Posts by Jose Wells3

Even now, ninety percent of them can point out the USA on a map without breaking a sweat. They aren't exactly losing sleep over the fear that a classmate might take out half the class and the teacher mid-lesson.

So, they get their stay until age ten—some even make it through fifth grade. After that? We don't need them. Those who have actually seen a street fighter in action understand exactly what these kids are capable of.

Oh, sure, let’s just go ahead and say we need to poll the kids on absolutely everything now.

Fine. Let’s give them the CliffNotes version of the policy, let them skim through it, and then ask for their "feedback"—just like they’re supposed to do with us teachers.

Do they even have a right to an opinion in this?

Paul Davis2 said:Does anyone at the SEC actually have any firsthand experience working in a school—or are they just hiring wide-eyed idealists?

Look, I think you’re smart enough for a more mature conversation here. Have you even read what our colleagues are saying? They never actually consult us. It's always just top-down notices. Or, God forbid, giving us a two-week deadline to write an endless manifesto online.

Paul Davis2 said:Prasica can't—and shouldn't—be left home alone from 10:30 to 4:00, five days a week. It doesn't matter where you are—not in Brooklyn, not in the Bronx, nowhere.

Paul Davis2 said:Everything you’re saying hits the mark. It’s hard to pin down what works best for every individual student. I don't think the all-day model is a one-size-fits-all solution, but at least it needs to exist as an option within the system framework.

Hagley:
I looked up the superintendent—psychologist, twenty years of academic research in education. On paper, the resume is solid. So why him instead of someone else? Honestly, it likely boils down to politics. Just like previous reforms, they tend to promote whoever fits the current political agenda.

Yes, he does. But he hasn't actually stepped foot in a school in those twenty years.

Paul Davis2 said:Some people hit their stride because they’re in an environment that actually pushes them—while others just don't. It comes down to the setting. We have a great work ethic here, largely because we share more cultural DNA with Northern Europe than, say, folks from the Middle East or the Far East. It's really that simple.

For two decades now, our scores on the OECD tests have been sliding further and further below the average. Is that because we’re all geniuses with a flawless system? Not exactly.

Maybe try educating yourself on other types of assessments besides the OECD ones.

Besides, we have schools that produce excellent results despite being in environments that offer zero encouragement.

An encouraging environment isn't just about a classroom; it’s about family, society, and general standards.

Look at the countries we actually want to emulate—excluding China and those types, since I have my prejudices against totalitarianism and their youth suicide rates.

I looked into the Writer very thoroughly. I see the issues, sure, but I also see that many people can't actually interpret research data; they just stare at test scores.

There are plenty of possibilities here, but the biggest issue is that the people actually working within the system aren't even consulted. The public debate on this proposal lasts TWO WEEKS. TWO!

Right in the middle of the school year, when national exams are happening and everything is bursting at the seams before the holidays.

We're getting everything through the media.

The timing for public presentations speaks for itself.

And what about the qualifications of the people who designed this? When was the last time any of them were actually in a classroom teaching?

The system won't improve as long as those of us in the "trenches" aren't the generals, and the theorists remain nothing more than assistants.

Just look at the person leading this charge. Look at how many committees and organizations they chair. Is it even possible for one person to competently hold so many leadership positions?

This is classic American bullshit. It's a pre-election distraction meant to pull the wool over our eyes while something much worse is being prepared in the background. Ask yourself: what is it? I'm already digging.

Paul Davis2 said:Honestly, we might as well just keep clinging to having the lowest hourly wages in Europe and then act shocked when foreign investment tells us we desperately need to change things.
It’s almost like we’re living in some sort of educational utopia right now.

Since everyone is busy philosophizing, maybe try reading the actual documents with the understanding that every central proposal is really just a framework meant to be adapted to real-world conditions.
Regarding that 8 to 3 schedule—it’s just not physically or mentally feasible. Take elementary school, for instance; a teacher isn't stuck in one classroom from 8 to 3. You’ve got foreign languages, PE, computer lab, and religious studies or electives—all squeezed into that window.
Then there's the kids' side of things—breaks, extracurriculars, regrouping, socializing. Sure, you could run a school from 8 to 10:30, much like what my kids did in those first four grades. But back then, I was constantly paying babysitters.

I never said things should stay exactly as they are. On the contrary, I offered suggestions. But you snapped at me simply because I dared to suggest we need early screening in our admissions process and more diverse offerings tailored to student interests.

I’m advocating for private offices in schools and an eight-hour workday with some remote work options. I’m advocating for easier ways to let go of poor teachers, external evaluations, streamlined workloads, better school equipment, and free field trips for kids. But not like this. Not by hiking up contact hours while keeping stipends miserable. And certainly not by forcing an eight-hour day on children, locking them in schools, or treating them with such distrust.

And honestly, forgive me, but times haven't changed so much that a first-grader can't be home alone. We have after-school programs; maybe they should just extend them until fifth grade and actually make them better. I didn't need them, nor did I need a sitter. My kids were perfectly fine. In fact, they were much better off than kids who are constantly under supervision—they are incredibly independent and handle their responsibilities without issue. We don't live in Brooklyn. We live in a country where kids play freely at the local parks starting from preschool.

Buddy, are you actually aware of what you’re typing here? Do you realize how condescending you're being to everyone else?

I have a colleague who would never dream of saying something like this, but he has the track record to prove it. We're talking about actual grit—working tirelessly with kids, running countless after-school programs, coaching competitions, managing projects, and handling homeroom duties.

I respect him deeply; honestly, he’s the gold standard for what a teacher should be in our school.

Most of you just blow smoke and then drive these kids crazy—kids for whom soccer is the absolute last thing on their minds. You can't even point them toward other sports they might actually enjoy. Your top-tier climbers are essentially being bullied out of class because everything revolves around soccer. Kids with gymnastics potential are wasting away in your programs, and girls aren't getting any encouragement to stay active at all. To you, Pilates is somehow "soft" or "for wimps"... I've heard enough of those old-school, regressive jokes.

For what it's worth, I co-teach my classes, and I actively participate in professional development workshops for extracurricular physical education instructors. Don't even try to lie and claim we're all on the same level. We aren't. At least 90 percent of you aren't. Meanwhile, 90 percent of us are actually juggling extra responsibilities, lesson planning, grading, and prepping for state exams—and no, we don't all have perfect evaluations.

Paul Davis2 said:Look, the money is there—otherwise, none of this would be happening in the first place. The initial move was providing free meals, which happened almost overnight across the board. It’s not a hot meal everywhere yet, but it’s a start. My kids don't get a hot lunch at school, just a snack, but honestly, that's a huge step up from nothing—especially for families struggling to make ends meet. Even for us, where I handle their snacks myself, having this extra support over the last two months has been a genuine relief.

The system always finds ways to help low-income families. Working in an impoverished area, I can tell you firsthand that nobody gets left behind; we try everything to give these kids a chance. We also work much more closely with parents, who often find themselves in poverty due to alcoholism, lack of education, or other factors that aren't always about unfairness, but rather a refusal to put in the work to change.

And now these kids stay in extra tutoring sessions until they're 14 or 15. The results? Well, they are what they are. At home, they have people telling them school doesn't matter because they won't need it anyway. They can't see their own living conditions clearly because they blame "the system" instead of looking at how they're sabotaging themselves.

I was a poor kid too, raised in a household of Worker's FC supporters and Social Democratic Party voters. No one could help me back then. I had to educate my way out of poverty. If I had been stuck in an all-day school schedule, I would have lost it—even with the abuse I dealt with at home. That’s why I threw myself into endless activities, picking my own path and choosing people I actually wanted to be around, rather than being trapped with the same crowd every day.

If someone tried to shove me into a standard high school classroom from age eight to fifteen, I’d probably lose my mind. I barely survived that schedule myself. I was constantly raising my hand because I couldn't stand listening to those idiots or hanging out with the popular cliques all damn day.

In one of my classes right now, I have four kids who are absolutely miserable because of the social dynamic. And there is nothing you can do. These kids are afraid to speak up in front of their peers because they hold different views. You can try to protect them, set an example, or crush the bullies, but eventually, they have to leave that school and go back into their own environment. And you won't be there. It’s hard for them now; imagine if they were stuck in an institution longer. They’ll lose that precious time when they should be free to be themselves—to retreat to their own little corner, hop on a call with like-minded friends, lie in a room, listen to music, read in peace, or practice an instrument to get better. Then there's my group of kids who actually love volunteering. Every single day they're at the community center, playing sports, finding themselves.

Did any of you ever play an instrument? Were you actually good? Did you compete? I was. I honestly don't know how I would have integrated that into this kind of rigid education. Where would I have tucked myself away as a child, or a teenager? Forgive me, but if I had been... well, busy with my private life...

And are you even aware of the benefits of boredom? Of having zero pressure?

Michelle Nelson4 said:Well, I’ve mentioned this quite a few times before, but in our district, every single classroom is equipped with air conditioning. The way we actually managed to get them installed was through a series of community efforts over several years—essentially raising funds via local Christmas markets where the kids would sell homemade cookies and little crafts. It’s such a lovely process because parents are more than happy to overpay, knowing full well they’re essentially making a direct donation to upgrade the school facilities, yet it feels much more rewarding than just cutting a check. Plus, the children feel so much sense of accomplishment and pride in what they've done... there really are so many ways to make an impact.

I’m looking strictly at our own school here, since my kids attend it too.

There is absolutely no way I’d want my children spending that much time in that building. Not with those teachers, not with that principal, and certainly not with infrastructure and equipment that is practically crumbling around them.

During one parent meeting, I rested my hand on a windowsill and realized it was soaked with rainwater. There were three buckets sitting in the hallway to catch leaks, and a massive puddle on the floor... and my child didn't even notice any of it while in class.

My kids wouldn't stay for after-school care for more than a semester because they just couldn't stand the nonsense there. They are straight-A students who focus on their own business outside of school hours; they have lunch ready, finish it when they need to, and handle their chores before we even get home from work around 7:00 or 8:00 PM. I wasn't always working in education, so during the summers, they were home, hanging out in the neighborhood, and enjoying their freedom. We don't have grandparents around to help, and we never played Hide and seek, but they are growing into capable, independent young adults.

Arwen, could you send me the link for the teacher schedules? I’m clearly looking at the wrong ones.

Michelle Nelson4 said:Honestly, all this drama about pancakes and whining at IHOP is getting old. Like, 99% of them just head home and start venting on their phones, spending hours scrolling through whatever social media apps they have. They spend most of their time on those platforms, which is where basically all the bullying happens anyway. If they’re actually under supervision at school and don't have their phones out, then half the stuff people constantly complain about—you know, the endless screen time and the social media obsession—just doesn't even happen. Let's be real about this.

I mean, everyone manages to learn how to pay for things at the grocery store eventually, especially during those three and a half months of the year when they aren't even in class. 😁

When I look at the arguments being thrown around here, I really don't see anyone making a single meaningful point against this proposal. 😁

Probation and parole...

That sounds awfully familiar.

The school didn't buy those phones for them. So, whoever chooses to buy one should probably focus on raising their kid, empowering their kid, and educating their kid about the demons they’ve handed over for unrestricted use.

What kind of deflection is that? It's just not true.

It's not like they live in the Bronx where you need to protect them from drugs and crime. We live in one of the safest countries on earth; what on earth are we doing with this privilege?

Fine, maybe I'm being hard on myself, but let's look at it: we're actually shielding them from their own clueless parents who shoved a thousand-dollar tool into their hands—something that can absolutely ruin them—instead of teaching them how to handle such a weapon.

Just think about it for a second. What does that say about us as parents? Who are we actually being to these children?

Kids with neurodivergent learning styles—you know, the dyslexics who need to record themselves reading, the auditory learners, the ones who crave silence, or those who can only focus on a book while blasting music in bed... and then there are the kids being bullied at school. Honestly? They can just go jump in a lake. Why bother? They should just learn to submit to incompetent parents and even more incompetent children who can’t even manage their own homework without help until they're fourteen...

Pure hell.

They say they’ve practically wiped out rabies in the fox population. Personally? I think they missed one prime specimen.

The guy is out of his mind. Honestly, anyone involved in this clearly lacks even a shred of common sense.

Susan James said:Yeah, I think it’s a great move that they finally decided to split them up.
It seems like the full-day schedule usually carries over into the subject-specific lessons too. I noticed something similar last semester when I was trying to balance my specialized coursework with the standard daily routine—it definitely makes for a long day! 😲
I noticed they’ve beefed up the math curriculum—I wonder if they actually hired a specialist just to oversee those changes? It looks like they also bumped up the HDP, which I assume is standard procedure for them.🥱)

Times change. Eventually, we won't be around either, because let's face it: people aren't going to do this kind of work for peanuts forever.

mellowskipper said:My daughter originally wanted to go into graphic design for web work, but her school basically brainwashed her into thinking it was for losers—telling her everyone there was just out to cause trouble.
Now she’s insisting on going to an academic high school because, apparently, that's where all the "smart" kids go. I suppose she's just terrified of looking unintelligent.
It's a mess.

Take a stroll by the school while classes are in session. They’re always on the morning shift, then they head out for internships in the afternoon.

Check it out during an open house.

Is there smoking? Sure. But you'll see college students hanging around them too, so honestly, it's hard to tell who is who half the time.

I actually smoked with them back when I was teaching there. 🤣

Every school has its pros and cons, but I know for a fact they're obsessed with their rankings.

There's definitely more risky behavior, yeah, but it's not that old-school "dropout" vocational program it used to be. This principal—I'm not even sure if he's still there—really leveled up the school, and you have to give him credit for that, even if he wasn't exactly my cup of tea and didn't exactly focus on building rapport with the staff.

The faculty culture was... interesting, to say the least. You mostly had to keep to yourself just to make it through the day. Who knows what it's like now? Also... if you're the type of person who needs everything perfectly orderly and finds eclectic personalities off-putting, this school isn't for you. It's not a "family" environment, because even the teachers... well, they're pretty eclectic. 🤣 (I certainly wasn't "normal" myself—not in my style, not in my looks, and certainly not in my teaching methods).

Michelle Nelson4 said:The real headache here is that you’re forced to step outside the school system entirely. It would be such a game-changer if there were a speech therapist available right on campus—someone who could perform an evaluation based simply on a teacher's observation without needing a formal referral first. Ideally, they’d be able to catch those subtle, early warning signs, rather than just stepping in once a major issue has already surfaced.

Amen!

There isn't much left to say...

There are other factors at play, obviously, but this alone would be a lifesaver for kids in the system. And don't even get me started on psychologists. Right now, we’re basically fighting an uphill battle against severe conditions that are already taking root.

But here we are, watching them roll out this "new reform" that has absolutely zero connection to reality. Eventually, you just learn that the only way to survive is to work the system from the inside while teaching the kids how to effectively flip it the bird.

If you ask me? Heads should roll. We need a total overhaul for anyone who thinks managing a poultry farm is fundamentally the same thing as running an education system. At least with chickens, you have to maintain specific standards in the production facilities; with kids, you just shove them into a room, turn on the lights, and tell them they have enough space to peck at whatever low-grade feed you decide to toss their way.

Just a quick reminder: most kids don't live in Washington, D.C., where they actually have access to free public libraries like the ones run by KPMG. For many of us, hunting down the latest required reading is a constant struggle because school libraries are equipped with the same mindset as our education system—slow, outdated, or just nonexistent altogether.

To get my hands on a specific book once, I actually had to drive to another city, sign up for a membership, and personally negotiate with the library director to secure 20 copies of the exact same title (huge thanks to her for making that happen). For some kids, I end up hitting up various local branches and collecting every single library card I can get my hands on (we currently have four in our house alone).

Take my five friends, for example. I'll bring a book from home and then rotate through them, giving each kid a different sequel over time. Why? Because if you don't, the story starts to fade. But once they finally dive in? They absolutely love it and start begging for more.

Sure, there are PDFs available now, and there's more focus on adjustable fonts, but you won't believe this... Most kids just don't want to read on a screen.

rowdypanther12 said:🙏
One of her favorite books was when they used to hold those mock "trials" for the main villain.
The kids had to step into the villain's shoes to explain their actions, while someone else acted as the defense attorney or the judge...

My class recently ran an ALU race🤣

hiddendriver34 said:Is that really supposed to be the only goal here?

I read somewhere recently that the skill sets being hunted for in the global business world have flipped completely upside down over the last decade. Apparently, "teamwork" has tanked in importance, and now creativity is sitting right at the top of the most desirable traits list. These days, companies want creative individuals; being a "team player" is practically old news.

If school is meant to prepare kids for life and the actual job market, shouldn't it be encouraging them to develop the very skill that's considered most vital right now? Do you think creative assignments should be limited to art class? Because right now, you don't see them anywhere in high school.

I constantly see parents getting all worked up whenever anyone mentions "creative tasks."

By the way, I have no clue what a "pizza assignment" is either. But honestly? It sounds pretty cool. 😁

Before she actually assigned the project, I was picturing one of those 3D pizza crafts—you know, the ones moms pull out for classroom birthday parties? I imagined kids filling up slices with items that represent characters or plot points, maybe throwing in some basic literary theory elements too.

But then, it turns out it's just... colorful circular paper scraps...

I’m trying to find a way to say what I really think about this whole discussion without being offensive. But honestly? If a kid at this age lacks the motor skills to cut out a piece of paper, we don't have much to talk about. And as for these theory assignments? They're practically nonexistent.

You’re honestly just clinging way too hard to this projection of yours—with all due respect, of course.

There should be a short piece of text accompanying the drawing; that’s the assignment, isn't it? To write out the plot of the work. In my experience, kids actually enjoy that. Rarely do they not. I’m offering them an alternative here. As for the technique? It can be anything. A collage made from newspaper clippings works perfectly fine. If the teacher is even remotely competent, I am entirely certain she discussed these details with them, because assignments are meant to be explained to children. Or perhaps I'm projecting? I tend to do that. I always ask for feedback on assignments. I’m always right there while they’re reading to answer questions, to offer advice when they hit a wall... We cover literary introductions during class time, too. The tasks are tied to specific learning outcomes, and motivation is a constant process, constantly being reinforced by comparing the book to the monthly curriculum. The teacher develops the reading plan with purpose, linking it thematically to other subjects. Hopefully...