Started by Kimberly Robinson2 · · 👁 16 views · 503 replies
…
northernfox12 said:I honestly can't believe what I'm reading...
It’s just a collective smear campaign against our entire education system...
At this rate, we might as well just scrap public schools entirely and let every parent teach their kid whatever they personally deem useful.
Sarah James4 said:The quality of teaching shows in the results... and what are we seeing?
SAT scores, state exams, you name it... pick one. Let's see how it goes.
Nobody has an issue with teachers who actually do their jobs right... those people deserve extra rewards (bonuses, specialized training, etc.). Generally speaking, my kid would be happy if the school system worked, and the staff needs to be happy too.
Are the teachers even happy with their pay, working conditions, or career growth?
Sarah James4 said:Honestly, homeschooling shouldn't be off the table. Let parents teach their own kids... but we’d need objective testing and actual academic standards in place first (which even the local teachers here seem to mock), just to check in on them every now and then.
what's the issue?☕
northernfox12 said:Secretary Primorac actually set us back significantly...
Just look at where our performance levels were fifteen years ago. ☕
wanderinggardener12 said:Parents, and educators for that matter, ought to draw a much sharper line between the two: we aren't grading a child’s soul or their fundamental character, but rather their measurable achievements, the development of functional skills, and their overall academic progress.
If we could just grasp that distinction, perhaps there would be less of this constant, grinding frustration. Everyone needs to keep in mind that most teachers actually take pride in their work, and frankly, no one has any vested interest in withholding an A if a student truly earned it.
The real issue lies elsewhere: we deal with both subpar instructors and those overbearing parents who believe they can micromanage every classroom decision simply because they once held a degree in some unrelated field.
In other parts of the world, homeschooling is a perfectly viable path. It is something we should seriously consider implementing here in the States. Even though I work within the school system myself, I don't think the idea is inherently flawed—at least, not for certain children and families who might thrive under different circumstances.
Sarah James4 said:Exactly... always someone else's fault.😢
James Perez54 said:That they don't yell at them or make fun of them in front of the class.
And that they're fair when it comes to grading.
This is exactly what my son wanted back when he had his teacher.
Charles Murphy6 said:Of course—theaters come to the schools too, including mine, and honestly, it’s a pretty great setup. They bring in all sorts of people, from various athletes to athletes with disabilities, and they even host these early educational workshops... you really have to get creative with it, though, because everything ultimately rests on the principal's decision.
I can't speak to all that nonsense you mentioned; we don't do any of that at my kid's school.
I do know of a few specific instances where kids excelled so much in sports or some other subject that they ended up grabbing a slice of pizza with their teacher or something similar. Naturally, the kid isn't footing the bill, of course.
It becomes an absolute nightmare if everyone just sits there like a bunch of statues during the parent-teacher meetings. At my daughter's school, we were blunt and unapologetic about it: we simply don't have the money!!!!!
So, look, they brought a theater troupe into the school—$5.00, and they also took them to the local public library for free theater performances—they do a little bit of everything, like collaborative creative workshops or even dance lessons during PE... just a bit of everything.
The only big outing this year was to Central Park, which was fine, I suppose. The kids always love it. We managed to power through the cost since it didn't involve lunch or those other expensive extras... and that's it for the entire semester.
Personally, I'd love for them to go more often, but all us parents are in the exact same boat, and since many of the teachers are parents themselves, they generally understand what our financial situation is like.
As for how they grade it, I haven't a clue... I just know that after the shows, they usually have the kids draw or discuss the performance, especially in second grade.
That’s something a teacher should probably answer; I honestly have no idea...
Charles Murphy6 said:Regarding field trips...
Every school operates under its own Annual Plan and Curriculum for the academic year, which includes a specific schedule for field trips and senior graduation trips.
It outlines—with a few exceptions—roughly when these things will happen.
Personally, I think field study for the upperclassmen is a fantastic idea, though in my school, it happens maybe twice a year at most, where the kids actually get to visit places they wouldn't normally have the chance to see on their own. We make sure we aren't just picking "foodie" destinations; the goal is to find locations that genuinely spark some interest in the students.
In our district, field studies usually involve older students touring the city, visiting museums, or exploring various churches—and I don't just mean Catholic ones. From what I've gathered by watching the kids' reactions when they get back, they actually find it quite cool.
The younger grades typically go to a few theater performances during the year, which I’m perfectly fine with because, let’s be honest—as a parent, I have to admit that with this constant, relentless rush of life, I rarely find the time to take my own child to the theater... my shame and all.
Then, once a year, they go on a trip, like visiting a farm to see how bread is made or something similar.
The most important thing in this whole process is that the teachers at my school stay mindful of the parents' financial situations. For instance, they recently scrapped one particular idea because after crunching the numbers, they realized it would have been a massive burden on families.
Everything is always debated at the PTA meetings. As for those big graduation trips—where they actually go isn't decided by the homeroom teacher; instead, the parents work directly with the travel agency to pick the destination.
The Department of Education doesn't dictate the rules on where or when these trips occur.
There was this one ridiculous situation in Washington, D.C., when an order came down that every school had to gather, I think it was about 60 students per school, to go sit in Madison Square Garden to watch "Jack" (well, she was still riding back then) extinguish the Olympic flame... honestly, what kind of madness is that? To force teachers to essentially pressure parents into letting their kids attend such a massive spectacle...🙄
In that specific case, the city of Washington, D.C. actually paid for the bus transportation just so people could clap for Jack... absolutely pathetic!!!!!!!
I'm not a teacher, but I do work within the education system—so please, don't lynch me over my grammar... I know I can be quite stubborn about it, and I'm fully aware.
Peter Doyle2 said:igzekli, I've actually asked this several times now, but I can't get a straight answer from any teacher... 🙂 🙂
It doesn't sit right with me, and I highly doubt it's actually part of the official curriculum... It’s fine to cover the material more deeply during class and then grade them on that, but giving a test based solely on what was seen at a movie theater, a play, or on a field trip—especially if it wasn't a mandatory school outing, or if there was an extra fee involved, or if not all kids could attend... 😳 it's just not going to fly!!
northernfox12 said:I honestly can't believe what I'm reading...
It’s just a collective smear campaign against our entire education system...
At this rate, we might as well just scrap public schools entirely and let every parent teach their kid whatever they personally deem useful.
Peter Doyle2 said:I thought that was more or less how it worked, since that’s how it functions in my own field—every preschool center develops its own annual plan where things like field trips, plays, and similar events are defined.
Let’s be clear, I am absolutely not against field trips, especially the educational ones > mentioned regarding visiting landmarks. Nor am I against prom, which only happens once or twice during an entire eleven or twelve-year schooling period anyway.
I’m not even opposed to theater performances, BUT there really isn't a need to drag kids to the theater several times a year!! Once or twice is plenty; the rest should be handled by having theater troupes come directly to the school. It’s definitely more cost-effective that way. Ultimately, most schools have drama clubs, so incorporating a few of their performances makes sense.
If it works in preschool, I don't see why it wouldn't work in K-12.
So, it seems like the McDonald's trips, movie outings, and all those frequent excursions are completely unnecessary and just pushed by certain individual schools. I guess the solution is to voice concerns at parent-teacher meetings or talk to the counselor. Okay, I'll make a note of that 🙂
I'm also wondering about the grading aspect. One user mentioned that a teacher gave students a test based on a movie they watched at the cinema. Is that actually allowed? What if I decide today or tomorrow that I don't want to—or for some reason can't—send my child to the movies? Will my kid end up with a bad grade? Is going to the theater a mandatory part of the curriculum, or is this just a loose interpretation of media literacy (meaning, couldn't they have just watched the content at school on a DVD)?
wanderinggardener12 said:Look, I’m speaking from experience here—straight from someone who actually works in the field.
I find myself firmly against the whole concept of these graduation parties. Why should I be held responsible for kids attempting all sorts of reckless stunts? Is it really my job to go without sleep for two, three, maybe even five nights straight just to supervise them—all while praying they return home in the exact same numbers they left, ideally with their health and blood counts intact? It doesn't sit right with me. If parents want to host these things, they should handle it entirely on their own terms. I certainly didn't raise them to treat a milestone celebration as an excuse to experiment with every bad idea under the sun, so why on earth would I volunteer to stand guard over the chaos?
Educational field trips? Sure, they have their place, but only if they are treated as actual extensions of the classroom—complete with the same academic rigor, expectations, and assessments that follow any other lesson. If someone chooses not to participate, well, that is their prerogative; they will simply have to master the curriculum through other means. It might be a less vivid way to learn, but they’ll eventually get the same information as everyone else. In my school district, we made sure that no student was ever left behind due to financial constraints; whether it was the cost of the charter bus or the museum admission, we always found a way to make it work so every kid could join. However, there was one non-negotiable rule: anyone who went on these trips was expected to behave like they were sitting in a lecture hall and actually retain what was taught. It didn't matter who picked up the tab for the ticket or the transportation; once you are out there learning, you are a student, period.
Sixteen theater productions over eight years? Fine, I suppose that’s acceptable. Even having theater programs within schools is perfectly fine, though we have to be honest about the quality—there are very few performances out there actually suited for older students, much less the facilities themselves. And as for these school drama clubs? Don't make me laugh. Do people truly believe that a classroom hobby is the same thing as legitimate theatrical art, or that it serves as some kind of meaningful model through which children can actually experience the craft and learn the nuances of stagecraft? If you want to talk about youth drama workshops, sure, let's talk about those—but they should be treated as an entirely different pursuit altogether, driven by a completely different purpose.
Fast food joints like McDonald's—that’s just not how you handle this. It could be an exception, sure, but it should always stay strictly optional. Personally, I wouldn't dream of taking my kids into any of those greasy, unhealthy establishments. But if a teacher insists on it for a class outing? Well, that's a different conversation entirely. $0.00 If parents can actually reach an agreement on letting their kids head out to some social gathering or activity they’ve picked for themselves, I honestly see nothing but good in that. Is it really such a monumental task to just let them follow their own interests? If they're on the same page, why fight it?
Is this a movie review? Hardly. It’s more like a formal reception for a piece of performance art. I find myself wondering if the people taking these tests actually bothered to mention who didn't attend the screening, though I doubt it. And as for those who were there—attending simply because their parents insisted it was part of their curriculum—well, why wouldn't they be included in the tally?
Everything ultimately boils down to the Teacher’s Council, the School Board, and the Parent-Teacher Association. Nothing happens within those school walls without passing through all three of those layers first. On top of that, the Department of Education maintains a very specific list of approved performances and events, essentially providing a guide on what is vetted and what is strictly discouraged; because of that, those three local groups don't have the final say unless the Department gives their blessing.
So, what’s the actual issue here? Is it the exceptions? If that's the case, then perhaps it’s time to address them within your own school districts.
Fast food places like McDonald's—that shouldn't be the move. It could be an exception, but it should be optional. Personally, I would never take kids to unhealthy fast food spots. But if a teacher wants to (for $0.00 a little extra cash) take the class somewhere they actually choose, and if the parents are on board, I think that's great.
A movie trip for a grade? No. An appreciation of art? Yes. I'm pretty sure the kids taking the test weren't all people who skipped the movies. And for those who went, and for whom it was considered an educational outing by their parents, why not?
So, what’s actually the issue here? These exemptions? Honestly, just handle them at the school district level.
