Discrimination-Based Teacher Education Plan

[392cobra]

It's no wonder Johnny can't read.

A branch of the University of Minnesota may require all education students at the school to understand and accept that they are either privileged or oppressed and that they be well-versed in issues like "white privilege," "institutional racism” and the "myth of meritocracy in the United States."

The task group, formed as part of the Teacher Education Redesign Initiative at the state university, aims to change how future teachers are trained, based on the assertion that the teachers' lack of "cultural competence" contributes to minority students' poor grades.

Some of the proposed curriculum requirements are:

• "Future teachers will be able to discuss their own histories and current thinking drawing on notions of white privilege, hegemonic masculinity, heteronormativity, and internalized oppression."

• Teachers will be able to articulate a "critical analysis of this story of America, for what it illuminates and what it hides or distorts" including:


- "myth of meritocracy in the United States"
- "historical connections between scientific racism, intelligence testing, and assumptions of fixed mental capacity"

- "alternative explanations for mobility (and lack of it)"

- "history of demands for assimilation to white, middle-class, Christian meanings and values"

- "history of white racism, with special focus on current colorblind ideology"


• "Future teachers are able to explain how institutional racism works in schools" and recognize that "schools and classrooms are often structured in ways that advantage and disadvantage some groups but are also critical sites for social and cultural transformation."

But while some teachers might want to be instruments of "social and cultural transformation," Kissel says, "Some might just want to teach math."

"The idea is if you don't have the right views then we're going to give you remedial classes, and if we still can't turn you to the right views, than we're not going to give you your credential," he said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,...est=latestnews

[Dan40]

I'm so relieved. I thought is was because, from the cradle to the grave, we GIVE the minority "students" Food, Clothing, Housing, and Money. We do not require that they even attend school, let alone get decent grades, nor do we require that they work or even try to find a job. Thereby destroying their self esteem, crushing their ambition and individualism, and removing all self respect and respect for their country.
But its the teachers that didn't know that they were the problem all along.
Utterly amazing the BS liberals can invent!

[Excaliber]

Man, what will those conservatives try to put on our kids next?

[Maricopa]

"myth of meritocracy in the United States."

Well we certainly know it doesn't exist in the publik skool teecher realm....or in who they allow to post on Cobra forums.

[Wayne Maybury]

By the way, what's wrong with some teachers just wanting to teach math? or physics, or chemistry, or economics, or marketing, or.........well, you see what I think.

Wayne

[Ron61]

Wayne,

That is why the United States is falling so far behind other countries. While we are more concerned about being PC and not making students learn anything they don't want to, other countries are teaching math, science, and other things that deal with real life instead of the BS we have here. And their students have to either learn or fail. We have some brilliant students here who want to learn but it seems the Govt. is doing everything they can to make it hard for them. I guess Obama and his group of illiterate advisers subscribe to the theory that an informed and intelligent citizenry is a dangerous threat to their power.

Ron

[Wayne Maybury]

Ron

In my opinion there has always been a relatively small percentage of the population that is stupid and/or lazy as well as a a relatively small percentage that is brilliant. The majority falls somewhere in between.

Historically those members of the majority that didn't work hard, fell behind while those that did work hard or were lucky, moved ahead. It seems that over the past 20 or 30 years, there has been a trend whereby everyone is supposed to succeed (to some extent) no matter how little effort they make. This seems to just be one more step in dumbing down the educational system.

Many years ago welfare was restricted to those unfortunate people that really needed help. Today it is a right that is handed down from one generation to the next. Many youngsters that grow up in a welfare environment just put in their time at school waiting until they are old enough to begin to get their own handouts. They tend to look at education as an annoyance since they don't need to be educated to collect welfare. It must be really difficult to be a teacher these days and it must also be difficult to be a young person wanting to get a quality education since many of their class mates don't give a damn.

Wayne

[Ron61]

Wayne,

We still have some very brilliant young people but it is getting harder and harder for them to get into a good college because of the BS of having to let unqualified minorities and anyone else who thinks they want to party for 4 years in first. My doctor's son, who is now a doctor, had to go to 5 different medical schools before he found one that would accept him as they had to fill their quotas of minorities and other crap. He was a straight A honor student in high school and scored high on his SAT tests, but those people don't have to take any tests. And they will be given diplomas and a person to read them to them so they know what they say.

Ron

[RAZOR]

Here in NE Ohio, Cleveland schools have only a graduation percentage of around 30%, hows that for no one left behind. If you look in depth into this subject it will scare, and infuriate you, at what is happening in the classroom.
Then theirs the University system,which is totally inept, in all of this its the system to blame, their are many good teachers and professors doing their best.
The bottom line is that the classroom of 50,100,or even 150 years ago were superior in many ways compared to todays classroom. Just look at the McGuffey Reader used in the mid 1800's and see the quality of what a third grader had to be able to read and comprehend.

[Ron61]

Razor,

Some time back someone posted a copy of a test that 6th graders I believe it was had to take back years ago. I dare say none of our help them out because it would hurt their egos to be left behind, could have answered two questions on it. I have an electric fence and a year or so ago I stood out there and listened to two girls and two boys from the local high school trying to figure out what those small yellow signs said. The electrified wire is high tensile barb wire. They were spelling out each word real slow and trying to figure out what it said. After about 5 minutes one of them said, "It must be Electric and the other word has to be fence." So to prove it one of them reached up and grabbed the barb wire. I have the pulse type unit and it will knock the devil out of you. But they now know what Electric Fence is. But on the other side we do have some very intelligent kids here and they are having trouble getting an education because these party freaks keep throwing and text messaging in the class room and the teachers aren't allowed to do anything but stand and watch. Our school board is as dumb as they come on top of that. So it really makes it hard on the kids that want to learn and go on to college.

Ron

[Wayne Maybury]

Ron

The system isn't a whole lot better up here but I think that the teachers try to get the lazy kids to sit in the back of the class room and just shut up. At least this gives a chance to the kids that want to learn.

I teach part time in the evenings at McGill University in Montreal. The first night I ask the students if anyone has a cell phone. Immediately a whole bunch of phones appear. I then tell them that I also have a phone but mine is in my vehicle and I go on to tell them that all they have to do is have that stupid phone ring just once in my class to get on my bad side. I get really good cooperation that way. Of course these mature students are paying for their courses themselves so they want to learn. It is very different compared to high school.

Wayne

[Cobrabill]

Get rid of "tenure".75% of the problems solved.

[turnpike boy]

Originally Posted by Cobrabill

Get rid of "tenure".75% of the problems solved.

Wrong - this simply allows that most corrupt of systems, the education system, to fill its' ranks with the stooges and lackeys that are cronies of the administrators. Politics in school systems are flagrant and exclusionary - that is why tenure was instituted. Whistleblowers and people of integrity are booted as fast as possible....you're not welcome if you rock the boat.

That said, the tenure system requires overhaul to enable shedding the true dead weight teachers. But first, there must be oversight of the administrators - who are a monumental obstruction to true reform and efficient practice. THEY are the ones who establish the protocols of business in schools - THEY are the ones truly responsible for the abject disgrace our schools have become.

[Excaliber]

I agree turnpike, we need a more balanced approach to the problem of "tenure", without throwing it out all together.

[PDUB]

CobraBill and TP Boy, either of you work in higher education?

[Anthony]

I think the problem with education is not with the school system/teachers. It's with the parents, and their lack of involvement in the education process. My parents spent countless hours with me and my siblings, before even starting school going over reading and math skills. I do the same with my kids. There are so many parents who donlt have the time or even care about their childs learning, and leave the education process entirely up to the school system. What a big mistake. The high school failure rates traces back to the families, and their lack of involvement in educating and raising their children. Until you fix the family problems, you will never fix the education problem.

[Wayne Maybury]

Originally Posted by Anthony

I think the problem with education is not with the school system/teachers. It's with the parents, and their lack of involvement in the education process. My parents spent countless hours with me and my siblings, before even starting school going over reading and math skills. I do the same with my kids. There are so many parents who donlt have the time or even care about their childs learning, and leave the education process entirely up to the school system. What a big mistake. The high school failure rates traces back to the families, and their lack of involvement in educating and raising their children. Until you fix the family problems, you will never fix the education problem.

Anthony, we have a 4 year old grand daughter that is with us 2 days per week . I have been doing ABC's and numbers with her since she was 2. She didn't understand at first but she can now do the full alphabet as well as count to the mid teens in English and in French. I am trying to teach her how to write her letters but she hasn't grasped the concept quite yet. She likes to make lots of H's but no A's, B's or C's so far. None the less, I try to spend a few minutes doing something constructive with her every day. It has to be fun for her and of course a 4 year old has a very short span of attention. I have learned to be patient.

Wayne

[Ron61]

Wayne,

A good friend of mine in Chico has a daughter that is really something. They started teaching her when she was 3 and by the time she was ready for kindergarten, the school wanted to start her in the 3rd grade. Dave told them no, she was going to go to every grade and grow up without all that pressure, but she could graduate now if he would let them move her ahead.

Ron

[turnpike boy]

Originally Posted by PDUB

CobraBill and TP Boy, either of you work in higher education?

Not directly. Wife is an elementary teacher (32 years) and daughter is also (4 years). While not a teacher myself, it is impossible to escape the impact that administrations heap on staff when so close to the action. It would take far too long to give you blow-by-blow examples, but they are manifest to both in my family.

PDUB, as Anthony noted parent involvement plays a major role in the success - and lack thereof - of kids in school. The sh*t that happens here is almost too surreal to accept as fact....but it is.

How about you, PDUB? - are you an employee of the system?

[Cobrabill]

Originally Posted by PDUB

CobraBill and TP Boy, either of you work in higher education?

No.............