In order to change education, no only politicians need to get out of it but also right and left groups and religious organizations.

It looks to me that went it comes to education everybody has an oppinion but nobody cares it the chidrens get educated or not.

in my opinion: the lack of critical thinking skills.
(from infancy, this generation has been dominated by instant gratification, response based 'toys'), the 'drugging down' of their brightest independant thinkers, and an obsolete scientific/historical curriculum

Lack of discipline. Lack of motivation.
Politics needs to be taken out of schools.

There needs to be a standard of learning.
I really think schools are set up so that even the worst student can get by. So all students are ill-prepared to face the world.
Of course, I think the REAL intention is to make society like schools already are: where even the worst person can get by. In other words: mediocrity is the new gold standard

Originally posted by DontTreadOnMe
Lack of discipline. Lack of motivation.
Politics needs to be taken out of schools.

Lack of discipline is a serious problem. Teachers and principals can't even discipline their students anymore. All they can do now is offer them rewards for doing what they were supposed to do in the first place, and hope that works...

Students have got to motivate themselves. It's impossible to teach someone who doesn't want to learn, no matter how hard you may try...

And politics has completely taken over schools. It's sad, really...

As a parent that is active in my children's school, one thing I notice is that most parents are too involved in their own lives and only peripherally interested in their children's education. How do you get parents more involved?

I think the best way to raise the education level of children is to give the kids goals. The best way I have seen is guaranteeing a college education, if the kids maintain a certain GPA. Also, if employers took a more active role in the educational system, guaranteeing students jobs if they meet certain criteria this would also be helpful. I'm not one to agree with Hillary on anything but, for many students is does take a village to raise them properly; this is simply because their parents are not doing it.

If you are serious about helping children then you should put your time where your mouth is and get involved.

Variable

This is how I was taught at my public school.

1. Enter room, go to your assigned seat.

2. Teacher turns on overhead, you copy notes for 1 hour with no class discussion. Assignment is written at the bottom of notes.

3. Rinse and repeat for 9 months.

Sounds fun...

I was thinking that in response to history, in particular ancient history, some other theories should be presented as well. I'm sure we do not know about everything in the ancient past and it would be nice to get some theories introduced to spur some thinking. I know there are a lot of BS theories out there, but some are actually credible and aren't being introduced. Also, current events and discussion of them should play a larger role in seconday education.

How does education in other countries compare with education in the U.S.? We seem to have the worst schools, but the best colleges, in the developed world. How did that happen?

Also, what subjects do you consider essential for every 18 year old graduating from high school in the U.S. to know? These are the ones that spring to mind immediately... what others can I add?

Math:
Algebra I & II
Geometry & Trigonometry
Calculus I (Derivatives) & II (Integrals)

Science:
Biology
Chemistry I (Inorganic) & II (Organic)
Physics I (Mechanics) & II (Electromagnetics)

Social Studies:
World Geography
U.S. History
World History
Government
Economics I (Macro) & II (Micro)

Language:
English Language
English Literature I (British) & II (American)
World Literature

....What else?

As a public high school student in America. I would say it is because the entire class learns at the speed of the slowest member. I go to a small school so I have the same classmates in every class. I am by far the #1 student but I must stay on the same lesson as the guy who just wants to finish school and become a full time drunk. If given the option I could do a week of work everyday with no problems. I had a 101.7 as my year average for English! and it's supposed to be the hardest class. My lowest was a 93 simply because I don't give a crap about "humanities". Anyway, the problem is lack of good teachers and lack of motivation. They tell me, Why bother making A's when you can pass with D's?

What scares me is that it's to the advantage of government and businesses to have stupid consumers. If we're too stupid to understand important issues, the government and business sector are free to take any action they choose. Because no matter what they do, we won't be able to figure it out. If we're too stupid to understand how things work, businesses will be able to sell us products via emotional appeals in advertising rather than solid product design.

Ask yourself this: How can it be that BOTH Democrats and Republicans are adamantly pro-education, but yet year after year nothing gets fixed with our school systems?! We are stuck with schools where students are passed to higher grades, regardless of their performance, where grade inflation is rampant, where disruptive and even criminal children cannot be removed from the classroom, where a growing population of college freshmen need remedial courses on basis subjects, where… you get the idea. All of these “problems” and many more could be easily fixed without spending a dime, but yet they’re never fixed.

We are stuck with a grossly inadequate educational system because those in power want it that way. And in a classic catch-22 situation, the general population is to stupid to even care about it!

Most students have a goal in mind, pass the course or get an A...The emphasis is more on the grade than understanding. Most of our teachers have systems that are set up so all one has to do is memorize in order to make the grade. Memorization does not equal understanding. Our students need to be required to understand to pass.
We also need to teach them to think, and question everything. I know this is an individual choice but at times its discouraged in the educational system. That should not be the case. Questioning should be encouraged.
Also, many things taught at the lower levels in science and math are in fact lies. Yet they are not presented as such. If one makes it to the higher levels of the sciences then they perhaps learn it. IMO, alot of time is wasted on stuff thats not even true. We need to instill good fundamentals in students.
Our educational system does not do a good job of presenting the subjects as interconnected. They are presented as classes that end at the end of the semester.
I also believe GPA is a ridiculous concept that should be done away with...more on this later

[edit on 22-6-2004 by KSoze]