Why is the educational system constantly failing me?

Teachers, headmasters, fellow pupils what is wrong between me and the school system? Twice kicked out of lessons for saying that The Smiths are better than ABBA and more previously Duran Duran. Ill treated constantly just because I express a different opinion to the majority and always talked down. A perfect example is my summer exam results; I tell a teacher that within results a D came up and also I grabbed an A* and immediately I am interrogated about why I got a D, and not at all congratulated upon A*. Meanwhile two of my French classmates gained places in the top 5 in the country for their results and school goes mental with apparent pride. Pulling the wool over the pupils eyes, they are not happy for the two kids just pleased because they own those two and can boast to the nation.

So, two days ago I am asked in class to take part in the exercise that i sto write about our school for the open day. I took my chance. Whilst others feverishly scribble away the lies that have been driven into them over the past five years I tell the truth. It comes to quite a lot of writing in the end exploring the schools many problems and weaknesses. It is time that a different view is put across to the visitors and that they are not falling for the propaganda littering the school corridors is my excuse to the teacher who simply looks on in disguist at the truth.

Can anybody relate to me or to the sorry ways of schools, or am I just being very shallow in my general outlook?

p.s. once I track it down I shall upload my piece for those in any way remotly interested.
 
After all, you're a practising troublemaker.
 
give up education as a bad mistake! :)

love

Grim
 
never let education interfere with your learning.

mark twain said that, i believe. well, whoever said it,i live by it.
 
Teachers, headmasters, fellow pupils what is wrong between me and the school system? Twice kicked out of lessons for saying that The Smiths are better than ABBA and more previously Duran Duran. Ill treated constantly just because I express a different opinion to the majority and always talked down. A perfect example is my summer exam results; I tell a teacher that within results a D came up and also I grabbed an A* and immediately I am interrogated about why I got a D, and not at all congratulated upon A*. Meanwhile two of my French classmates gained places in the top 5 in the country for their results and school goes mental with apparent pride. Pulling the wool over the pupils eyes, they are not happy for the two kids just pleased because they own those two and can boast to the nation.

So, two days ago I am asked in class to take part in the exercise that i sto write about our school for the open day. I took my chance. Whilst others feverishly scribble away the lies that have been driven into them over the past five years I tell the truth. It comes to quite a lot of writing in the end exploring the schools many problems and weaknesses. It is time that a different view is put across to the visitors and that they are not falling for the propaganda littering the school corridors is my excuse to the teacher who simply looks on in disguist at the truth.

Can anybody relate to me or to the sorry ways of schools, or am I just being very shallow in my general outlook?

p.s. once I track it down I shall upload my piece for those in any way remotly interested.



Don`t be afraid to be different and disagree with the majority.I mostly did that at school.I refused to wave a flag when Princess Anne visited and got a weeks worth of detention.I believed in CND and was rooting for Arthur Scargill:oIused to wear hundreds of Smiths badges and was looked down upon by all the royalist Wham devotees:eek:....i know its a long time ago since i had your dilemas but I`d give them all a bloody big middle finger if i were you.:D
 
I feel it is often quite enjoyable when I manage to take whatever advantage I can of school, so I shall carry on being who I am regardless of the current system. cheers for the support of providing realisation of what I should do.
 
Oh god Troublemaker, has Nigel joined your school? :p :o
 
Teachers, headmasters, fellow pupils what is wrong between me and the school system? Twice kicked out of lessons for saying that The Smiths are better than ABBA and more previously Duran Duran. Ill treated constantly just because I express a different opinion to the majority and always talked down. A perfect example is my summer exam results; I tell a teacher that within results a D came up and also I grabbed an A* and immediately I am interrogated about why I got a D, and not at all congratulated upon A*. Meanwhile two of my French classmates gained places in the top 5 in the country for their results and school goes mental with apparent pride. Pulling the wool over the pupils eyes, they are not happy for the two kids just pleased because they own those two and can boast to the nation.

So, two days ago I am asked in class to take part in the exercise that i sto write about our school for the open day. I took my chance. Whilst others feverishly scribble away the lies that have been driven into them over the past five years I tell the truth. It comes to quite a lot of writing in the end exploring the schools many problems and weaknesses. It is time that a different view is put across to the visitors and that they are not falling for the propaganda littering the school corridors is my excuse to the teacher who simply looks on in disguist at the truth.

Can anybody relate to me or to the sorry ways of schools, or am I just being very shallow in my general outlook?

p.s. once I track it down I shall upload my piece for those in any way remotly interested.
this makes me really cross. As a teacher, I go out of my way to make my children feel valued and as though their opinion matters. I don't have a pristine classroom, with lots of laminated glossy pictures about what we are learning at school on the wall, I have wallfulls of colourful, cheerful, lively childrens work, mis-spellings and all. I hate the fact that not all schools and teachers follow these principles. A teacher told me that a supply teacher my class had had one day had found them hard work, they wern't responding to her. I know this is because she constantly shouts at them and orders them around. I have to say I rarely really have to raise my voice to get my kids to behave, and 'm proud of that. How can people teach if they don't enjoy it or they constantly critisise? I couldn't do it.
 
I went to public school from grades k-8, private school from 9-12 and a private University for undergrad. I went back to a public university for my masters degree. I have experienced the best of both public and private institutions...

Why is the school systems around the world failing?

1 - We focus way too much on kids that are barely scraping by instead of enrichment for the kids that are already succeeding. The No Child Left Behind notion is nice in an utopian society where every person is born with the same intelligence and background and on top of that WANTS to be there.

2 - There are too many principals who have never actually taught. They have no idea what it is like to run a classroom. I am lucky enough to work for a principal that was a teacher for near ten years before she entered administration.

3 - There are too many people that pretend to understand what it entails to teach certain subject areas. I can teach Math as well as History. I basically refused to teach Math one year after I had too many bosses telling me how to teach it when in fact they could not pass the exams my students could. I switched over to Social Studies and accepted a Dept Chair position so there are less cooks in my kitchen.

4 - Talk and Chalk slowly replaced by too much group learning. Kids come to school to be taught and not teach themselves. There was a movement a few years ago to replace talk and chalk with experimentation and discovery in math. That's really nice. So you mean to tell me that after fifteen minutes I am going to set my classroom loose and hope that for the next hour and fifteen minutes that my students will figure out on their own what took mathamaticians 500 years to figure out? (Another reason I switched to History)

5 - Talking about too many cooks in the kitchen. One year the regents math teacher had to go on maternity leave. I was approached to take teach the advanced regents math program. (For UK readers that is the High School or Secondary School accelerated math program for eighth graders.) I took this one extra class under the stipulation that I would do it with absolutely NO interference or people telling me how to teach. I used the old talk and chalk methods. Strangely enough 37 out of 38 kids passed the state regents that year with 80% or higher as a grade. It was one of the highest success rates the school had ever experienced in the program.

As far as conforming I have one rule. When they say the Pledge of Allegiance in the morning you have two options. You say it along with the class in the courtyard with your hat off and hand on heart or if you do not ... then you are absolutely silent and not disrespectful to it. If you want to shout something out you are in trouble for being disruptive. It is your constitutional right to NOT salute the flag but you will NOT disturb the people that are. You will have respect for their constitutional rights. Beside the fact it is that flag that protects your constitutional right NOT to salute it. How people can have no respect is beyond me.

I have more to say but that will be for another post.
 
Print off a copy of the headmaster ritual lyrics and change manchester with what ever district you live in, then leave it in your teachers bag or draw/pigeon hole. Worked for me
 
Others have had some good input, but you might be a big part of the problem. I've taught for over a decade and a half and I'm no apologist for any education system however... let's consider what evidence we have:

Teachers, headmasters, fellow pupils what is wrong between me and the school system? Twice kicked out of lessons for saying that The Smiths are better than ABBA and more previously Duran Duran.

Unless your educators are rabid fans of ABBA or D2, one might reasonably conclude that the reason you were disciplined might have been a repeated tendency to discuss matter not relevant to the topic of your lessons.


Ill treated constantly just because I express a different opinion to the majority and always talked down.

It may not be your differing opinions but rather how and with whom you wish to debate them. I'm trying to envision a conversation between two of my students in which one asserts the superiority of ABBA over the Smiths. Evidently you are choosing to argue with morons. You will not win an opinion-spouting match with a moron which makes you appear... well... Teachers get annoyed when stupid people bicker over stupid things. This is not say you are dumb, but be selective in your choice of verbal sparring partners - regardless of your good intentions - lest you appear as dull as them.

Listen carefully to yourself here:

A perfect example is my summer exam results; I tell a teacher that within results a D came up and also I grabbed an A* and immediately I am interrogated about why I got a D, and not at all congratulated upon A*. Meanwhile two of my French classmates gained places in the top 5 in the country for their results and school goes mental with apparent pride. Pulling the wool over the pupils eyes, they are not happy for the two kids just pleased because they own those two and can boast to the nation.

On the one hand, you are proud of your A, and angry that it was not acknowledged by others and in the same sentence, ridicule those who exhibit pride in others' grades. Sounds to me as though the education system at your school is very successful for some students (yourself included on the A exam). It also sounds like someone is a bit bitter over a poor mark.

This paragraph causes me some concern (and not just for its comma splicing, capitalization and proof-reading shortcomings):
So, two days ago I am asked in class to take part in the exercise that i sto write about our school for the open day. I took my chance. Whilst others feverishly scribble away the lies that have been driven into them over the past five years I tell the truth. It comes to quite a lot of writing in the end exploring the schools many problems and weaknesses. It is time that a different view is put across to the visitors and that they are not falling for the propaganda littering the school corridors is my excuse to the teacher who simply looks on in disguist at the truth.

So your school isn't so shit hot. The fact that you see yourself as the sole bearer of the truth suggests a few possibilities:
- psychosis: you are experiencing delusions of grandeur
- hyperbole: your propensity to exaggerate makes for a weak argument and consequentially a weak grade
- lack of discretion: your obvious desire to 'grind and axe' makes you sound abrasive or even offensive. How did you expect your teacher to respond?
- one-sidedness: you say you explored the many problems and weaknesses. Did you explore the strengths as well. The art of polemics and rhetoric are pretty much lost in today's education system. A good essay will always accentuate the positives to punctuate the negatives.
- you are sadly correct: your education system is grossly flawed and it has left you with the misinformed and erroneous view that you are capable of free thought and academic success. You haven't developed the wit to understand your incapacities and so you blame others out of ignorance.

Can anybody relate to me or to the sorry ways of schools, or am I just being very shallow in my general outlook?

Of course we can relate. All education systems are riddled with flaws. Educators are encouraged to seek them within our own practices; to look at our failures and learn. Many of us do critically evaluate our role in the system and society and try to genuinely improve our students as a result. Sadly some do not. And don't forget that many of us who chose teaching as a profession did so because we were displeased with our own experiences as students.

I don't know you and I'd be remiss to answer your final question without knowing more about you, but experience has indicated to me that when students feel as you do (and it does not happen infrequently) it is seldom just the student or the system that is at fault. As one of those teachers who enjoys the confidence of his students on such matters (I teach only theatre now), it is pretty rare that upon further investigation that the students doesn't realize that as well.
 
Sorry to disagree but i have a thing about Teachers, 90% of the teachers i have come accross are cretins. My motto is 'those who can't teach'.
Those from school who were the most attentive, are now in the most mundane jobs you could imagine, so much academic hope yet now in the system.

The more disruptive ones have much more creative jobs or are in the arts. They seem to be more fulfilled than the followers.
 
I seriously cannot believe you are implying that the young person in question may be affected by some sort of mental illness or phychosis. Typical Teacher me thinks, trying to suppress the student, making sure they don't express how they feel. I say go ahead express how you feel, be different, aim in a different direction and find your niche. Teacher says don;t get ideas above your station.
 
A perfect example is my summer exam results; I tell a teacher that within results a D came up and also I grabbed an A* and immediately I am interrogated about why I got a D, and not at all congratulated upon A*. Meanwhile two of my French classmates gained places in the top 5 in the country for their results and school goes mental with apparent pride. Pulling the wool over the pupils eyes, they are not happy for the two kids just pleased because they own those two and can boast to the nation.

Well, being in the top five in the country is slightly more impressing than recieving an "A" on a exam.
 
I wasn’t “implying” in the least. I believe I stated it quite directly as a possibility. As for “seriously”, that is another matter; although the paragraph in question does sound a bit…

You suggest I am “trying to suppress the student, making sure they don't express how they feel”. To the contrary, I believe I identified several possible means of improving this student’s ability to do just that.

I seriously cannot believe you are implying that the young person in question may be affected by some sort of mental illness or phychosis. Typical Teacher me thinks, trying to suppress the student, making sure they don't express how they feel. I say go ahead express how you feel, be different, aim in a different direction and find your niche. Teacher says don;t get ideas above your station.
 
Sorry to disagree but i have a thing about Teachers, 90% of the teachers i have come accross are cretins. My motto is 'those who can't teach'.
Those from school who were the most attentive, are now in the most mundane jobs you could imagine, so much academic hope yet now in the system.

The more disruptive ones have much more creative jobs or are in the arts. They seem to be more fulfilled than the followers.

Wow...

And your polling system is based upon...

I for one was lucky enough to be accepted and attend the top private high schools here on Long Island. I excelled in high school and college. I have been lucky enough that academic work has always come easy to me. I hold several degrees in various subject areas ranging from math, history, philosophy and theology. I chose to be a teacher and gave up the law school path I was on because I found far more excitement and interest in education. I did not want to get into the personal attack on the original poster but I will tell you what I have told this one child I currently teach.

"For the past three years you have had problems with every teacher and adult you have encountered. I teach 125-130 students every year. If I have a problem with 1 or 2 a year that is say 2 our of 130. 1 out of every 65? You having to have a problem with every adult you come into contact with would indicate that the problem could actually be you."

I direct that statement to you.
 
Wow...

And your polling system is based upon...

I for one was lucky enough to be accepted and attend the top private high schools here on Long Island. I excelled in high school and college. I have been lucky enough that academic work has always come easy to me. I hold several degrees in various subject areas ranging from math, history, philosophy and theology. I chose to be a teacher and gave up the law school path I was on because I found far more excitement and interest in education. I did not want to get into the personal attack on the original poster but I will tell you what I have told this one child I currently teach.

"For the past three years you have had problems with every teacher and adult you have encountered. I teach 125-130 students every year. If I have a problem with 1 or 2 a year that is say 2 our of 130. 1 out of every 65? You having to have a problem with every adult you come into contact with would indicate that the problem could actually be you."

I direct that statement to you.

I was making that statement based on my experience at school in England. Those who followed the rules to the letter are now in mundane jobs. Those who did'nt follow the rules now seem to have the more creative jobs and are happy doing them. So maybe following the rules and following what the teacher says isn't always the best way to go.

I myself did'nt really do what the teachers told me to do at school. I still managed to get good grades in exams and i still managed to go on to university where the actual learning began. The thing is the teachers i have come accross, most of them, are very limited in what they have to offer the students.
 
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