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coachmarkos
my boys could swim
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 Posted: 10/22/03 - 12:05 Post subject: educational question
Are kids today smarter? dumber?
I'm not sure. I know that teaching HS, I knew a great deal more when I was in HS than most of the students that I taught.
However,
My kids are in ES and they are learning stuff far ahead of when I learned them.
 What is your opinion?
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Pug
The Movie Geek
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 12:07 Post subject:
Kids today may be being taught more skills, but they also spend less time on any individual skill.
Neither one really makes them any smarter, though.
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gretriever
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 12:08 Post subject:
Sorry for a cop-out answer. They're being made to know way much more than we did. And accordingly, what they know they know in less depth than what we knew. Can't say whether tha's because they're dumber or not.
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brie k
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 12:17 Post subject:
Not sure. Libby is in 6th grade, seems like she's studying things earlier than I did. They just finished learning about greek history. I know she's better at math, too. She's in a 7th grade math level this year. Hell, I'm still at a 7th grade level, and that's being generous!!
I push my kids a bit though. I don't do C's, because I don't think they are average kids. I'm not militant about it, really, but they do know that I feel it is important to work hard and get good grades (not just grades, but actually LEARN this stuff, math and english particularly). I tell her that if I can get A's in my courses and raise 3 kids and keep the house & yard up, she certainly can be an A/B student, and she is.
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Noley
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 12:28 Post subject:
I think kids are being introduced to a whole lot more earlier on, that's for sure. I feel that this is partially due to what's out there and available to children these days. There's a lot of stuff that teaches our children at an early age.
Look at how Kindergarten has evolved over the years. Kindergarten used to be the building stones for kids when they started school. Coloring, cutting, pasting, show 'n tell...was the norm back when we were younger. Now (and I know 13 years ago when I taught it), kids are required to read by the end of Kindergarten. It's almost expected that kids get the basics in Preschool now. ie. my daughter was reading and taking spelling test in K.
The only beef I have kids are not allowed as much time to be kids as we once were. I cannot tell you how much it burns me up to see kids stuck in classrooms more than to be on the playgrounds having recess. I can speak from experience that it was expected to get the "skills in" as best as we could in order to perform for a particular test during the school year. What got cut? Recess. Take all that down time out...and push more and more and more in. I hated that and it was something I was very much against.
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rolling rock
The Pinball
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 12:52 Post subject:
| nolefan85 wrote: |
The only beef I have kids are not allowed as much time to be kids as we once were. I cannot tell you how much it burns me up to see kids stuck in classrooms more than to be on the playgrounds having recess. I can speak from experience that it was expected to get the "skills in" as best as we could in order to perform for a particular test during the school year. What got cut? Recess. Take all that down time out...and push more and more and more in. I hated that and it was something I was very much against. |
they just cut recess in our elementary school for 5th and 6th graders to prepare them for junior high.  actually, they are now required to do math drills during recess and vocabulary sheets. This is not preparation for junior high, it is an effort to have their standardized test scores improve so the principal can pat herself on the back.
kids need recess - even in the snow! I with you nolefan. in fact, many parents in this district are dissing this decision to have their kids sit in 5 days after lunch. this is my daughter's last "recess" year -- at the ripe old age of 10.
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Noley
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 13:13 Post subject:
Rolling Rock. I feel your frustration from a teacher and parent standpoint. It totally sucks. I was evaluated each year with my math students to how they scored on their Proficiency Tests. It burned me up.  I had to get an entire book in by March and everyone wondered why the kids forgot it all by the 7th grade?
Another cut...PE, music and art. I think kids are seeing less and less of it as well.
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kattzoo
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 14:51 Post subject:
I think that we're teaching to a test far too much (at least in Texas). Kids are learning a lot, but much of it is memorization, and I don't think we're doing a good job of teaching them application skills. It's great they know how to do the problem, now lets teach them how to use it.
We definitely need more time for kids to be kids, for P.E., Music, and Art classes. Not everyone wants to be scientists etc...not to mention the fact that those classes help develop social skills and foster creativity, which helps in any field!!
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robp
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 14:58 Post subject:
| kattzoo wrote: | I think that we're teaching to a test far too much (at least in Texas). Kids are learning a lot, but much of it is memorization, and I don't think we're doing a good job of teaching them application skills. It's great they know how to do the problem, now lets teach them how to use it.
We definitely need more time for kids to be kids, for P.E., Music, and Art classes. Not everyone wants to be scientists etc...not to mention the fact that those classes help develop social skills and foster creativity, which helps in any field!! |
I agree 100% kattzoo. Teaching to a test and not teaching them application skills hits the nail on the head.
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akern
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 15:02 Post subject:
School systems suck. Its amazing how quickly they change.
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purple hayes
Frightened Inmate #2
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 15:19 Post subject:
| brie k wrote: | | She's in a 7th grade math level this year. Hell, I'm still at a 7th grade level, and that's being generous!! |
I struggle to help my 7th grade daughter with her math homework too. 
I'm kinda surprised how little my kids know about computers though. When I was their age, I knew more than them and I hadn't been exposed to computers since birth.
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runaroundsue
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 16:24 Post subject:
| nolefan85 wrote: | I think kids are being introduced to a whole lot more earlier on, that's for sure. I feel that this is partially due to what's out there and available to children these days. There's a lot of stuff that teaches our children at an early age.
Look at how Kindergarten has evolved over the years. Kindergarten used to be the building stones for kids when they started school. Coloring, cutting, pasting, show 'n tell...was the norm back when we were younger. Now (and I know 13 years ago when I taught it), kids are required to read by the end of Kindergarten. It's almost expected that kids get the basics in Preschool now. ie. my daughter was reading and taking spelling test in K.
The only beef I have kids are not allowed as much time to be kids as we once were. I cannot tell you how much it burns me up to see kids stuck in classrooms more than to be on the playgrounds having recess. I can speak from experience that it was expected to get the "skills in" as best as we could in order to perform for a particular test during the school year. What got cut? Recess. Take all that down time out...and push more and more and more in. I hated that and it was something I was very much against. |
exactly and well written response...my head couldn't get it together as well as this post 
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runaroundsue
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 16:30 Post subject:
| kattzoo wrote: | I think that we're teaching to a test far too much (at least in Texas). Kids are learning a lot, but much of it is memorization, and I don't think we're doing a good job of teaching them application skills. It's great they know how to do the problem, now lets teach them how to use it.
We definitely need more time for kids to be kids, for P.E., Music, and Art classes. Not everyone wants to be scientists etc...not to mention the fact that those classes help develop social skills and foster creativity, which helps in any field!! |
I would like to know, who came up with all that testing in TX??? When it came out the teaches complained very loudly in our school district. If administrators aren't listening to parents and teachers, who are they listening to....I'm guessing stats. It appears that TX has moved up in performance amongst the states and that's what makes someone look good.
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Noley
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 16:37 Post subject:
And one more thing...not that I was rebelious or anything
I might add that I would sneak an extra recess in every now and then when I taught Kindergarten. Shhhhh...please don't tell my old Bear Lake boss that. But if you ask Little Joey Wilson, he says Miss P's extra recess rocked! Little Joey Wilson graduated Valedictorian this year at my Alma Mater (LBHS) out of a class of 632. I don't think the extra recess affected his learning one bit. And he still remembers being a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. 
Edited to say: He's also got a Full ride to UF(and some other great perks that only 9 out of the state of FL received). Good for him! Not that I like the Gators or anything like that.
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pokychick
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Posted: 10/22/03 - 17:11 Post subject:
| nolefan85 wrote: | And one more thing...not that I was rebelious or anything
I might add that I would sneak an extra recess in every now and then when I taught Kindergarten. Shhhhh...please don't tell my old Bear Lake boss that. But if you ask Little Joey Wilson, he says Miss P's extra recess rocked! Little Joey Wilson graduated Valedictorian this year at my Alma Mater (LBHS) out of a class of 632. I don't think the extra recess affected his learning one bit. And he still remembers being a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.
Edited to say: He's also got a Full ride to UF(and some other great perks that only 9 out of the state of FL received). Good for him! Not that I like the Gators or anything like that. |
Would you please start teaching kindergarten again. Little Poky will be starting in 2 years. thank you 
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