish interests of some system's employees, and regressive government tendencies, which it (the government) grounds on such "idealists" as you are, for example. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
|
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Sigh. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Impartial observer
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
|
I would like a little clarification from Wayne and Anna. You say that the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Anna in Chicago. What was that case about, and what did the judge rule?
Why won't schools in Chicago, Champaign, and Urbana hire Anna? What is the excuse that they give, and what do you feel is the real reason they won't hire you? Do you feel that there is a conspiracy? What is the local court case about, and how would you like people to help you? |
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No More Imposture, Please |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
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While Wayne may be taking part in this discussion at times, it has also become abundantly clear that Anna is also taking part here. Wayne may continue to take part and can even pass along info from Anna, if he so chooses. Hwoever, I would greatly appreciate it if Anna refrained from posting under Wayne's name.
The temporary prohibition on Anna's use of the website can be lifted if she submits a statement of future compliance with UC IMC website use guidelines. The Steering group will then evaluate whether to accept such a statement from her and restore her posting privileges. Among the factors that would come into any such decision would be her compliance with the temporary prohibition while it was in effect.
Given that she already has violated this condition previously and appears to be violating it here again, this does not bode well for her posting privileges being restored, which would effectively make this temporary situation into a permanent one. I am asking that she comply with the temporary prohibition from this point forward until it is lifted or risk the possibility that a number of people may choose to block restoring her privileges here, if she chooses to request they be restored. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
|
My Wife has been trying to be hired by Chicago School District as a full time teacher actually since 1991 when she got her first temporary teaching certificate. At the end of 1993 she began to work in that system as a day - to -day substitute. She continued to try to get a full time position. Though she was already inside of the system and the system advertised a lot of openings in her area, she was not invited to interviews for any teacher openings and, subsequently, never got opportunity to be hired. Unofficially, she was told that she is "overqualified". It is a kind of a puzzle for me to understand what it means. Anyhow, finally when she worked as a math teacher in summer school in Curie high in Chicago, the principal terminated her without any reasonable explanation , but offered her instead to work as full time teacher of English as a second language. She has no credentials for that, she is speaking with slight accent, and the permanent demand for math teachers was and is much higher.
It was summer of 1997. She got that time completely outraged, and complained to Wage Division of Illinois Department of Labor. She won the claim, but the school system refused to acknowledge it.
Finally, she filed lawsuit in Federal Court in Chicago against Chicago Public School System under Title VII -Discrimination in Employment. It happened in August of 1998. Four judges fired themselves from her case, as it was obviously winning case but under the pressure from above they were forced to dismiss it. Finally, the fifth one dismissed the case in 2001, his ruling was brightly showing that he actually had almost no idea what the case what about. Those who had these ideas chose to fire themselves from the case. My Wife filed an appeal. And in order to affirm the decision of that judge the court of appeal withdrew very essential material from the case file, and in order to show that it was done under the pressure even wrote in the case docket that this material - the evidence of the completely unqualified teaching in CPS was withdrawn by them. After they did it, they affirmed the decision of the lower court. The only reason they submitted, however, to confirm that the discrimination didn't have the place, was their statement that ALL my Wife's credentials and letters of recommendation, in short, ALL pertinent material WAS the product of my Wife's imagination. I am not joking. It was written black on white in the Appeal Court's Decision that my Wife was not discriminated against because ALL HER ABILITIES AND RIGHTS to teach ARE products of her imagination.
The same story was repeating itself here. My Wife applied for Champaign Public School District math numerous openings, never was invited for interviews, and wasn't even allowed to work as a substitute, in which capacity she was welcome initially before she started to seek the full time positions.
The terrible quality of the teaching in Public School System is the engine of its rapid decline. That is why I think that my Wife's incoming lawsuit would be the perfect and timely illustration how this system of education with the inspiration and the support of the government is discriminating AGAINST the quality of the teaching and rapidly self-destroying itself by that.
I think that it might be not bad to have the signed petition to the judge. It is supposed to be a jury trial, such petition might be impressive to the jury. It is possible, maybe, to have a demonstration for the quality of education during the time of this trial outside of the court building, but I am not completely sure about that yet. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
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ML, the same way as Anna was and is very much concern with my problems, I am concern with hers. When she was posting articles on my behalf, the essential part of them was written or, at least, closely corrected by me, and the final editing of her articles about my causes in order to have all details intact was usually also done by me. In this discussion about mainly her problem she is participating in my postings the same way, as I was participating in hers, through correction of facts and small details, through some editing, etc., but THESE ARE MY POSTINGS, the same way as her articles about my story were yours.
These ridicules accusations that she is IMPERSONATING me are outrages. We have the same view, we are supporting each other, that is why we are together. If we are acting on each other behalf, as we are doing. Each one of us is using the help of the other to verify details, etc. As her problems are familiar in details to her, and mine -to me, we are always correcting each other postings.
WE ARE NOT IMPERSONATING EACH OTHER. WE ARE SPOUSES, WE ARE TOGETHER !
It is common practrice to say about spouses that one is a half of the other and vice versa.
What to the hell are you trying to present by this "impersonating" accusation?
EVERYBODY WHO WANT TO CHECK IT OUT CAN CALL MY AND HER PHONE:(217) 359 -3619. |
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Just Noting the Facts |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
|
Given that Wayne is working two jobs, I find it rather odd that he also has time to be posting comments on IMC all day long. Perhaps he's had several days in a row off, but this does seem to be a rather obvious issue with the authenticity of many of the comments.
While I can understand that people work together on stories here on IMC, I question the assertion that Wayne is making all the grammatical errors typical of a non-native English speaker that seem to run through many of "his" comments. I never noticed this about Wayne's writing before, so I question whether this is some sudden writing problem on his part or exactly what is obvious to me and others -- that Wayne is sounding a whole lot like Anna these days.
I won't say anything more. If you wish to dig yourself a deeper hole to explain your way out of in the future, that is your choice. I would personally advise a different course of conduct if Anna ever hopes to have her posting privileges restored. If it becomes clear that is not her objective, then I will start calling them as I see them. We have plenty of experience in dealing with fraudulent postings and policies in place to deal with this. I prefer not having to go there, but having given those involved a final warning about the situation, I am prepared to do so. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Impartial observer
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Mar 2005
|
Let me get this straight, then.. In Chicago, Anna was told that she couldn't teach math, but was offered a full time job teaching English as a second language, which she declined. She filed a discrimination suit against the Chicago school system which was appealed all the way up to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, where a judge ruled that Anna's abilities and credentials to teach were a figment of her imagination.
Anna applied for openings in the Champaign school district, but wasn't invited for interviews, and for that reason, she is suing them. She wants people to sign petitions of support to influence pretrial publicity and the jury, and possibly to demonstrate outside the courthouse. In this way, Urbana/Champaign can show their support for quality education.
Question to Anna: Are you suing to be hired as a teacher, or are you suing for a monetary settlement? |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
Yes, a very good question. My issue with all this is that we have a great deal of work ahead of us to fulfill the public schools' mission of providing quality education to everyone. When lawsuits are necessary -- as I believe they were in the Champaign Schools equity case, for example -- so be it. But to denigrate the good work that is taking place in C-U schools, or Chicago schools, because of a personal grievance is just self-centered and offensive.
As to the motives behind two (not one, but two) school districts -- in different metro areas, with very different structures and policies -- both denying Anna full-time teaching positions . . . well.
Is it possible that both districts (or is it three?) had the same dark motives: Anna is so smart and so talented and so qualified and so insightful that she would make everyone else look bad? Yes, it's possible.
Is it also possible that administrative personnel in both districts were offended by her commentary and the implications of her behavior, and perhaps troubled by her obstreperous language? Yes, that's possible too. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
Maybe, I am biased about Anna in some areas. It is no wonder. She is my Wife and I love her. The issue is however that she is an excellent teacher, as I have mentioned above. It is very pitiful, at that point, that she is labeled "overqualified" and not welcome in the system, which quality is so rapidly deteriorating.
Another reader, how can 'good" work lead to such things as current extremely terrifying statistics, ah? If Anna was so bad mannered that Chicago Public Schools didn't want her as a teacher, how come that they offered her to teach English as second language, which she couldn't do professionally and had no credentials for.
No, the only explanation for that is the fight against the quality of teaching. And THAT SHOULD BE CHANGED DRASTICALLY !!
Through lawsuits as all other means have not worked, as statistics shows.
The proven discrimination is always implying a monetary settlement. That is how laws in this area of litigation work. The amount of settlement is decided by a jury. The bigger is the amount the more loud message is sent to the discriminative entity. Let me also present you an example from our every day life.
This country has the best medical care in the world (official statistics). The reason for that is the fact that mistakes of doctors or hospital administrations are the subject of the heavy financial penalties. This country has the worst (practically the lowest) among developed countries quality of the secondary education. The reason for that that administrators of the system (especially public system) are allowed to do whichever they want, and laws about their liability (though they are existing and though they are pretty harsh) are NEVER exercised in difference with medical malpractice laws.
Can you imagine the hospital where obstetricians work as dentists, for example, and vice versa. No, it is impossible, but in public education it is the common practice, as administrators are ALLOWED to do it. They are officially prohibited, but they are doing it on regular basis to assure their own salaries, and NEVER PUNISHED.
The person who wins the lawsuit , like Anna's, can be than easily hired by any other school district (Urbana, Rantoul, whichever). The school administration of neighboring (or even not neighboring districts, as it is Federal lawsuit) would be eloquently warned to protect and to promote the quality of their work. Money are usually talking much louder than anything else in civil matters, though other things, like petitions, demonstrations, etc., are very important as well.
People who are teaching should be qualified for it, they should be professional. There are laws about it, however, they are also violated on regular basis. It is really time to send a clear and loud message about the issue, and nothing can do it better than the big LAWFULLY assigned penalty for permanent violations of school laws, as these violations are against the quality of the education and against the obvious behalf of the country's majority.
What can be simpler ! You want the better quality of the education, punish financially the people and entities who resist it !
This kind of remedies is proven to work better than others.
ML, by the way, when I am tired I can neither write English correctly nor speak.
And, once again, it is really stupid to try to accuse Anna in impersonating me, or me in impersonating Anna. We are TOGETHER.
She is writing about my problems, I am writing about hers. We use to correct each other postings!
Stop this witchhunt. I am concerned with the education, but she is the educator. And all facts of her story she knows much better than I. So, I consult with her. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
So, what you are saying is that a school district's quality and capability can be determined by whether or not they are willing to hire Anna.
If the district won't hire Anna, they are explicitly and conclusively demonstrating all that is wrong with the system.
Anna is excellence. Anna is knowledge. Anna is quality education for all. Anna is the savior of public education in America. But alas, Anna is not recognized as the messiah. So she must pursue the path of the martyr. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
One more thing.
Open the phone book to the section on attorneys. You will find dozens of lawyers willing to take on all sorts of cases on a contingency basis. If you had any kind of possible basis for your suit, you would absolutely find ONE lawyer willing to take a shot at a hefy fee from your settlement.
But you can't find one. Which pretty well indicates that no competent lawyer believes you have any case at all.
So, it makes me furious that you, who make so much of your concern for public education, are willing to pursue a course which will result in legal expenses for the school district. These are dollars that could otherwise be used to improve the lives of students. As it is, this money will be wasted on your self-serving, frivolous and destructive actions. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
Another voter, stop making from the serious thing a kitchen argument. You are not good in terminology and logic, by the way, as messiah (Jesus) was a martyr. And I, certainly, don't want my Wife to be a martyr. You, maybe, want it, but I and she would try to do what it takes to avoid such occurrence. It has no sense for me to read how you are trying to curse my Wife. More than that, it is giving the bad impression about you and your goals.
Though I have marked and discussed this fact already.
NOBODY is taking cases like this on contingency basis. Nobody is agreeing to sue local government on contingency basis.
And, even if Champaign School District can fast hire a lawyer to represent Anna on contingency basis in order to assure its own victory, she and I are both not so stupid to accept it now.
Money , which any Illinois public School District is paying as settlements and/or results of lawsuits are from liability insurance. This money NEVER EVER can be used for any other purposes.
Please, don't give advises in the area where you have no knowledge. It is just what I am struggling with-People of your occupation -school administrators think that they can TEACH ANYBODY ANYTHING just because they happen to be inside of the system of Public Education. So, be aware that you CAN'T give reasonable advises in many areas, AS YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED FOR IT.
To continue to be personal with you, when you are deliberately offending my Wife, I really have no reasons and desire. Besides, as I have written above, you goal is crystal clear for me and, I think, for any impartial reader.
I consider these kitchen quarrels to be below my level.
Impartial observer, I think that proper petition from many neighborhood residents to support the idea of the quality of secondary education, pertinent to Anna’s case, would do a lot of good to everybody, even to those who are, as another voter, fighting against it, trying to protect their own immediate behalf, because in the long run their behalf is also seriously dependent on the quality of education and the survival of all of its divisions.
Besides, if school administrators want knowledgeable people, like Anna, to help them to increase their failing statistics, they should treat them the good way at the first place, not the way any normal person wouldn’t even treat his/her pet. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
The best service you could perform for the local schools would be to drop your case.
I know I'm just banging my head against the wall here, but in reading through some threads from around Christmas, I take some comfort in knowing that I'm not the only one who has fallen into the recursive loop otherwise known as trying to talk sense to Anna.
I'm done. |
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Kitchen argument |
by English major
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
I've been wondering what a kitchen argument is. I've brought in a quote from literature to get at this question:
From Darkwing's Daughter, Part 8:
"I hate her," Sharia said, her hands balled up on her hips where the kitchen apron still hung, covered in flour. "She ruined my hurlycake."
"I didn't mean to," Jiana answered. "Honest, Mistress Aggie. All's I did was give it a punch to see if it was done."
"That's not all you did!" Sharia replied. "And you know it. It's as flat as a plate cause of you. I heard you". Her voice trailed off, as she realized the dangerous track her accusation was taking. "I'm gonna tell Lady Jessa."
"Now, now, child," Mistress Aggie said. "There's no need to bother the fine lady with a kitchen argument. I don't think the lass meant any harm." |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedoupick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
This article was placed by me, not Anna. I am expressing my points of view. They are the same as Anna's, pertinent to this topic, but it is only very natural because I am very concerned with the quality of the secondary FREE education as well. I had been interested in it even before I met Anna.
I support wholeheartedly her fight for the quality of education for everyone. Sometimes she is getting tired and weary, as she is only a woman, then I inspire her. The BEST THING she could do for the quality of the secondary education IS TO WIN BIG her fight against Champaign School District. It would send the clear and loud message, which is badly needed under the circumstances, as this AP article and terrifying and alarming neighborhood statistics indicate so clearly. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
Another little piece of information in response to another voter accusation.
Money for the penalty, if any school district is found liable in the legal case, are taken from its (this district's) liability insurance. Each school district in Illinois has up to $3,000,000.00 as a limit for each suing former or current employee. This money ARE NEVER USED for needy children, school needs, etc., etc.. It is SPECIAL liability insurance fund. However, if district is losing BIG (meaning is obligated to pay an essential amount, as the result of any court case), it means usually that top administrators of the district are punished, or more often dismissed. This fact about liability insurance is THE MATTER of public knowledge. Anybody can check it out in Illinois School Code of Laws. In law library of UIUC, for example. It means that pitiful periods about "robbed kids and schools" have no sense. It is money FROM COMPLETELY different source. And every school district in Illinois is OBLIGED by Illinois State Board of Education and Illinois Legislature to have liability insurance. So, who are you, another voter, if you are so worrying about Anna's possible victory, ah? This victory is no thread to teachers, and, certainly, a good thing for the quality of education. It is certainly a very good thing for this district's students. It is only bad for Champaign School District administartors, as they can't do their job properly on their own, which statistics illustrated so brightly, and can't also treat properly people who can help them in it. I am not insisting on the answer. Just showing the real situation. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
The funds you cite are NOT "insurance." They are reserve funds set aside by the district. If these funds are depleted, they must be replenished, and that would absolutely mean taking funds from the classroom.
What you are attempting to do is extract money from the district for your own personal grievances. You care nothing for the kids. Take your vendetta to some other unfortunate community.
I will be following your case, since I want to have advance warning if you somehow end up in a classroom where my kids might fall under your influence. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
I don't work for the schools, never have. Believe it or not, it is possible for someone to have strong views on an issue without having a financial stake in it.
As for honesty, the sadly laughable matter is that everyone -- everyone -- sees through your false identity. My dog (who is not even a particularly smart dog) could see that you are Anna. |
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Back to Education, Please |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
I think that it has been established that this is not, for the most part, Wayne posting. As always with web policy issues here, if anyone has a problem with postings be what is Anna -- or someone pretending to be Anna impersonating Wayne, which is entirely possible -- being hidden, they can bring them to the Steering group. Its next meeting is Thursday night, March 3 at 8pm at the IMC.
Further speculation about this is really pointless in this thread -- people can decide what they think by reading through it this point. If you have a remaining concern, please address it to Steering or by email to imc-web (at) ucimc.org
For those who who have had their say on this issue, noting the impersonation, I think it is time to move on and return to discussion of education here, since that is the topic. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Mar 2005
|
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fair enough |
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Microsoft's Gates Urges Governors To Restructure U.S. High Schools |
by resident
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
|
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates opened a two-day education summit here yesterday by telling the nation's governors and leaders of the educational community that the nation's high schools are obsolete and need radical restructuring to raise graduation rates, prepare students for college and train a workforce that faces growing competition in the global economy.
"Our high schools were designed 50 years ago to meet the needs of another age," said Gates, whose philanthropic foundation has committed nearly a billion dollars to the challenge of improving high schools. "Until we design them to meet the needs of this century, we will keep limiting, even ruining, the lives of millions of Americans every year."
The technology leader provided the keynote for a weekend devoted both to highlighting the problem of dropout rates among high school students and the schools' failure to give students adequate preparation for college, and to developing an agenda for action in the states.
The National Education Summit on High Schools is co-sponsored by the National Governors Association (NGA) and Achieve Inc., a partnership created by the governors and the business community aimed at increasing standards and accountability in education.
It marks the fifth education summit hosted by the governors, including their 1989 session that helped generate support for higher standards and greater accountability, particularly in elementary education. That movement ultimately gave rise to President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act, passed in 2001, which has given the federal government a larger voice in setting standards for local schools, and which has proved to be a controversial law in many states because of the federal requirements it imposes.
Bush has targeted high schools for reform as part of his second-term initiative. Although there is not unanimous support for his proposal among the governors, the attention that he and the state chief executives are focusing on the problem could spur action across the country to reverse trends that government and business leaders say threaten the United States as the preeminent economic power in the world.
Gates and other speakers enumerated a list of alarming statistics to back up their argument that high schools are failing students, particularly low-income or minority children. The United States ranks 16th among 20 developed nations in the percentage of students who complete high school and 14th among the top 20 in college graduation rates.
Just 18 of 100 students entering high school go on to compete their college degree within six years of starting college, and the nation has slipped from first to fifth internationally in the percentage of young people who hold a college degree. Math and science education poses a particular challenge, with American students gradually slipping behind the rest of the world between the fourth and 12th grades, starting among the top ranks and finishing near the bottom of industrialized nations.
"We are united in our conviction that high schools must be targeted for comprehensive reform and sustained change, and we believe that work begins today," said Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner (D), the NGA's chairman, who spearheaded the weekend summit.
Warner said the failure to reverse the high school dropout rate would have "devastating" consequences for the nation and said the governors are determined to do more than identify a problem already well known. "We're not here to produce another report that sits on the shelf that talks about the problem, that doesn't outline specific actionable agenda items that governors and policymakers in respective states can act on," he said.
Speakers yesterday painted a gloomy picture of the consequences of inaction. Kerry Killinger, chairman and chief executive officer of Washington Mutual and a vice chairman of Achieve, said the nation must respond to growing competition from China and India as well as from more developed nations. "If we don't, we're positioning the United States to gradually become a less developed nation."
The summit's leaders said high schools need to reshape their curricula and make high school more rigorous. Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), the NGA vice chairman, cited a study that found that the key predictor of whether a student would finish college was neither race nor income but whether he or she had been exposed to a rigorous curriculum in high school. "This is about the starting line, not the finish line," he said.
Gates characterized the problem in moral terms, noting that the best educated young people in the United States are still among the best educated in the world, but he said millions of students in disadvantaged school districts, whether urban or rural, are falling behind because of failed schools. "If we keep the system as it is, millions of children will never get a chance to fulfill their promise," he said. "That is offensive to our values, and it's an insult to who we are."
Much of the work during the weekend will take place in smaller discussion groups and today Education Secretary Margaret Spellings will address the summit, with Warner and other leaders hoping to conclude the session with other governors willing to carry the battle into their own states.
Asked what realistically might emerge from the weekend, Gates said the summit should give the issue of improving high schools more national visibility and higher status on the political agenda. But he said the real proof will come later. "In 90 days, we'll know how many states have signed up for the challenge," he said. "A year from now, we'll see how many states have actually moved on the issue." |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
|
I suppose it's nice that Mr. Gates is concerned about public education, but I question whether a conference of governors, with a keynote by Bush's secretary of education, is going to move this issue forward at all.
In Illinois, most public school funding comes from property taxes. Now, we can argue whether that's a good thing (I think it's a bad thing), but that's the reality. The concommitant to this is that the quality of public education in Illinois is local issue.
So, we have a situation where the feds are mandating standards ("No child left behind") without providing funding to achieve them, the governor bloviates about the schools and rearranges the state office of education to give him greater political control, but still does nothing to change the funding formula, and so on.
The bottom line, I believe is folks have to become much more involved at the local level, working hard for referenda to raise property taxes to pay for schools -- until such time as we can get a commitment from the state legislature to finally do something about funding formulas.
Until that time, presidents and tycoons can talk until they cows come home. Schools won't get better until the people who send their kids to them demand change. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
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Phil, I would look for what you ask for. Now, I am sorry but it is extremely difficult to discuss issues when I am all the time either accused that I am impersonated or impersonating.
Some of IMC readers and writers are might be too young to have proper perception of what a good marriage should be, but some, I think, - are not. If another voter can't understand that after fifteen years of successful marriage Anna's views and opinions are half of mine and vice versa, and IMC editor is supporting such approach of another voter, I really don't know what to do and how to continue any discussion.
It seems that the opinion of another voter's dog is valued by the editor more than my opinion. Besides, it is like a punch below a belt, or the kind of witchhunt to scream, "Boo! Anna! Anna! " when the opponent has really NOTHING to say to support his/her very strange (speaking softly) points.
Anna is the exquisite teacher, what is written in her letters of recommendation, because she can explain her subject to anyone and everyone, no matter how low the educational level of these students are. This quality is extremely important under the conditions of diversity And this quality is the result of the deep understanding of all issues, due to explanation (the result of outstanding training), and experience of the teaching of all cultural levels and grades. I really don't understand how the increase of property taxes, which only means the increase of pay wages to teachers, can solve the problem of the quality of this teaching. Wages of teachers in Chicago Public Schools, as I was able to conclude from wage tables, which Anna had in her papers, were higher than wages of professors at UIC, for example (also Anna's papers), but the quality of their teaching was and is terrifying. People can teach successfully only what they, themselves, know PERFECTLY, TO THE DEPTH, assuming, of course, that they also have patience and desires to do good job. Other way, no matter how much money they are paid, their job would be lousy, and results would be terrible. And that is what is going on locally, according to official statistics, which was disclosed on 2/10/05 by different public school system local top representatives at the meeting in Champaign Public Library.
Another voter wants to be paid more , while continuing the same lousy job, and IMC editors think that it is the proper approach. I strongly disagree. I am sure that any person with any brain in head, and any, even small, amount of honesty would disagree also.
That is why, another voter, people, who are sending kids to public schools are demanding changes right now mainly in the form of vouchers. According to what was said on 2/10/05, only 1/20 of these vouchers' requirements are satisfied globally and, especially, locally. Doesn't it show you what the current nature of parents requirements now is? Don't you see that your proposals to increase funding for public schools and salaries of its employees are kind of obsolete under the circumstances, ah? And it happens because they have been not effective at all for a long run. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
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Anna could be a saviour, America for one has a tendency to follow stars. As the students emerge from the school where Anna is directing the Math teaching winning math contests en-mass, all the other schools will then follow the example. If this had been done 12 years ago the entire country would be up to date now. Anna's books are for the Teacher and Student alike, what exactly is teaching, but the convergence upon a definition by a common effort.
The schools need restructuring from the administrative level down. |
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Experimental classes at Live Oak High School, Morgan Hill, California (1966) |
by Wayne Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
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Wayne: Well, the social studies instructor had actually gotten their okay, the school board's okay to run it. Our experimental class where we have the teachers sitting in the back of the room as they observe and critique.
Phil: Okay, so this is basically the system that you described here, the five principles.
Wayne: Right, which I just named to you.
Rule 1: Communications, to be able to read, write and converse in the language.
Rule 2: The drive to research many sources of information to form an consensus of opinion.
Rule 3: Express the consensus of opinion.
Rule 4: The ability to accept objective criticism.
Rule 5: The ability to give objective criticism.
The thing was, 90 percent of the time, at least in high school, when the teacher is standing up there talking, half of the students aren't listening. But I bet you that if four or five other students are standing up there, they're gonna be listening. Number one, they want to catch them at something, and number two, they're really interested in the way they're going to present it, because they're obviously not going to just follow the book. You see what I'm saying?
Phil: Yeah. Also the students are going to do a better job because they know people are watching them, and they don't want to screw up.
Wayne: It turns out they had to take a test to get into the class, not to get out of the class, and how you got your grade is, you sat down with the instructor and you proved to him that you deserved the grade. You were allowed to bring whatever proof you thought, and if he didn't like it, you had to fix it right there in front of him. That way, he knew you did it. So if you said you deserved an A, you had to take him proof that you deserved an A, and your professor would say, "Yes, that's worth an A," or "No, that's only worth a B," or "Actually, it's worth a C. Do you want to improve it?" And if you could improve it right there on the spot, he'd give you the grade. If you had to go back and study your books, or whatever, then you wouldn't get the grade. You had to know your subject. And actually, kids gravitated towards it. We had a line of people wanting to work in this class. And what started it was… this instructor was Italian, Mr. Robert Caredio. He fed us improper material. My German friend and myself, knowing the subject that he was talking about, looked at each other, and both of our hands went up. He said, "What is it?" And we said, "The information you just gave is incorrect." All of the other students, "They're challenging the teacher!" And he said, "You're the only two people in the class that were listening." He immediately admonished us, which gave us better standing.
Phil: It's good to have a teacher with that attitude.
Wayne: Right. But what he was just trying to tell people is, "You're not supposed to believe everything you're told." That is what he was trying to tell. It was intentional! He wanted us to think. He wanted us to think! He wanted us to think about what he was telling us, all the time, and to be able to make a decision on whether it was correct or not. Because that means you're actively participating in your learning. If you're just sitting there going "yes, yes," you're not actively participating, you're droning, you're being programmed, and that's just the whole thing. Education in this country is set up to program people to conform, not to teach them to be intentive, creative thinkers, individuals, things like that. It's set up to make them conform, and that's what I don't like.
Phil: So, what brought that to an end.
Wayne: Like I said, the other teachers didn't allow me. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by resident
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
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Impressive, Wayne, your 5 principles. Might you want to get in touch with Sir Gates (now that he got his Knighthood yesterday from the British Queen) as he is interested in improving education in our country. Furthermore, Wayne, have you shared your 5 principles with anyone in the local schools? You could be a teacher for the gifted students? |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
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"For those who who have had their say on this issue, noting the impersonation, I think it is time to move on and return to discussion of education here, since that is the topic. " -- ML
To which I replied, "fair enough." And in my next post, I attempted to do just that: discuss public education.
Could we please do that? |
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About gifted and non-gifted students |
by Wayne Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
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Resident, thank you for your confidence. I found that Riff-Raf become also gifted if they are reached. The Santa Clara County Sheriff handed 4 Riff-Raf over to me to teach them to read. I am not an expert on reading, I sought the help of a reading clinic that agreed to donate some time. I then gathered newspaper articles in the areas where each of the 4 expressed an interest. I deleted the pictures from the articles. Once they could read an article they had never seen before to me, I would reward them with tickets to various games, plays and presentations. One of these 4 gentleman expressed an interest in learning about computers. I taught him, then set him up to get a job. He got the job! The last I heard from him, was that he called my mom, asked her to tell me thank you. He was now a Systems Analyst! The other three did not specify an interest, but they stopped being antagonistic, they were allowed to return to school. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
|
My main issue with what's been posted is that teachers are, once again, the target of criticism. It's the easiest thing to do: beat up on the teachers.
Now, I'm NOT a teacher (or an adminstrator or in any way employed by a school district -- okay?!), but in working closely with my kids throughout their school years have met and worked with a couple of dozen of local teachers. I found them to be almost uniformly dedicated, intelligent, well-trained, up-to-date in their methods, and totally committed to the welfare of their students.
In return, they receive low salaries, substandard benefits, outdated classrooms, insufficient budgets for supplies, technology and other necessities and, to top it all off, the continuing criticism of people outside the classroom.
If we want to improve the classroom experience for ALL kids, I would suggest the following:
1. Fully fund and expand HeadStart and other preschool programs. 2. Ensure proper nutrition and healthcare for the kids. 3. Fund schools sufficiently to hire an appropriate number of teachers and thereby radically reduce class size. 4. Enhance early diagnosis and intervention for learning disabilities. 5. Stop using ADDH as an easy explanation for kids' behavior and medication as an easy answer to the problem. 6. Make schools -- classrooms, lunchrooms, outdoor spaces -- the nicest buildings in town. Schools should be palaces. 7. Stop criticizing teachers and start helping them -- volunteer your time, assist with projects, tutor and mentor kids.
Once we've addressed these matters, I'll be perfectly happy to start putting teachers under the microscope. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by resident
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
|
Another voter, you are quite correct. As a student who graduated from local schools, I can agree with your assertion on how teachers are not given due respect. Look at the faculty at the university. They get tenure and set for life. Teachers are not like that. To me, no child left behind has missed helping the teachers. NCLB is like no test left behind, because of testing, testing, and testing. Teachers need to be thought of as scholars (they have scholarship in the teaching process - pedagogy) just like university profs.
Wayne, my school in Champaign had a gifted program for middle school students. You may want to share your experiences with Santa Clara with the school boards - both in Champaign and Urbana. You can use that opportunity to also talk about your Intel work.
Phil, your interviewing skills are impressive. You did well in having Wayne talk about his 5 principles.
This is turning out to be a good thread.
Good job all, you are all doing well. |
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There are always a few good teachers |
by Wayne Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
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I would challenge the students of these good teachers to go to http://moscowtochicago.com
Take the quiz. Every High School Student should know how to answer all the questions by their Jr or Sr year. All these problems are from ACT and SAT tests of the previous few years.
If they cannot pass the test, then some remedial education is required. I'm in the process of updating the test page with an advanced section.
Once again, another voter, you address your suggestions and requests to parents of public school students, inspiring them to lobby to increase public school funding, but through vouchers they, obviously, are doing just the opposite. Doesn't it ring the bell for you that administration and teachers of public schools should be either urgently concerned with the quality of their output, or to become obsolete all together shortly? |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
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Resident, about mistreatment of secondary school teachers. They have their tenure as well. As they have the Teachers Union to see to it. And there is a school law, which guarantees any teacher a tenure after three years of employment. In many occasions this guarantee is transformed into the transferring from one school to another and what is much worse from one subject to a completely different subject. It is NOT ALLOWED by school law, but that is what is regularly happening.
Phil, Anna is ready to show you that all answers of the test are correct I hope that you are interested to listen to it. Unfortunately, my own background in mathematics is not a perfect one, though the school was of the high standards, a lot of things in math were taught incorrectly. I bet that you suffered the same, and, probably resident also. That is why Anna's knowledge and experience were and are so valuable here.
That is why, by the way, a lot of students loved her tutoring so much, and, unfortunately, many professors hated her for her superior background in many areas of math. Her books are REALLY very valuable assets. The problem is that we can’t market them the way it needs to be done. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
03 Mar 2005
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Sorry, Phil, Anna got alarmed and checked out the test , once more. In the first problem I made a typo. The answer there is E, not C. It is very obvious there. Thank you very much for pointing this out. The 11-th problem, which, I think, you are doubting, IS FULLY CORRECT. I had a lot of doubts about it also. But Anna proved her point. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
04 Mar 2005
|
Yes, Phil, you are right about problem 9. This time, I think, it was Anna's mistake. She forgot to divide by two, and I entered automatically. Thank you for pointing. I think Anna needs to check out carefully her books all over again for accuracy. It is very difficult to be the writer and the editor in one. And I hate to edit. So, she is doing it all on her own.
Now about your explanation to the problem 1.
Sorry, this explanation is incorrect methodologically. This is the very important reason, pertinent to what these volumes are about. Calculus (even the beginning of calculus-limits) is not what you are allowed to use, explaining this kind of problems to the beginners. It is, according to Anna, the main reason of the failure of American mathematical education: no proper sequence of teaching, no axioms, no theorems (the mixing of the bottom and the top). In short, no proper design, and no system in the presentation of information.
In this particular case the explanation is very simple.:
In MANY properly created Geometry manuals a triangle is defined as the figure created by three line segments, where each one intersects two others, and the length of each one is smaller that the sum of the lengths of two others and bigger than the difference.
So, it is from the definition, and this is the explanation.
It is possible to give even more popular among all manuals explanation, but it requires some abilities to prove statements on the basis of initial axioms and logical construction.
So, it would be with following axioms:
1 The shortest distance between two points in space is the straight segment between these two points (axiom of all types of Geometry);
2. The bigger side is opposing the bigger angle in any triangle (axiom of all kinds of Geometry).
To create a proper proof of the choice of the correct solution for the first problem from these two axioms is not a difficult task, as it is easy to derive from these axioms the triangle’s definition from above. But it is THE FIRST problem of the test.
ANYHOW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH ONCE MORE THAT YOU POINTED OUT THESE TWO STUPID MISTAKES IN THE ANSWERS.
Anna is very grateful. Now she is feeling guilty (it happens not often) and trying to come up with a lot of solutions and explanation for the simplest problems, like what I present here above.
I hope that she would be busy with the re-editing for a while now.
As anyone can see, my comments are often the result of our mutual efforts. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
04 Mar 2005
|
"Sorry, this explanation is incorrect methodologically. This is the very important reason, pertinent to what these volumes are about. Calculus (even the beginning of calculus-limits) is not what you are allowed to use, explaining this kind of problems to the beginners. It is, according to Anna, the main reason of the failure of American mathematical education: no proper sequence of teaching, no axioms, no theorems (the mixing of the bottom and the top). In short, no proper design, and no system in the presentation of information.
In this particular case the explanation is very simple.:
In MANY properly created Geometry manuals a triangle is defined as the figure created by three line segments, where each one intersects two others, and the length of each one is smaller that the sum of the lengths of two others and bigger than the difference.
So, it is from the definition, and this is the explanation."
Now, I have a degree in the hard sciences, and logged A's in six semesters of advanced mathematics. And I had to read this five times to understand what was being "explained."
If this is the "exquisite teaching" that a "saviour" wants to bring to our local public schools, heaven help us all. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by resident
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
04 Mar 2005
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A newbie here. How does one move this thread up? This is end of the panel. The discussion is going good. Any ideas from anyone?
Phil, good test skills. Another Voter, I am impressed with your knowledge. I am an urban planning person and so did not take any advanced math courses. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
04 Mar 2005
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Phil --
Limited funds? It's not about limited funds, it's about our priorities for the funds we have. We have $140 million dollars a day for the war. If the federal treasury wasn't broke because of defense spending and tax breaks for people like Sir William, we could have a serious discussion about federal support for schools across the country.
Sorry, but funds so make the critical difference. Republicans in the Chicago suburbs claim otherwise, but you can easily check into what these burbs spend per pupil in their schools -- a whole lot more than the state average. This is the fallout of using local property taxes to fund schools. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
04 Mar 2005
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Another voter, you might have degree in ANYTHING. In 1991, Anna taught the course in Roosevelt university , the name was Business Calculus, or Calculus in Business, or something similar. The course required the pre-test in Algebra. It was the third year undergraduate course. For many bachelor degree programs of this university, it was the last course in math. Anna was recommended to give her students in the beginning the short quiz in Algebra, as, some of them somehow didn't take this required pre-test. So, 85% percent even more failed miserably. To teach them, therefore, was not an easy task, not at all. They were not given the test prior to enrollment, probably, because the university needed their tuition money. And I have no doubt that majority of these students, maybe all of them, got successfully graduated from Roosevelt University the same year or, maybe, an year later. It, probably, can be called the Best Degree Money Can Buy. .Anna dealt here with a lot of kids in high schools (juniors and seniors), who have no idea at all what even Arithmetic is about, the very basic definitions of it, but somehow are already High School juniors and seniors.
What is wrong with her presentation of the problem's proof, ah? I am sure that you have nothing to say on the subject but rudeness, curse words, Biblical accusation. All arsenals, which you have already utilized so intensively. She is building math program accurately, step by step, deriving new things from already known. What is wrong with it? It is the ONLY WAY for successful teaching.
She is also giving her students historical inside (if there is some time for it), naming all kinds of Geometry, like Euclidean, Richmann’s, Lobachevsky's.
It, of course, require time to obtain such wide knowledge as hers, and you wouldn't waste it. You prefer to bully parents and other community's members to increase salaries in exchange to the teaching of NO KNOWLEDGE, DON’T you?
If you don't understand, or can't understand what was explained there, you, sure, need to take the basic course of Word Problems. I am kind of wondering here, whether your degree was the best what money can buy, or the best what bullying can help to achieve. Anyhow, if you can't understand that when two sides have their numerical sum and the third side has its lowest and highest estimated value, then the perimeter( the sum of all three sides) is between the sum of the value of two sides with the lowest third side's value, and the sum of the value of two sides with the highest third side evaluation’s value, then I have serious doubts that your degree is the indication of any knowledge in math. Though, I don't want to rush to final conclusion about it, as your current occupation (obviously, bullying mainly) might drastically decrease all your other abilities, as a result. Who knows? |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
04 Mar 2005
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Yes, it was an error, I made a typo, and my Wife didn't check it out. One can make an error, multiplying two times two and given it the value of 5, as a typo, etc.. My wife passed ALL required for her teaching certificates tests with the performance above 90%, she has documents about it. She can forget to divide or to multiply by two or three, it doesn't make her less knowledgeable and/or eligible to teach. Meaning that her students KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING, though, of course, they can also be absent-minded and replace 2 by 3 or similar.
When Anna is correcting ANYBODY'S quiz, as a teacher, she can easily distinguish NO KNOWLEDGE mistake from typo or an absence of concentration mistake. So, can I. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
05 Mar 2005
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Oh, yes, money for war is bad. But, unfortunately, terrible corruption, which drove Public Education to its currently disclosed by the accountability policies fully dysfunctional shape, is not good either. Money from liability insurance of Illinois Public School System CAN'T be used by school administrators for ANY other purposes, as they have NO ACCESS TO THEM, but federal money for needy children , for example, can. There was a pretty loud federal lawsuit in 1995-96 in Chicago . It was the lawsuit against Chicago Public School System, run by parents, accusing one of the school-Climente High that through it federal money for children with special needs had been transferred regularly to Puerto Rican terrorists. Director of this school was dismissed, president of Chicago Public Schools -G. Chico was reprimanded , but not dismissed. Unfortunately, the system is created such way that money assigned to it by federal and state sources might easily end up to help to build palaces(or at least much better houses) for currently existing school administration. It, obviously, can't help to increase the quality of the teaching in public system, or can it? Some of people on this board (mainly another voter) are accusing me and Anna that we are talking about ourselves. So, what is wrong when we are talking about the topic, which we, ourselves, know very well? Yes, we want to teach, to make a difference, we have special knowledge and proven abilities for it. And the topic, which we are talking about -the urgent necessity to increase quality of FREE secondary education under the very real thread to have it abolished in the very nearest future, is the EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND URGENT ONE.
So, please help me and Anna to fight for the QUALITY of the teaching in public education to assure the survival of such FREE education for your current and future children, their children, etc.. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by another voter
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
05 Mar 2005
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Okay. Tell me what others can do to help you fight for a quality public education system. I would sincerely like to hear what specific actions can be taken by a private citizen to accomplish the goals you are seeking. |
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Re: OFFICIAL ADMISSION, AMERICA'S SECONDARY EDUCATION A FAILURE |
by Wayne D. Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
06 Mar 2005
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Anna used to substitute quite a lot at Climente and her impression was that the school was a pretty good one in comparison with other neighboring schools.
However, the story, which you are presenting, Phil, seems to have not a lot in common with education and its quality. It seems to be a serious political demonstration. Standardized tests, the Bush administration has been imposing them for more than four years, and main goal is clear. Acountability ( more or less effectively) should seize the existence of FREE education. How is the problem of future statehood or not statehood of Puerto Rico connected with this fact ? The political problems of Puerto Rican separatists were and are not supposed to be financial problems of Climente school (one of Chicago District Public schools), are they? It is pretty clear, I think, that , if money , assigned for needy children are going to the completely different destination, then the financing of Public Education should be heavily controlled, as we all know that the current goal of the federal government is to reduce this financing.
In short, we should try to make teaching AS PROFESSIONAL AS POSSIBLE and to eliminate all kind of mistreatments of officially assigned to it money. Other way, the reasons to eliminate FREE secondary education would be too heavy to oppose them successfully. The Administration of Public Schools should be forced to maintain the teaching on the HIGHLY professional level. The help of volunteers is essential, but volunteers can't substitute PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS, like numerous volunteers in hospitals are useful but CAN’T SUBSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL DOCTORS.
The Administration of Public Schools should be under control of their spending of the assigned money THE WAY THEY ARE ASSIGNED. Other way, the opponents of free public education would have too heavy weaponry to assure their victory.
Professionalism in education is the real remedy, not the involvement in professional politics, especially when it means the transfer of its funds to professional politicians. In order to survive, public education should become the valuable competitor for all kinds of private education. As public education, unfortunately, mirrors all unfairness and inequality of our society, of course, all kinds of donation to disadvanced children(children in most poor neighborhoods), if they are spent they way it meant to be, should be very, very welcome. BUT NOT VICE VERSA! Mentors are also very welcome, if they can inspire children by their own example.
In short, the assurance of professionalism and honesty is what the secondary FREE education is in need of currently more urgently than ever before! It means more heavier public control over its (Public Schools) administration. To fight the notion of accountability, which the federal government is imposing so intensively, is only possible by the demonstration that THE SYSTEM IS ACCOUNTABLE, which means
its quality and achievements are high, and all assigned money are spent more than productively.
It might be, Phil, that this example with Climente school wasn't the good example of wrongfully spent federal money, as I didn't know all presented by you details. Probably, all real lawsuits about Public School System are illegally shut up, like Anna's was. However, the main idea stays the same. We (the people) should use all means to oppose government pressure to void free education. At that point, a petition to a jury in Anna's future lawsuit in Urbana federal court to inspire them to send "the harsh and urgent message" to Champaign Schools Administration should be an effective tool. Professionalism and Quality are needed in public education now more than ever before. |
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What is wrong with all you people? |
by Wayne Pickette
waynedougpick (nospam) yahoo.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
07 Mar 2005
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Anna is one of the last people to obtain a premier mathematics education in the former USSR. She brought all this knowledge here to the USA where she attempted to disseminate it as a teacher. No school system would allow her. Finally, she labored for more than 4 years to place her knowledge in an orderly fashion into two volumes. Just who do you think has shoulderd all the costs? Computer equipment, insurance, printing software, electricity and all that? It amounted to $10,000.00 or better every year! I think a price of $39.95 is fair for an invaluable reference that insures your child's mathematic knowledge shall not go wanting. |
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