Galt's Gulch

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  • Posted by illucio 10 years ago
    Interesting, for deep consideration. I´m, among other things, a physics teacher to 15 year old kids. Cel phones and notebooks are used constantly in school, being the later given to each student by the federal government (Argentina). I´ve never made a problem out of this, with the philosophy that "if you don`t want to participate, that´s fine as long as you don´t disrupt". This has had kids playing online games, chatting with friends and well, others investigating the subject with google and other search engines. Bottom line is that my classes are smooth, despite the typical rebelious attitude which, for some teens, cannot be helped.

    But I´m a rare exception in the school system of argentina. I encourage contact with students through facebook groups for class and social activities as well (teacher student ones, that is). I often answer questions and doubts out of class hours and stimulate the use of technology for school work and investigation. But my principle thinks differently.

    In our country we still sustain the dawn of the 20th centuries school principles and ideals, from the school system. The federal government made a strange move in improving education through the use of new technologies, but the school systems don´t accept them fully or, worst yet, at all. They prohibit it. Strange April fools day to all, huh?
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    • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 10 years ago
      I'd like to see all text books on Kindles or Nooks or some similar device. My kids had to lug around 25-30 pounds of books each day because lockers are no longer permitted.
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      • Posted by illucio 10 years ago
        yes, it´s true. And the problem with US education is that they tend to use one book only, an official version for history, math, science, geography, etc. This is perfect for biased information and brainwashing....
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        • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 10 years ago
          that's one reason why I think the board of education should be eliminated and each state should have authority of its own school systems. Based on that statement I think you'd enjoy my books :)
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          • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years ago
            It shouldn't even be at the state level. Educational control should be at the local level only.
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            • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 10 years ago
              Perhaps, but the State, with its overview, can see that its industry needs are being addressed and establish curriculum accordingly. I'm not against the privatization of some high schools by major corporations (Honeywell, Motorola, etc) to groom people with the sciences and math toward their industrial needs - summer internship and all. I think most towns may not have such a wide or long range view of things.
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              • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years ago
                I'd rather defer to local parents and instructors than state or federal bureaucrats.
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                • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 10 years ago
                  I understand, but the choice to attend those specialized schools would be up to the parents as well as the courses chosen to participate in general (non-specialized) schools would largely be ala carte provided students had competency in the essentials Math, Reading, and science to graduate. I'd also like 3 years of civics in high school (Constitution, Bill of Rights, current events as they relate to those documents, etc.)

                  Keeping State, city, and county representatives accountable for what the local communities want would be far preferable to what we have now. After all we can vote them out every 2 years. The PTA would have new clout.
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  • Posted by $ Snezzy 10 years ago
    Anyone have a transcript for people without audio?
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    • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years ago
      Spoiler alert: Don't read unless you've already watched the video.

      Prof has a policy that anybody that doesn't turn off their phone and receives a call in class has to answer it in speaker mode. Basically the student receives a call from a clinic informing her that she's pregnant. The caller goes on to identify that they can discuss "options" if she would like. The prof apologizes profusely for making the student openly share such personal info. The student says that it's OK as she has already picked out a name for the baby - First Name: April, Middle Name: Fools. Everyone has a good laugh. Goes on for a few more seconds, but that's basically it.
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