| THIS IS A READ-ONLY ARCHIVE FROM THE SORABJI.COM MESSAGE BOARDS (1995-2016). |
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Adults looking back fondly on their formative school days probably reminisce about everything but the "three R's." Memories of learning "This Land Is Your Land" or making a museum field trip likely invoke more nostalgia than lessons on long division. But subjects and activities such as art, music and extracurriculars seem to be increasingly on the chopping block. As they head back to the classrooms in coming weeks, kids may find their favorite part of school cut or reduced. The culprit, some educators and arts advocates say, is a combination of historic fiscal crises in the states and new federal standards stressing academic basics. Some critics say that if school officials cut unnecessary overhead costs they wouldn't have to touch academic programs and activities. But states, staring into a combined $80 billion budget gap this year, are scrutinizing everything — including education. Add to the mix new strict federal standards on reading and math performance, and school administrators say they have no choice but to give "nonessential" subjects the squeeze. Principal Alice Somers of Milwaukee's Franklin Pierce School, for example, reduced gym and art classes from five days a week to three after budget cuts that spanned $12 million district-wide. "There is no budget cut that's easy to make," she said. ....... Is Student Happiness Necessary? To some, these cuts may seem regrettable but necessary as school districts look hard at every budget item. To others, slashing courses and activities children usually enjoy undermines the very goal of education. "These are the only things that keep some kids in school," said Nel Noddings, a child education professor at Stanford University and author of the recent book Happiness and Education. Noddings, who once taught high school math, says she'd prefer to sacrifice math before arts, music and even sports in school. "Kids go to school because they love arts and music and learn other things as a result of being in school," she said. Touch Choice or False Choice? Not everyone agrees that schools face choices as daunting as some administrators and critics describe. "School systems love to engage in what's commonly referred to as the Washington Monument ploy," said Chester Finn, leading education expert and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, a think tank at Stanford University. "Whenever the National Park Service is threatened with budget cuts, they say they'll have to close the Washington Monument." The schools' equivalent of this ploy, Finn says, is to threaten the elimination of activities kids enjoy, such as field trips and art classes. In reality, Finn says, education spending per pupil has tripled in constant dollars since 1960 — to about $8,000 per child. If a classroom has 20 students, or $160,000, and their teacher makes $40,000 in annual salary plus benefits, where is the other roughly $100,000 going? Finn asks. Instead of threatening to cut programs and activities, Finn says, school systems should look outside the curriculum to costs like salaries for supporting staff including social workers, librarians, bus drivers and cafeteria workers. Or educators could begin to re-examine time-worn ways of operating. ************************************************** I abridged it, but the link is there if you want to read the entire article. Hayley came home last week saying we did not buy everything on her supplies list. Problem was, we bought what was on her list that was supplied on the last day of school for the next year. Over the summer, they added 50%, mainly more paper, more tissues boxes, more folders, more pencils. Plus a few "interesting" additions: Hand Sanitizer and Red Pens for the teacher. We have not bought any of the extras yet, we already spent a lot just on what was on the list already. She came home one day last week with some really dirty hands. I asked her why she did not wash her hands when she went to the bathroom, and she said that there was no soap. I think Eri needs to drop in unnanounced and check the bathrooms out before we take this any further, because I am not sure we will get the truth if we call. If it true, there is a HUGE problem, as well as a health risk. Oh, and PS: "Noddings, who once taught high school math, says she'd prefer to sacrifice math before arts, music and even sports in school. " Bullshit. That's why we can't keep any of the good employers here in the states, because the academia pool SUCKS |
How many school systems are slashing math programs in favor of their arts, sports, and music programs? I can think of plenty of schools who have gotten rid of some of their math teachers, which might have something to do with student's success in that area. I think one interesting thing that the article indicates is not a lack of funding, but inefficient spending. And, for the record not all the employers who leave the states do so due to a lack of brainpower, many do so to keep their labor costs down. |
Yes, only one opinion, but damn. As for the last part of your post, yes and no. The chip sector left because of both reasons. |
It's not that I don't believe you, and I am not asking YOU for data, Spunkem, but I would like to see some numbers regarding the companies and industries who leave due to a braindrain--percentages and projections regarding which jobs and which industries are leading in that area. I wonder if HBR has anything on this. They would be a good source. |
. I have certainly seen some inefficient spending at schools, but I also know that there are a hell of a lot more costs than the teachers' salaries and the standard per-student costs. . Many teachers, particularly elementary school teachers, buy a lot of supplies out of their own pockets. . The teachers in my home town went on strike last year because they were getting seriously boned. Particulartly, the newer teachers were getting the shaft. I was pretty impressed with the way that the tenured teachers (who were not heavily affected by the changes in a direct way) really stood up for the newer teachers. |
By the way, there should be SOAP. That is illegal, isn't it? |
I know how you, especially you TBone, like to think that cost is the most important thing to an industry. While it is HIGH on the importance list, GOOD TALENT is VERY important as well. Your company will go no where if your product is worthless. And beyone the employer's POV, just the intelligence level of the average citizen that scares me. We need to get beyone reading, writing and math. History and Science are very important as well. |
Are you sure the chip sector didn't leave because they moved jobs overseas? And, did you know that one of the best ways to develop mathmatical ability in a child is to teach them to play...wait for it...a musical instrument? |
In my case, my maths education would have been greatly assisted by having actual math majors teaching the classes, and not just having the football and hockey coaches teach it because they needed to have them teach something. |
. Yes, I do think that cost is the highest priority in almost every corporation. Quality only matters when it pays. It doesn't always. . Not that I don't believe you, spunk... But I just don't ever hear of companies hiring out of the country because they need smarter workers. I do very much agree that education is sadly lacking in the country. . Our stupid culture considers intelligence to be uncool. . Isn't it tragic that music is usually one of the first things to go during budget cuts? |
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not all coaches are idiots in the classroom, though many are. |
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. I can't imagine why they would outsource if it wasn't cheaper. It sure isn't easier, and it's certainly not better quality. |
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One of the first things the owners of toyo and the city leaders talked about was educations programs needed to support the factory. As far as teachers buying thier own stuff, they get up to $3,000 reimbursed by the feds for supplies for themselves or thier students. Very smart move. GSA approved contracts for office supplies is VERY EXPENSIVE. Better to have the teacher go to walmart to get her stuff and pay her back. We do that all the time. Contractors go out with thier personal credit cards and buy stuff for the gov because it is cheaper then buying through a GSA contract CDW-G, and GTSI are Way over priced. I can go to gtsi and buy a Black Box 42 U 19" rack for $1,903.07 or go to discount electronics and buy the same damn thing for $159.00. Yes, there are companies that put cost first. Hyandai, KIA, Acer, to name a few. Wouldn't touch any of that with a ten foot pole. Walmart does the same thing. They are going to be hurting very soon because of thier policy of having min wage emps responsible for inventory, safe audits, department accounting, etc. |
This ween album is AWESOME. |
and captain, with it's funkadelic-like guitar. |
d00d...you haven't been in the biz long, have you? :P |
. Glad you like it, Sem. . I think Argus is my favorite, too... sometimes. I also really like Among His Tribe, Tried and True, and Chocolate Town. And Transdermal Celebration. Ok, so I just really like the whole damn thing. |
This album has the potential to do things to my brane. |
Simple law of gov spending: If you do not spend all the money you have been budgeted, your budget will be smaller next year. |
i also like it when so many people in the neighborhood goes all bad trip. "how's about a piece of pie? ding dong ding dong socks and lox and cocks and rocks stay inside stay inside" or something messed up like that. they need to just go ahead and make another album right away. |
Hey There Fancypants is one of my favorites. |
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