tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post666697006170278926..comments2024-01-17T07:50:03.381-07:00Comments on Building Castles on the Beach: Waiting for "Guffman"?Brent Wescotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08313269993916969201noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-46696723291653732852011-04-08T23:10:17.352-06:002011-04-08T23:10:17.352-06:00I haven't seen the "Superman" movie,...I haven't seen the "Superman" movie, but it sounds alot like a Michael Moore movie. I always walk away from his movies feeling emotional and worked up, but then when you start to question some of his facts and angles, they don't hold up. It's amazing how someone can walk us down a path and the steps seem in logical sequence and you think you understand but then you find out later that you really did miss a big complex picture. <br />If it's any comfort I don't believe that the common men, like myself, really believe the teachers union is what is ailing America. There are definately some vocal morons, but I don't think that most people who actually have kids (unlike Oprah) and contact with thier schools actually think teachers are underworked and overpayed.Stacyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03865932894507890398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-30945353253708922852011-03-23T20:22:11.034-06:002011-03-23T20:22:11.034-06:00I can't promise that, Brent. I can't promi...I can't promise that, Brent. I can't promise that. Who knows when one of you're comments might provoke me into it? And yes, I am perfect and have never made a mistake, which gives me permission to tease you forever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-51809084072109890162011-03-22T22:39:19.344-06:002011-03-22T22:39:19.344-06:00Doug, I will accept your appointment only if you n...Doug, I will accept your appointment only if you never use texting language in my presence again.<br /><br />I do try to take my documentary viewing with a grain of salt. For instance, I would line up with Michael Moore politically on a lot of issues, but I really don't like the heavy-handed style of his films.Brent Wescotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08313269993916969201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-55647218546624147692011-03-22T06:50:48.997-06:002011-03-22T06:50:48.997-06:00If ur (the texting generation did the smart thing ...If ur (the texting generation did the smart thing with that word) interested in contributing to my campaign, i will appoint you Secretary of Education when I win the election. <br /><br />Out of curiosity, how would you react to a movie that was just as biased but slanted the way of your views? Personally, I would find it almost as offensive - but only almost.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-40204457653649749592011-03-21T17:45:06.279-06:002011-03-21T17:45:06.279-06:00@ Doug: It is interesting that the opinions you di...@ Doug: It is interesting that the opinions you disagree with are the most dangerous. Usually, I don't speak out like I have about the "Superman" movie, but it's something I obviously have some experience in, and the misleading information contained therein I do, literally, find dangerous to the future of our country.<br /><br />@ TK: A public school education is clearly not going to work for every single person. Charter schools, in fact, began as a way to work with, in conjunction with the pubic schools, the students that didn't fit in to the usual system. Instead, charters have turned into elite systems that work at the expense of public schools and teachers. <br />For every bad example of public schools, there's a good example, and I think the most important thing is that students are able to work it out with the help of all of their teachers and parents and other support groups. The trouble starts when students don't have any of the other support.Brent Wescotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08313269993916969201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-30140410986458287712011-03-21T11:17:35.037-06:002011-03-21T11:17:35.037-06:00I've had some good teachers, but I overall fou...I've had some good teachers, but I overall found public education very frustrating. I remember in second grade - having mastered addition and subtraction in the year prior - begging my teacher everyday if we could start multiplication and division. She kept telling me "not yet". We didn't touch it until the end of the year. I got my fix by doing my older sisters homework.<br /><br />By the time I was in middle school I was bored out of my mind. I studied and did my homework enthusiastically - I picked up on stuff. I completed all the reading ahead of schedule. I was reprimanded for moving too quickly because other students weren't able to keep up.<br /><br />My sister was on the other end of the spectrum. Her teachers handled it by calling her stupid in the middle of class, in front of other students. They allowed other kids to ridicule her on a daily basis and no one ever did anything to stop it despite many, many complaints. When she finally gave up trying because they had already given up on her they recommended she get held back a year, so she did all the same classes before - only for us to discover in her highschool years that the school had never filed the paperwork necessary to make the "being held back" official. One of her elementary school teachers used to hit her with a ruler when she wrote with her left hand. She's now "right-handed" but her writing is sloppy, her spelling is awful.<br /><br />We started homeschooling through a charter school. My sister graduated on time, as though she had never been held back. I graduated a year early.<br /><br />I truly believe that there are good teachers in the public school system, and that some form of tenure aught to endure. I do also believe that as a whole public schools fail the taxpayers and our children with programs like "No Child Left Behind" and until that's rectified no kid of mine will ever see a public school if I have anything to say about it.<br /><br />-ETKchanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09291799697898427670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-8792546392248356732011-03-21T05:53:18.584-06:002011-03-21T05:53:18.584-06:00I get irritated at any propaganda piece that looks...I get irritated at any propaganda piece that looks at only one side of a story and tells "lies, damned lies, and statistics."<br /><br />As an intelligent man you know that the public educational system isn't perfect, and you might even be willing to debate the fine points of the issues, but this "Superman" farce isn't going to sway your opinions even the slightest. <br /><br />The thing is, though, the movie wasn't aimed at you.<br /><br />Once upon a time I got tricked into seeing a Michael Moore movie as part of a focus group. One of the questions we were asked after was "Did you find the movie to be biased." My answer was, "Duh. Yeah." I got yelled at by several members of the audience who told me Mr. Moore's movie was nothing but the truth, and that they agreed with it. I tried to explain what "biased" meant, but they were too busy practicing on me the new terminology they had learned.<br /><br />Your movie was aimed at those type of morons. Whether a person agrees with the views expressed or not, watching crap like that, in the words of Billy Madison, makes us "dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-13870287984514551232011-03-19T21:55:21.224-06:002011-03-19T21:55:21.224-06:00@ Johann: Thanks. I can't argue with the KIPP ...@ Johann: Thanks. I can't argue with the KIPP success. It's just misleading to suggest that charters are doing everything right when they get to pick and choose who stays and goes within their system.<br />And the problem with the film is that it suggests a rather pedestrian teaching practice is the key to reform. Music works, sure. You got anything else?Brent Wescotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08313269993916969201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-79877071061878643752011-03-19T00:26:40.456-06:002011-03-19T00:26:40.456-06:00I agree that the problems in education is mostly c...I agree that the problems in education is mostly culture and home. Blaming teachers is just an excuse for the hard right to get the government out of education. Judging from the mess in Wisconsin, they are making progress (or regress?)<br /><br />These KIPP guys? Seriously? Music works? Did these yahoos have any educational experience before opening schools?<br /><br />Thanks for the review. I think I'll skip the movie.Johann the Cabbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00227501431470145684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-57807347482135784682011-03-18T23:13:46.938-06:002011-03-18T23:13:46.938-06:00Bryan, you've hit it on the head. Every teache...Bryan, you've hit it on the head. Every teacher knows how difficult it is to deal with students who don't have support from home, but it is never politically expedient to say this. So politicians and reformers are attempting to change the way teachers work, without dealing with the root cause of the problems. It's demotivating to teachers, which is NOT good for the students. Duh.Brent Wescotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08313269993916969201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-48977240218728947982011-03-18T16:04:50.288-06:002011-03-18T16:04:50.288-06:00I was going to try to come up with a math rap, but...I was going to try to come up with a math rap, but I think I'll spare us all from having to endure that.<br /><br />This is a good post. I haven't seen this movie, but I had been interested in it. I wasn't sure what angle it was going with. I just knew that it was about education and kids. If they're blaming everything on the teaching system, then I definitely don't agree with that. I had plenty of teachers, some good, some bad, just like anything else. I think most of the problems with these kids start at home, but that seems to be something are people are increasingly less willing to except. It's easier to watch a documentary that gives you a villain to blame.Bryan Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01607046468663026271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-20342936824129464812011-03-18T15:57:52.368-06:002011-03-18T15:57:52.368-06:00I didn't think you were saying it was a bad id...I didn't think you were saying it was a bad idea. My response was targeted at people you said criticized teachers for using these means to teach students.<br /><br />My English teacher was pretty awesome and I adored her. My Spanish teacher...I think she hated teaching.Chanelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18159248995263246944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-73687102686388361592011-03-18T15:08:32.351-06:002011-03-18T15:08:32.351-06:00I can see that in my zealotry I was ambiguous.
It&...I can see that in my zealotry I was ambiguous.<br />It's not that using music or anything at all that helps kids learn is a bad idea. The problem in the movie is that they seemed to think that this woman, and therefore the KIPP charter schools, were the first teachers to ever come up with the idea. Every teacher I know uses creative means to reach their students. Some things work for some kids, other things work for others. My bet is that those tunes you still remember came from teachers you remember because they were dynamic and loved their subject. That's difficult to measure.<br />I hope that wasn't too didactic.Brent Wescotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08313269993916969201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2772006307472464943.post-31587581153495465082011-03-18T14:39:52.081-06:002011-03-18T14:39:52.081-06:00When I was in seventh grade my English teacher tau...When I was in seventh grade my English teacher taught the class our helping verbs by teaching them to us to the tune of the Macarena.<br /><br />Everybody passed that test. <br /><br />My Spanish teacher taught us the names and capitals of Middle and South America with songs. I still sing it in my head. And the days of the week.<br /><br />I think it makes learning easier for kids who struggle, and more fun for those who get bored easily. Whoever says that's a bad idea is silly.Chanelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18159248995263246944noreply@blogger.com