I would like some answers for my research paper. i am comparing education K-5, Then (20 years ago), to now (present day) If you would give me your thoughts and any cenerios of bad or good teaching techniques. I will say that one bad one is that I think that they are teaching our kids to remember words versus sounding out the letters and putting them together. Teachers I would like you input on this too! How is teaching your children different from how you were taught 20 years ago?
214210
I think these days, teachers are being forced to "teach towards the test" only.  In my state specifically, being an intellectually well-rounded student means nothing as long as your state test scores look good.  Previously, students were learning to successfully function in society, as well as to do well on tests, but the inverse seems to be in practice today.  No one is teaching courtesy, chivalry, or common sense to kids these days, which I think are imperative to becoming good citizens.  Teachers, in my opinion, are really getting a raw deal now.  Reproaching students by calling parents or punishing them doesn't seem to be working either.  OK, getting back to the teaching topic... one excellent teaching technique is to become as personable with students as possible.  That, in turn, will give students an initiative to learn.  I have had some horrible experiences with teachers that just don't care and have expressed this to students.  I definitely think that teachers these days are on the defensive and this a stark contrast from 20 years ago when the teacher acted more like a second mother to students than a disciplinarian only.
269966
I think Yahoo! Answers is accidentally creating a new generation of lazy kids. It seems that they would rather play video games or text message their friends than write their term papers. However, I think it is good if someone needs something explained to them but I don't think the answers should just be given to them. These kids need to learn.
396538
I transferred out of a reading first school after one year...micromanagement restricted teaching to the learners' needs\nand the emphasis on speed as the only measure of fluency contradicted good practices...research in the National Reading Panel's report directly contradicts many procedures and statements in the booklet, Put Reading First.  Teacher turnover in the Reading First school in our urban district is almost 100% after 2 years.  Teachers can hardly wait to get out from under the program.\nThe program neglects to recognize that reading is comprehension, not speed and phoneme segmentation beyond emergent reading levels interferes with decoding and encoding.
482877
I am homeschooling my kindergartner...although I feel that we have  been since birth.  My dd also was talking well under a year.  I got a kit for baby sign language and started that with her at 7 months she started signing 2 weeks later. She was speaking clear sentences at about 12 months. It finally dawned on me to video her saying her alphabet @ 18 months (she started much earlier).  I have the baby Einstein videos, books various flash cards, etc.  When she was under 2 I started getting her preschool workbooks that she loved.  Basically I always got her educational materials that were advanced for her and let her play with them.  Some things were to difficult to grasp right away but I was always amazed that there was so much that she knew or learned very quickly.  We make everything a game and when she's done playing that game we/she does something else.  We also never talked baby talk. We never dumbed it down for her either...just like a foreign language they will pick it up and understand if spoken to them.  I have recently discovered the Waldorf method and although I am not sure about some of it other parts are speaking to me.  Playing is very important to a child's  development.  Here is some things you could check into...  There are several homeschooling chat groups that would be of benefit to you.  I understand that she is young but you would be able to reap the benefits from those that have lots of experience homeschooling.  There are also gifted homeschooling yahoo groups that can help with advanced children and the difficulties that can arise.  You can also find a local homeschool group and join up with them.  (even though your daughter is young  many people have babies as well as school aged children)
84490
I totally agree with you.  I am getting a degree in ECE (early childhood education, K-3) and have decided against student teaching because honestly I do not want to be a teacher anymore. \n\n The things I have witnessed has deterred me from teaching because of the restrictions put on teachers.  Educators are not allowed to explain the realities of situations.  They cannot even go off topic to discuss anything aside from the assigned curriculum. \n\n The No Child Left Behind Act has created chaos due to its focus solely on standardized tests.  Children need to learn and discuss skills in school and not worry about passing a standardized test, which many students fail, only to reflect negatively on the school and its teachers.  To discuss the realities of Hurricane Katrina or whatever main event gong on in the world would be to go off track of the curriculum and thus would not allow the teacher to complete the days math lesson... \n\nI believe the students need to understand that the world does not owe them anything and that they must make their own way to become successful adults.  There is too much of a focus on what the student needs, and in the real world it is the utilitarian view, and not the view of how things will work out best for each individual.  \n\nOnly when we as educators and parents allow students to see the realities of the world and the fact that they must do their own good to make it in the world, will the students of today not feel as though they are owed something.
196903
YES! as a teacher I completely agree with you, although i must say I am guilty of doing it myself when using the internet. I abbreviate most words when typing on the net because it is easier, but unlike children I know the correct way of typing as well. There are many examples I have seen at school where the internet has caused a decline in grammar and spelling ability! Text messaging on phones does the same thing. Often I will mark stories that include words such as 'da, cos, ya,' and so on.  I was reading the kids a book the other day, it said "....the cheetah laughed out loud" one of the kids put their hands up and said "that's LOL" I questioned them and then realised what they meant. On the internet typing LOL means laugh out loud. It is a real worry. I see kids who can't spell or write properly but can chat on the internet using perfect 'net language'!!
405422
Teachers need to be taught how they should behave in front of their students.  Knowledable teachers are not good enough.  They language they used and how they present themselves are important too.
406423
I understand your frustration.  I have taught high school for 8 years and it is very discouraging at times to see the situations that exist in the classroom.  First of all, there is a mandate that Special Education students be mainstreamed into the general classroom population.  I have had a class of 34 students with 9 Spec. Ed. students (this is becoming more and more typical).  There are supposed to be teacher's aides to help in classes like that, but school budgets are spent so unwisely, at times, that there is no money for a teacher's aide for every teacher with a significant amount of Spec. Ed. students (who either have a learning disability, a behavioral disability, or an emotional disability).  This leaves the teacher and the students at a disadvantage.  Teachers now use more time on class management than on class instruction.  And, it's not just because of Spec. Ed. students.  For some reason many students like to "dumb down" on their own as to not be ridiculed by their peers for being too smart, a nerd, or a "lame".  School administration look at teachers with disdain and often let go of teachers with too high of a failure rate, so many teachers, when presented with a class or classes that do not produce on the expected level then create a curriculum that they feel the students have a chance to pass, even if it does not prepare a student to be on level.  Our educational system is in deep need of reforms that work, not just reforms that look good on paper but have no substance or effectiveness in the classroom or to the students.  I try to prepare students for high school and beyond, whether they are college bound, interested in vocational training, or ready to work once they graduate.  Teaching is a many tiered profession (teacher, counselor, mentor) if children are to be educated properly.  I worry about the same things you do, but I also know that the big decisions about education often do not rest upon  teachers' shoulders, but on an administration that is often too long out of the classroom to remember or know the things that work and the things that do not.  I only hope that it gets better before it continues getting worse.
153308
**calms the people down**\n\nHonestly, we've had trends like this for years and years. This is what continues to make school systems all over the country continually adjust their curriculums. This is a good thing. This is not a panic situation. Let me see if I can explain......\n\nDo you remember when we were young and they introduced "New Math?" It was always the brunt of many jokes because people then wanted to know how it differed from the "old math." But it was a trend. The true basis of the trend was in upping the awareness of the necessity of math. We were moving toward metric; we were using measurement and applied mathematics. And with awareness......science and math scores rose. Then what happened? We felt deficits in reading and writing. So what was the trend then? "WHOLE LANGUAGE!" This catch phrase was used throughout the land. Incorporating reading and writing into an integrated whole language approach. Was this really much different from what we were already doing? Not so much. But did it raise awareness of the need? Absolutely! So my first point is that trends of math scores and language scores vying for top marks has been around for years and years. \n\nNow on to proficiency levels. This is good news as well. As a whole, our population's testing scores have risen. So happens as a result? Well.....we need a statistics expert here to explain this more accurately than myself. But surely my novice explanation might make a bit of sense. As scores as a whole rise, the median score rises. What once was above average performance may now only fall in the "average" range because of the rise in scores as a whole. Naturally as the proficiency level rises.....a great population is then put into a lower achievement level. (does this make sense at all?) The media often pounce on this. Perhaps to have news to report to scare the beejeezus out of everyone, or again, to help with "awareness." But regardless, it puts people that are not involved in education in a panic mode. Proficiency tests don't always measure achievement. And luckily enough, schools do. :) We use these scores yearly as a checks and balances system to make sure that skills are being taught and learned. We use them to notice changes in childrens levels and abilities as well. \n\nNow about your question. pfffffft don't worry! The "nerdis Americanus" is still alive and living within us. I'm afraid we'll keep breeding them over and over for years to come! :)\n\n*sniffs and pushes her glasses up on her nose**
320182
Perhaps I can speak from a teacher's point of view: Spelling is taught in American schools however; they usually teach it in conjunction with grammar and vocabulary. I agree that our students have some issues with spelling because there are so many rules. I have a hard time trying to teach my students to memorize the rules. (i before e; etc.) If you memorize spelling rules and apply them, spelling can be a breeze. I also believe that spelling is a subject that you just "have to like". Just like with Math. Everyone does not like math. As for me, I love the language of English. I study it, I read, I define words, I investigate the linguistics of the language but everybody does not find this their main focus. Finally, I don't think that the statement can be limited to "all" Americans. That's too general.  I'll bet there are some pretty bad spellers in Dennmark, Norway, Africa, Russia, The Netherlands, Egypt, Ireland, Alaska...well..you get my drift. (smile)
12505
In some countries (not the US), they just teach things and sometimes don't teach the kids how to think about the subject (asking questions and writing reactions). In the US, they sometimes focus more on using your knowledge to make questions and reactions. Also the US also sometimes focuses on self-esteem.
446757
Might I suggest the book "Martial Arts: Teacher on Teaching"  I have been teaching kids for about 4 years.\n\nIt can be a challenge.  Some need routine, others need variety.  Learning how to mix the two is the trick.
463813
In FL, we have 2 paths for Elementary Education one is Elementary Education (K-5) the other is PreK Primary which is prek -3.  I think teaching is a "good" profession as it is high demand, you can move and easily find a job, there are a lot of opportunities for continuing growth, the kids are pretty cool and you get a lot of time off.  Now the bad, the salary is kind of crap, parents can be a pain in the butt,  no child left behind (not even the little kid in the back who sleeps everyday and is borderline abused and doesn't eat at home and has to stay up cleaning the house) ie you are responsible for the education of every kid in your room regardless of their home life (and some are pretty terrible).  I love teaching!  But it is NOT an easy job!!!  But can be very rewarding.
669902
I think children should be taught that learning is something we do throughout life, not just to get through school.  They should be taught that a job well done is its own reward.  They need to learn to be self-motivated, independent thinkers.\n\nAs a parent, I try to instill these ideas in my children.  The best teachers are those that, whatever the subject matter, stress discovery, learning and responsibility.\n\nThanks for the work you do!
294905
There should be an effective listening skills course. As a higher ed prof, I have taken several courses on it, but in our K-12 system in the US, I think it is largely overlooked. The K-12ers seem to be so intent on teaching what they have to that they don't seem to be listening to our children.
555685
I have taught preschool to high school.... I find you need more patience for the younger ones, cause they just don't get it. Older kids get it, but they don't care. Not much you can get angry at; it's their own stupidity.\n\nWhen I was teaching grade 6, I had a student who swore at the principal and at me over and over. It was abusive and degrading to take that crap. But we do it b/c we care.\n\nI had another grade 3 class where I had three students referred to special programs for serious behaviour students, and that too was frustrating and humbling.\n\nAll these tough classes came early in my career and in tough schools. Not much yuo can do, except learn and make you tougher. I've got better class management skills, better lessons and know to to stand up for myself with the principal. Those previous situations, the principal did not do his job and we sat there taking the abuse.\n\nI've often gone home hating work and dreading coming back to teach. It's much harder being a teacher than a student. Many beginning teacherd rop out in the their first five years. I am enjoy my students and teaching and it has been ten years already. It's not for everyone and each year, I get my speical students who require a little more.\n\nGive the teacher a break. If there's something s/he is doing, perhaps, write him/her a note and make a suggestion.
666890
As a high school teacher, I beg you to please, please, teach the little darlings grammar and spelling.  I have high school students in 12th grade who still can't write, or recognize, a complete sentence.  Correcting and grading their work is a nightmare.  Content is fine, but it is far easier to teach a young adult how to improve content than it is to un-teach poor grammar.\n\nEnglish grammar is difficult (even I make mistakes at times), but with constant repetition, children do learn. With regard to diagramming sentences, I can only say that as a child I hated it. I found the lines confusing rather than helpful.  I now include a short grammar session in every class.  My students expect it, and they have actually reminded me when I've forgotten to include it.  Also, they say they wish they'd been taught grammar in elementary school.