Gothamist: Teaching New York Public School Kids Is Expensive

marnie

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 22:01:56 -0500

Since September, I have been trying to teach high school English in NYC. The problem? Class size. Wake up, America. Stop blaming kids, teachers, and parents. Administrators across the country who, by the way, have long since abandoned classroom teaching, know bloody well that you can't teach children who feel anonymous in a mob of 34.

ding

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 11:59:48 -0500

The statistic that Gothamist listed is misleading. Between New York State and New York City, NYC schools receive less money per child, especially in the poor, black, and Hispanic districts.

Mikey

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 10:36:11 -0500

Sozekirai, did I miss the meeting where we decided that parents aren't responsible anymore, or is it "the system's" fault that they're failing too?

anon

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 22:49:05 -0500

I'm glad to see that someone finally commented on how insanely stupid it is to claim that there is no incentive to do well in school. And to add insult to injury, the story proposes that giving kids free motherfucking donuts is the solution?! Someone shoot me now.

Sozekirai

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 22:34:07 -0500

Getting into a good college, getting a good job, and earning a comfortable living isn't incentive enough because none of that is real to them. By the time students have been in the system a few years they have become used to the low standards and neglect being all they know. At best they learn to game the system and distrust anything teachers and parents may have to say. More commonly they just atrophe in a miserable cross between daycare and prison. If any of this is going to change it will take a comprehensive list of reforms ranging from increased teacher pay, eliminating the cap on charter schools, and holding teachers to higher standards, to streamlining the contract, promoting school choice for parents and students, and using the concept of student rights as a teaching tool for getting students to participate in and care about their own education. Our education policy has to stop being about managing a problem no one really thinks can be solved and become one of slowly building the self-responsibility and skills needed for students to become eager consumers of the learning opportunities presented to them.

Barry P.

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 19:22:00 -0500

Oh good, now they'll be more obese too.

Vincent

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 18:47:34 -0500

"For another thing there simply aren't enough incentives for students to perform better." Shouldn't getting into a good college, getting a good job, and earning a comfortable living be incentive enough? I think the idea of plying kids with donuts and bad pizza seems pretty shortsighted and ridiculous. Not to discount the value of a strong school with well-paid teachers, but appreciating the value of a good education is a lesson best served by a parent, not a pizzeria or a Krispy Kreme.

anon

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 18:26:25 -0500

jolwy: you are an idiot. one reason why nyc public students perform so lowly is the immense influence of the national teachers union. how's that, you ask? when teachers are not personally held accountable for their students' grades, and when the union contract makes it almost impossible to quickly fire a bad teacher--including sexually predatory ones--the results are bound to be bad. also, american public schools need to start attaching teaching $$ to individual students the way well performing european and asian countries do. this will force the schools to shape up since if a school is bad, students can simply leave..and the bad schools will have to shape up or be forced to close. requiring students to attend school based on their geographic location, no matter how bad that school is, is a terrible idea.

garth

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 18:13:49 -0500

Jolwy, I don't think you have any idea what you are a talking about. I know anonymous comments gives people the chance to spew their racist views but seriously, grow up. And yes smart ass, I am. A proud one too. Even if I do sometimes type too quickly. I'll fix that one now.

smart ass

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 18:08:57 -0500

"there simply aren't enough incentives for students to preform better" are you also a product of NY schools?

jolwy

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 18:01:47 -0500

the reason we have so many dumb kids is cause most public school kids are black and hispanic and the asian ones are only good at math not verbal.

dhex

Wed, 08 Oct 2003 04:00:54 -0500

"sex for grades" ? i thought we were talking about public schools, not parochial. [rimshot] anyway, it is a little strange that even in new york the standard answer is "more money!" it's a bit more complicated than money. (i.e. if money could solve all woes, there'd be no illegal drugs and no iraq war due to effective policing/military strategies)

nerd

Wed, 08 Oct 2003 03:02:37 -0500

who cares if little things like jobs aren't enough to motivate kids anymore? there'll always be smart foreigners to take their places fixing hearts and designing bridges, so let 'em slack. i mean, it'll be more than "real" after their 15th year at the full service sunoco. maybe they'll even tell their own fucking kids to study, and like, you know, give a shit about their progress. god, americans gave up on math and science 30 years ago and act like it's microsoft's fault that every tech job belongs to an indian. besides, the more these kids suck, the more in demand i am. or something along those lines.