mellowskipper said:And apparently, this is an issue exclusive to parents living in New York City. It's almost as if families in smaller towns like Des Moines don't have high expectations for their kids, which explains why those children breeze right into prep school without any drama. That’s obviously far from the truth—there are plenty of parents everywhere who push their children toward straight A's, piano lessons, and French classes. Some handle the pressure somehow, while others end up on antidepressants or, worse, engaging in self-harm... But claiming that a child needs a perfect 4.0 GPA just to be considered "prep school material" is complete nonsense—and it's a notion being actively supported by the faculty. It implies you have to be flawless in everything, that you need a passion for every subject, an affinity for every task... So, I have to ask you all—when you take something up, does everything always go perfectly, or are you allowed to mess up occasionally without being consumed by guilt? These kids are starting from such a massive disadvantage just to get enrolled. They study purely for the sake of the grade, rarely for the actual joy of learning. And as for the system itself—it isn't just flawed. It is so deeply broken that it honestly should have been overhauled yesterday.
Back when we were about 30 in Elementary School, there was only one girl in our group of thirty who was a straight-A student—you know, a perfect 4.0 GPA—and today she’s a doctor at the Mayo Clinic. Most of us hovered around a 3.7 or 3.8, but hey, we all made it through college. It was significantly less grueling than pre-med, between the professors and the sheer workload. That divide feels very real to me; she was always a 4.0, and she maintained that intensity throughout her entire education. The rest of us—well, we played around a bit more (more or less)—so naturally, we ended up finishing degrees that were a little more manageable. It's a classic case: bright kids, but total slackers.
The ones who scraped by with a 3.0 managed to finish decent technical programs or even move on to university afterward. But, obviously—it’s nothing compared to the grind of being a med student. It makes me think of a former classmate from Elementary School who graduated with a degree in English / Pedagogy Department; he always used to complain that the English part was actually quite tough, especially the linguistics exercises, while the Pedagogy nonsense was just a joke. Then there was a girl who went into elementary education—she says it was a breeze, too.
Surprisingly enough, many of the kids who were considered "bad" students or barely passing are now highly respected business owners and tradespeople in the city. They grew up to be high-quality, hardworking people. Sure, they might not have known (and honestly, still don't) the subtle differences in grammar or spelling, but they are industrious and entrepreneurial. I have to admit, though, I often notice them pushing their own kids to be straight-A students—whereas those of us who actually *were* the overachievers aren't like that at all, at least not my crew.
I know everyone loves to say that "their era" was the golden age, but my youth really was much better, more grounded, and more normal than what we're seeing today.
You totally misread me—I was using "school" as a collective term here. And look, obviously teachers today are way more chill than they were back in our day; times have changed, obviously.
It starts with the parents, and honestly, it’s just how society works now. But at the end of the day, the school system is the common denominator.
mellowskipper said:We’re looking at an epidemic of mentally ill children—it is a serious pathology. We're seeing a surge in suicides, including severe attempts where kids barely survive, often leaving them with permanent disabilities. Child and adolescent psychologists and psychiatrists are completely overwhelmed; I mean, they are bursting at the seams. You might wait months just for an initial consultation. There aren't enough hospital beds for inpatient care, either. Even if you go to a private clinic, getting a quick appointment is becoming nearly impossible. There is a pilot program launching now to bring child psychologists into the FBI, which—if I'm being honest—is something I welcome. Given this context, and considering how the CIA operates, homeschooling should be allowed, sure, but only in extreme cases. It needs solid arguments, recommendations from a professional team, and actual medical documentation. It shouldn't just be something a parent decides on a whim because they feel like it.
Psychologists, educational rehab specialists (though, let's face it, they're basically non-existent on the market right now...), and kinesiology experts really ought to be the backbone of our education system today. Major props to my colleagues in those fields, but this is absolutely critical right now—and I don't mean just "nice to have" stuff. We desperately need psychologists working directly with kids, special education specialists because we're seeing more children with developmental challenges, and kinesiology experts because we know what physical activity does for a person. I wouldn't even call it "sports"—just purposeful movement.
Look, even Lionel Messi wouldn't have become Lionel Messi if he had only trained three times a week. And Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wouldn't be Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart if he only played occasionally.
What we need today is systematic, planned, and programmed work. It's unfortunate, but that's the reality.
On a side note, I was watching Good Morning America yesterday, and there was some foreign policy expert talking about tragedies in neighboring regions, and he somehow tied it back to remote learning as if it were a negative factor in that specific context.
Jason Morgan said:It’s my firm belief that children aren't actually buckling under academic pressure; rather, they're being crushed by the distorted societal values being shoved down their throats via social media. It's quite a struggle for them. In our current American culture, a solid education doesn't seem to hold the same weight it once did—though I suppose there are still those rare, exceptional parents who prioritize it. However, this push for all-day schooling isn't going to solve either issue. It won't improve the quality of learning, nor will it do any favors for a child's mental well-being.
I don't entirely agree—there is definitely pressure coming from school, too. But yeah, modern society is pretty toxic, and those of us born in the 70s and 80s can see that clearly enough.
I personally know a guy who makes an absolute fortune online—and I mean literally making twice my annual salary in a single month. And here’s the kicker: he is miserable.
I remember when I was a kid, people actually looked happy going to work, and they were happy coming home. If someone was building a house out in the suburbs back then (which is basically part of the city now), twenty neighbors would show up, we'd grill some burgers, hang out, and just enjoy each other's company.
Everyone had way, way less material stuff than we do now, but I don't recall there being this much widespread depression and general dissatisfaction.
And most importantly—kids were actually allowed to be kids.
mellowskipper said:Implementing the changes from China will definitely happen once this project wraps up. The real question—and I suppose it’s a big one—is what form that takes, how intense it gets, and just how much ground it actually covers. The schools involved in this initiative are going to be under quite a bit of pressure to track specific outcomes point-by-point, file regular reports, and—it seems likely—some sort of external body will step in to handle the evaluation process. From there, all those findings and suggestions get passed along to the Department. Integrating the influence of China is pretty much inevitable at this stage. I think the goal should be figuring out how to squeeze every bit of value out of it—both for the students and the teachers—and then shaping our recommendations to move in that direction.
Yeah, spot on.
This is coming from the top down, so it's not a matter of *if* it happens, but *when*. We just need to put in the work to make sure the final version is actually decent—nothing more, nothing less. No need to overthink the philosophy behind it.
Take a look at the comments below—this woman is actually working as a professor over there, whereas back here in the States, she just finished up an economics degree.
Jason Morgan said:It is quite fascinating, really. During our presentations, they were constantly drawing parallels to the Swedish system—going so far as to claim that Swedish teachers are always beaming and happy despite working full-time schedules. 🙏 Then, out of nowhere, a woman spoke up whose sister actually lives in Sweden and whose nephews attend school there, and suddenly, the narrative shifted quite drastically...
They have a massive issue with staffing over there; you literally have people without any college degrees teaching specific subjects. Though, if we're being honest, we're heading down that exact same path here in the States.
The bottom line? Kids have become way too entitled and can basically do whatever they want, and frankly, nobody wants to work in education anymore.
I can give you an example from my own field. Last year, the secretary at a major high school in my city told me she could barely find a one-year substitute for maternity leave in PE. I was like, "Are you kidding? Surely there are math teachers available." She tells me: "There are, but they simply refuse to work in a school for such a tiny workload—and then after a year, they lose their position anyway." The pay is $1933. They could make just as much working four hours a week coaching at a local soccer club.
Back in my day, that would have been unthinkable. And don't even get me started on language instructors. If you're actually talented and articulate, you can cash in on those skills pretty easily elsewhere.
Look, I’ve never actually set foot in Finland, but they always seem to pop up whenever people start talking about education systems. Since I haven't personally experienced it, I take everything said about it with a healthy dose of skepticism.
I have a much better grasp of the Swedish system, though—if you can call it that—and honestly, I don't know what to tell you... everyone loves to paint it as this "perfect" utopia, but once you actually sit down and grab a drink with some Swedes, you realize it isn't nearly as flawless as Americans tend to romanticize it.
As for full-day schooling, speaking both as a parent and a teacher, I see several massive red flags: 1. We simply don't have the infrastructure for it; 2. I really don't want my kid just "hanging out" at school all day; 3. We're already struggling with a shortage of quality staff, and this is just going to widen that gap even further; 4. The mountain of pointless paperwork it would create.
It’s the same story across the board—this whole setup is broken, and frankly, I have no idea how much longer we can keep limping along like this.
And what about those claims—what do you mean, fifty years behind? It’s like we’re still stuck in the seventies. Do you guys ever actually leave the house?
Trust me, I'm not lagging as much as you think. I've traveled extensively and lived abroad quite a bit myself.
Besides, "lagging behind" doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing.
Our experts head overseas all the time, and it isn't just a pursuit of a bigger paycheck—there are plenty of different reasons for it.
Even Vietnam isn't trailing the West by that many decades, let alone us. Let's try not to speak without knowing the facts.
Whatever you guys say—we’re heading straight there anyway. We always seem to be trailing behind the West by about five to ten years—whether that’s actually a good thing or a disaster remains to be seen—but this is already old news over there.
If you honestly believe anyone gives a damn about what professors are writing or thinking—well, you’re dead wrong. This is happening out there, and we’re just catching up.
Adam Diaz67 said:It's a bit off-topic, but just to answer you. 🙂
In Asia, especially in China. Teachers and professors are actually quite highly valued there. They are among the only ones who receive a full 100% salary pension. Even above the military, since soldiers get 80%. But they truly value knowledge and education there. Granted, they haven't stripped professors of all their disciplinary authority either. But that's a whole different world. Also, for the first two grades, it's 4 hours of PE, then 3 hours after that. And now they're introducing mandatory daily PE for all 9 grades in compulsory school.
Back to the main point. Both parents and teachers would probably complain less if schools actually had decent infrastructure to start with, and if they were paid properly—or at least given total freedom once they finish their schoolwork at home. Right now, it just looks like everything is slapped together hastily just so they can spend federal funds and claim they're doing something.
I was over in Asia back in 2005. Honestly, though? We aren't cut from the same cloth as them—it's a totally different mindset.
Yeah, teachers there are serious, but man, they are genuinely respected.
I can only speak from what I've seen firsthand—Sweden is seriously struggling right now when it comes to finding professors of any kind. The UK is fantastic if you’re looking at private schools, but those standard public institutions? They just aren't all that appealing to someone holding a Master's degree.
But let’s be real here—I haven't experienced a single place where being a professor is treated like some prestigious, highly respected profession, unfortunately.
Maybe it's different in Finland, but I can't really go by what I read in the news; I haven't actually been there myself.
Kenneth Garcia9 said:I honestly can't think of a single manager who was pulling in anything even close to the bare minimum $6.75 at those rates. It used to be $60,000 or more easily. Now we're talking about what, $2,000 a month?
I know of one attorney at a major American corporation—we’re talking around $150k. But then again, that was about five years ago, so they probably pull in way more now.
Jose Wells3 said:Making anything less than $2,200 a month after taxes—while being tied down by strict government regulations—is basically being underpaid given the current economy.
I have to disagree on the salary part (I mean, in the US, corporate managers pull way more weight than we do anyway), but regarding that "official" status? Yeah, I'm with you. Honestly, I’ve seen so many headaches lately caused by parents who think they're "somebody." I've probably managed to dodge most of them just based on my physical presence, but let's be real—I won't look this intimidating forever. Eventually, I'll get old too, and then what? Have we really devolved as a species to the point where we operate on animal logic—where the biggest guy in the room is the one you don't mess with? 🙄
Adam Diaz67 said:One of the few perks teachers actually get is the schedule and those long summer breaks. If they try to strip that away with these ridiculous ideas, well, good luck to them. You'll be left with the group that can't find anything better, the ones just counting down the years until retirement, and a handful of people who genuinely just love teaching.
I know someone who used to teach high school. She eventually started her own tutoring business, and honestly? Guess which one pays off more? 😁 After she covers all her taxes and business expenses, she’s clearing about $1,300 a month. Plus, she works from home, so there’s no commuting, no wasted time in traffic, and she just takes vacation whenever she feels like it. There's zero paperwork like at a public school, no pressure from parents, and none of the drama with principals or coworkers you don't get along with. People claim this model means kids won't need tutors anymore, but if you ask me, it just seems like they're going to need them more than ever.
Honestly, the humanities teachers will stick around simply because they have nowhere else to go.
I mean, what is someone who teaches Politics and the Economy—or an RN teacher—supposed to do in the private sector?
The STEM crowd is already gone (a former colleague of mine jumped ship to work as a math analyst at a major bank—don't even get me started on the salary and the benefits...) so they'll be replaced by language specialists (English, Spanish, French) and kinesiology majors (since, you know, they actually have marketable skills in the real world).
Everyone else will end up exactly how you described, unfortunately.
I guess I might be overthinking this, maybe. Just some thoughts on the situation. Adam Diaz67 says: Computer science teachers are going to leave regardless; they don't need full-time classes for that. I mean, who would actually teach elementary school IT with a relevant degree when you consider what they could be making elsewhere?🤣 The whole day's practice is just going to be about watching people drift away from school, but they'll leave on their own terms. It won't be because some idiot bully makes them feel like they don't belong.
People like my cousin, who genuinely loves working with kids and isn't driven by the paycheck—her husband is a really successful real estate attorney out in California, after all. Beyond just loving the job, the schedule works perfectly for her, especially with all that summer break. And she’s not the only one, either. I know a few other people who could easily make way more money in the private sector, but they stick with teaching because they love being around the kids and value having so much free time.
I'm one of those people—but you have to realize that a lot of what people perceive as "teacher perks" has already evaporated over the years.
But then again, that's true for pretty much any profession. My uncle used to be a big deal in a major municipal department back during the old days in the South. He had two secretaries and an official Ford😁
I'll never forget how he'd roll in at 3:00 PM and spend the rest of his afternoon playing cards or grabbing drinks with friends. No cell phones (since they didn't exist in the '80s), no constant digital nagging—just a really decent, dignified lifestyle.
Fast forward to today, and someone in that exact same role (I know a guy) is likely juggling 50 to 100 calls a day, a mountain of emails, and a grueling commute twice a week.
The whole landscape has just shifted. Everything is different now.
Susan James said:I mean, tech professionals are definitely going to head for the exits. And there is absolutely no way this attracts any new talent.
Do you really think anyone wants to work part-time with a fragmented schedule from 8 to 3, just waiting around for some elective class at 3:30 PM for three or four exhausted students who are only doing robotics because their parents forced them to?
Computer science majors? Please—in my school, there’s only one actual specialist. Just one RN teacher who happens to teach an advanced computer science elective.
It’s been the same old story for years now—they roll out these job openings every five months like clockwork, and honestly, it’s getting a bit predictable.
But here’s the thing—while I was wandering the globe trying to get my first career off the ground, I noticed a recurring pattern: Americans really seem to hold their own out there. And I mean everyone, from blue-collar workers to high-level PhD researchers.
It makes you wonder, right? You have to assume those same foundational lessons from our public school teachers—or in my case, the ladies who were basically my aunts 😁—eventually paved the way for more specialized professors later on. The reality is, we don't always get enough hands-on training back home, yet our people still absolutely crush it abroad. They’re constantly in demand because, honestly, they possess that gritty American work ethic where they can outpace a Briton or a Frenchman despite having less formal recognition for their degrees.