Over the past couple of decades, perhaps a half-dozen commissions have been appointed to study public education and recommend ways to fix it. Yet here the state sits, still lagging behind much of the rest of the nation.
Our education system is broken!!! Yet time and again, we keep re-electing a pharmacist, a cop, and a beautician to sit on the Paulding County Board of Education. Aren't there any qualified educators willing to step up and run? Surely school teachers know more about what's really going on inside the classroom than these clowns currently sitting on the Paulding County Board of Education.
In the past whenever I've had concerns about a lack of books, I've been met with condescending attitudes or just told there's a "new way of doing things".
That blows my mind when a kid is given math homework, but no math book. Say what? No money to buy math books? Math doesn't change folks and we're now seeing where the folks that run our education system will be going back to the old math because kids doing the new math are struggling. Duh.
This post has been edited by Angel Eyes: 03 November 2011 - 07:48 AM
"I think we agree, the past is over."
George W. Bush
Speaking of math books. I was in the hallway of a high school in paulding county a couple of weeks ago listening to the AP & honors math teachers complain about not having books. They were talking about how hard it is for the students to learn with out books. We seemed to have forgotten that school is not only about football games or turning the lunchroom into a rec./lounge room...
Over the past couple of decades, perhaps a half-dozen commissions have been appointed to study public education and recommend ways to fix it. Yet here the state sits, still lagging behind much of the rest of the nation.
Our education system is broken!!! Yet time and again, we keep re-electing a pharmacist, a cop, and a beautician to sit on the Paulding County Board of Education. Aren't there any qualified educators willing to step up and run? Surely school teachers know more about what's really going on inside the classroom than these clowns currently sitting on the Paulding County Board of Education.
In the past whenever I've had concerns about a lack of books, I've been met with condescending attitudes or just told there's a "new way of doing things".
That blows my mind when a kid is given math homework, but no math book. Say what? No money to buy math books? Math doesn't change folks and we're now seeing where the folks that run our education system will be going back to the old math because kids doing the new math are struggling. Duh.
HERE WE GO AGAIN.
You seem to be one of the few people that has problems with any of them talking to you??? In my families past, we have always been welcomed with open doors (and ears). Go figure.
You seem to be one of the few people that has problems with any of them talking to you??? In my families past, we have always been welcomed with open doors (and ears). Go figure.
Kids are struggling and all you can reply is "HERE WE GO AGAIN." Do you want Georgia to remain at rock bottom or do you want our students to excel? Just sayin'.....
"I think we agree, the past is over."
George W. Bush
Over the past couple of decades, perhaps a half-dozen commissions have been appointed to study public education and recommend ways to fix it. Yet here the state sits, still lagging behind much of the rest of the nation.
Our education system is broken!!! Yet time and again, we keep re-electing a pharmacist, a cop, and a beautician to sit on the Paulding County Board of Education. Aren't there any qualified educators willing to step up and run? Surely school teachers know more about what's really going on inside the classroom than these clowns currently sitting on the Paulding County Board of Education.
In the past whenever I've had concerns about a lack of books, I've been met with condescending attitudes or just told there's a "new way of doing things".
That blows my mind when a kid is given math homework, but no math book. Say what? No money to buy math books? Math doesn't change folks and we're now seeing where the folks that run our education system will be going back to the old math because kids doing the new math are struggling. Duh.
Educators do not want to be on the BOE. Obviously teachers don't teach for the money, recognition, respect, easy work, etc. So they must be teaching because they like to teach or like the kids. They also know that they have to defend themselves to the parents of all the children that they teach, why on Earth would they want to defend themselves to the entire county of parents? I, for one, don't know why anyone would want a BOE position.
This post has been edited by fishnthec: 03 November 2011 - 08:08 AM
In my experience, when folks complain that they are met with condescending attitudes, part of the problem lies within the person doing the complaining.
If you are constantly in "attack mode", you will not get very far.
If you go into a meeting, and the only thing you have to say is “Things suck; you suck; you need to make changes”, do you have anything constructive to add?
What have you ACTIVELY done to make a difference in the system? Posting on pcom will only get you so far and unfortunately, you've complained and whined so much, people now turn a deaf "ear" to your rantings.
Where would we be without the agitators of the world attaching the electrodes of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?
Over the past couple of decades, perhaps a half-dozen commissions have been appointed to study public education and recommend ways to fix it. Yet here the state sits, still lagging behind much of the rest of the nation.
Our education system is broken!!! Yet time and again, we keep re-electing a pharmacist, a cop, and a beautician to sit on the Paulding County Board of Education. Aren't there any qualified educators willing to step up and run? Surely school teachers know more about what's really going on inside the classroom than these clowns currently sitting on the Paulding County Board of Education.
In the past whenever I've had concerns about a lack of books, I've been met with condescending attitudes or just told there's a "new way of doing things".
That blows my mind when a kid is given math homework, but no math book. Say what? No money to buy math books? Math doesn't change folks and we're now seeing where the folks that run our education system will be going back to the old math because kids doing the new math are struggling. Duh.
I believe the math was a state mandate and now school systems are being given a choice to teach it or not.
You need to ask the members of the BOE when you abject to something if it is a state mandate.
Why won't people run for BOE because nobody wants to be subjected the criticism and rumors.
In my experience, when folks complain that they are met with condescending attitudes, part of the problem lies within the person doing the complaining.
If you are constantly in "attack mode", you will not get very far.
If you go into a meeting, and the only thing you have to say is “Things suck; you suck; you need to make changes”, do you have anything constructive to add?
What have you ACTIVELY done to make a difference in the system? Posting on pcom will only get you so far and unfortunately, you've complained and whined so much, people now turn a deaf "ear" to your rantings.
I've spoken to the school regarding school books. My pet peeve is trying to learn math from handouts rather than having an actual math book. Many students struggle in math, yet there aren't enough books for every student and worksheets are given out instead. When solving math problems, my student can't solve the math problems the way I was taught even though we get the same answer. There's a "new way" to do it? Huh. My way was working when Einstein was in school, now it's not working any more? Under the "new math" curriculum, students struggle. Now they're talking about going back to the old math? Bottom line, our education system here in Georgia is near the bottom. What can be done to change that?
"I think we agree, the past is over."
George W. Bush
I believe the math was a state mandate and now school systems are being given a choice to teach it or not.
You need to ask the members of the BOE when you abject to something if it is a state mandate.
Why won't people run for BOE because nobody wants to be subjected the criticism and rumors.
Integrated math will probably be gone by next year if counties hope to do well on future test. Course I have heard that the Traditional Math is still a form of Integrated Math. There are a lot of changes coming.
http://www.ajc.com/n...be-1210671.html
State School Superintendent John Barge said a majority of the other Common Core states are planning next year to offer discrete math, a more traditional approach that largely focuses on a single discipline, such as algebra or geometry. It only makes sense that Georgia would do the same, he said.
"If we are not going to be in step with the rest of the country, why did we adopt the Common Core?" Barge said.
He stopped short of saying local school systems must switch to the more traditional method of teaching math. But he said school systems that continue with integrated math could find that "risky," once states start testing on the Common Core.
I've spoken to the school regarding school books. My pet peeve is trying to learn math from handouts rather than having an actual math book. Many students struggle in math, yet there aren't enough books for every student and worksheets are given out instead. When solving math problems, my student can't solve the math problems the way I was taught even though we get the same answer. There's a "new way" to do it? Huh. My way was working when Einstein was in school, now it's not working any more? Under the "new math" curriculum, students struggle. Now they're talking about going back to the old math? Bottom line, our education system here in Georgia is near the bottom. What can be done to change that?
You've spoken to the school regarding school books? So you've said, "Hey, we don't have enough books for every student in the class"? Basically you've told them what they already know (that there aren't enough books)? You're a real trailblazer with your ability to state the obvious! It's a wonder the system wasn't magically fixed after you told them where they were faltering, yet offered nothing constructive to help fix the problem.
The State of Georgia tried a new way to teach math. It didn't work, so now they are going back to the "old math"; they learned from their mistakes and are now trying to rectify it.
Have you volunteered in your child's class? Have you sat down with the teacher and asked, "Can you please show me how to solve these problems the way you are teaching it, so I can help my child?" Have you asked the teacher to make you copies of the chapter of the book (not just hand-outs), so you can look back at the pages when you are helping your child?
Where would we be without the agitators of the world attaching the electrodes of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?
Angel Eyes.........I am going to do my best to play nice.
I too had a problem with the school system. BUT, instead of spending my time on here venting about it, I DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
I withdrew my son and am homeschooling him. Stop complaining, and start doing something.
There are several cyber schools available for you to utilize.
Thank you for playing nice... private schools or homeschooling is not an option for most blue-collar workers here in Paulding County. Much of our homework is completed using Yahoo and Google.
I continue to ask if being at the bottom in education is ok with the folks? I want my children to excel and have lobbied for more books and teachers. Real books and real teachers with smaller classroom sizes. The county has the SPOLOST money to build more and more schools and gyms and theaters, but they don't have the money to buy math books for the students? Plus, they had to give furlough days to teachers to balance the budget...Today's kids are tomorrows leaders and it looks like Georgia doesn't want to invest enough money into the education system to produce results. I'm sick of seeing where our education system has failed our kids. I want to remain positive and upbeat, but our current education leaders have failed us miserably. We need a change.
"I think we agree, the past is over."
George W. Bush
Paulding County is one of the 10 fastest growing counties in the US. No way in Hell we can do "smaller class sizes" in this day and age.
For the UMPTEENTH TIME, E-SPLOST CANNOT pay teachers salaries. Please read the Georgia Constitution.
Also, before the E-SPLOST comes up for vote again, the schools are asked to provide a "Needs Assessment List" ("wish list", so to speak, of things their school needs). Schools are asked to prioritize the items on theiir Needs Assessment list. Most of the time, we try to get enough books for a class-set, but again, money is tight, times are hard and sometimes that means we will not have enough books b/c we have to have larger class sizes.
If you want more books, when we vote on the referendum every 5-years to re-up, we must make sure that school books are included in said referendum, otherwise the BOE cannot legally buy them.
As for furlough days, we are ALL going through this in one-way-or-another. Teachers and other state officials are being furloughed. We unfortunately have to deal with it. It has nothing to do with Georgia not wanting to "invest enough money into the education system to produce results".
You complain about Paulding County BOE, one small cog in the State of Georgia. Have you taken your complaints, recommendations and concerns to your state government, legislature, representatives?
Where would we be without the agitators of the world attaching the electrodes of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?
Is there a rule against a parent buying the book for their kids? If you get the ISBN number, you can order it online... I'm just saying... If my kid didn't have a book and needed it, then I would make sure that I found a way to get one for her, EVEN if I had to pay for it myself.
Is there a rule against a parent buying the book for their kids? If you get the ISBN number, you can order it online... I'm just saying... If my kid didn't have a book and needed it, then I would make sure that I found a way to get one for her, EVEN if I had to pay for it myself.
FYI: No, there is not a rule against a parent buying a book for their child; however, many vendors prefer to orders in "bulk".
PTA/Boosters could potentially do a fund-raiser to order books in bulk, though....
Where would we be without the agitators of the world attaching the electrodes of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?
Is there a rule against a parent buying the book for their kids? If you get the ISBN number, you can order it online... I'm just saying... If my kid didn't have a book and needed it, then I would make sure that I found a way to get one for her, EVEN if I had to pay for it myself.
Yea, but should you really have to? School and books go hand in hand. I hate that our kids don't have books.
today is tomorrow's yesterday.
If they laugh at you because you're different, laugh at them because they're all the same.
Is there a rule against a parent buying the book for their kids? If you get the ISBN number, you can order it online... I'm just saying... If my kid didn't have a book and needed it, then I would make sure that I found a way to get one for her, EVEN if I had to pay for it myself.
If I understand it correctly there is no county wide curriculum. There are no books that cover it in most classes.
If I understand it correctly there is no county wide curriculum. There are no books that cover it in most classes.
If you understand it correctly, then there is a huge problem - why should one Paulding school have a different (and possibly better) cirriculum than another Paulding school?
If you understand it correctly, then there is a huge problem - why should one Paulding school have a different (and possibly better) cirriculum than another Paulding school?
He is correct.
It drove me crazy when my son was in public school.
I can't answer all the questions because I don't have the information I need to make the best decision. I do know there is a lot of misinformation or "clouded" information being presented.
I know teachers who are so burned out that they don't have the motivation to get involved in the school system's problems after getting out.
I believe this comes from the frustration people are having when they think they can elect individuals who say they will work for the masses and represent them in trying to improve the actions of the government or Board of Education. Many times when you see CEO's getting excessive pay-offs when their companies go under or the discovery of unethical behavior or actions by elected officials, you will go through whatever means of demonstration to show the people's frustration. Maybe that is why we are seeing some of the protest rallies and marches we are seeing now.
People are just tired of the BS! Teachers are just tired of the BS!
Over the past couple of decades, perhaps a half-dozen commissions have been appointed to study public education and recommend ways to fix it. Yet here the state sits, still lagging behind much of the rest of the nation.
Our education system is broken!!! Yet time and again, we keep re-electing a pharmacist, a cop, and a beautician to sit on the Paulding County Board of Education. Aren't there any qualified educators willing to step up and run? Surely school teachers know more about what's really going on inside the classroom than these clowns currently sitting on the Paulding County Board of Education.
In the past whenever I've had concerns about a lack of books, I've been met with condescending attitudes or just told there's a "new way of doing things".
That blows my mind when a kid is given math homework, but no math book. Say what? No money to buy math books? Math doesn't change folks and we're now seeing where the folks that run our education system will be going back to the old math because kids doing the new math are struggling. Duh.
I don't know if anyone's said so or not, but you can't be on the school board if you're employed by the district. I've known at least one other district that had board members serve as a teacher or administrator in another school system, but it can't be within the same district.
I would hope that the top educators in our school district are part of a leadership team or have input on policies or implementation within their school and within the school system.
As far as the board members go, I think it's good to have "a pharmacist, a cop, and a beautician" and people of varied backgrounds on a school board, city council, or any government entity. A government by the people ought to be a good cross-section of the people, not a group with the same agenda, mindset, etc.
And there's complaints about this new math curriculum and how it's not working in the classroom, but you have to remember that education EXPERTS (or those who are so called) came up with this. Maybe those who greenlit the curriculum were too far removed from the classroom experience to imagine the implementation of all this, but there at least had to be some education experience behind the creation of this "new math."
I don't know if anyone's said so or not, but you can't be on the school board if you're employed by the district. I've known at least one other district that had board members serve as a teacher or administrator in another school system, but it can't be within the same district.
I would hope that the top educators in our school district are part of a leadership team or have input on policies or implementation within their school and within the school system.
As far as the board members go, I think it's good to have "a pharmacist, a cop, and a beautician" and people of varied backgrounds on a school board, city council, or any government entity. A government by the people ought to be a good cross-section of the people, not a group with the same agenda, mindset, etc.
And there's complaints about this new math curriculum and how it's not working in the classroom, but you have to remember that education EXPERTS (or those who are so called) came up with this. Maybe those who greenlit the curriculum were too far removed from the classroom experience to imagine the implementation of all this, but there at least had to be some education experience behind the creation of this "new math."
Kim Cobb was elected while working for the BOE. She had to quit after she was elected. None of the above is an excuse to keep a bad program and failing to provide the proper materials for a child to learn. The Federal/State governments bear most of that responsibility.
NPHS has numerous leatherette couches, a big screen TV, a ping pong and foosball table, and several microwaves in the lunch room. Yet they have no Spanish 3 or 4 books. (Yes, I know some of the things are from the church that meets there, but the majority aren't.)
Is there a rule against a parent buying the book for their kids? If you get the ISBN number, you can order it online... I'm just saying... If my kid didn't have a book and needed it, then I would make sure that I found a way to get one for her, EVEN if I had to pay for it myself.
I agree with you 1000%. While we do pay taxes for school, including books, if one isn't available for my child, you bet your behind I'd do whatever I could to make sure they got one.
I agree with you 1000%. While we do pay taxes for school, including books, if one isn't available for my child, you bet your behind I'd do whatever I could to make sure they got one.
That's just it; there isn't one available that goes with the curriculum in most cases.
Pleurosigma, on 03 November 2011 - 04:57 PM, said:
NPHS has numerous leatherette couches, a big screen TV, a ping pong and foosball table, and several microwaves in the lunch room. Yet they have no Spanish 3 or 4 books. (Yes, I know some of the things are from the church that meets there, but the majority aren't.)
How much was bought by the PTA or donated to the school?
If the school system did buy anything, what budget did it come from?
These are important to know before complaining about something being at the school.
Who is John Gault? - He's the successful business owner who didn't want to play by the new 'Law of the Land' so he closed up shop, packed up his stuff and left. He was joined by many other successful business owners who did the same. They stayed away until the government begged them to return and repealed the law.
Over the past couple of decades, perhaps a half-dozen commissions have been appointed to study public education and recommend ways to fix it. Yet here the state sits, still lagging behind much of the rest of the nation.
Our education system is broken!!! Yet time and again, we keep re-electing a pharmacist, a cop, and a beautician to sit on the Paulding County Board of Education. Aren't there any qualified educators willing to step up and run? Surely school teachers know more about what's really going on inside the classroom than these clowns currently sitting on the Paulding County Board of Education.
In the past whenever I've had concerns about a lack of books, I've been met with condescending attitudes or just told there's a "new way of doing things".
That blows my mind when a kid is given math homework, but no math book. Say what? No money to buy math books? Math doesn't change folks and we're now seeing where the folks that run our education system will be going back to the old math because kids doing the new math are struggling. Duh.
Yes math does change, at least what you teach and when you teach it. The methods used to approach math problems changes, but basic math does not change. The standards are changing again next year, so what is taught in math will change to some extent and math books would be outdated. That has nothing to do with our district; that is a state (even national) change. For example, adding fractions may have been taught in 4th grade in the past, but in the new standards it may be taught in 5th. An old book isn't going to have the needed info in it. (just an example I don't know the exact old or new standards)
HS math will change a lot. Apparently, the current HS students will stay with the same method of teaching math, but incoming freshmen will be taught a whole new way. There will be two separate math programs going simultaneously (if I understood correctly)
Over the past couple of decades, perhaps a half-dozen commissions have been appointed to study public education and recommend ways to fix it. Yet here the state sits, still lagging behind much of the rest of the nation.
Our education system is broken!!! Yet time and again, we keep re-electing a pharmacist, a cop, and a beautician to sit on the Paulding County Board of Education. Aren't there any qualified educators willing to step up and run? Surely school teachers know more about what's really going on inside the classroom than these clowns currently sitting on the Paulding County Board of Education.
In the past whenever I've had concerns about a lack of books, I've been met with condescending attitudes or just told there's a "new way of doing things".
That blows my mind when a kid is given math homework, but no math book. Say what? No money to buy math books? Math doesn't change folks and we're now seeing where the folks that run our education system will be going back to the old math because kids doing the new math are struggling. Duh.
I wish we had books that aligned with the standard in every subject also, but standards change again and any books we have this year, will probably be outdated next year in some areas.
IF a book is that big of a deal to you, you can purchase many Math books online that will help your child. If it is a matter of not having ENOUGH books, then you can find what book they use and purchase one. If they don't use books because the standards have changed and those standards are no longer in the book, then look for a text book that is up to date with GA standards and buy one. Someone at the high school could probably suggest one.
I wish we had books that aligned with the standard in every subject also, but standards change again and any books we have this year, will probably be outdated next year in some areas.
IF a book is that big of a deal to you, you can purchase many Math books online that will help your child. If it is a matter of not having ENOUGH books, then you can find what book they use and purchase one. If they don't use books because the standards have changed and those standards are no longer in the book, then look for a text book that is up to date with GA standards and buy one. Someone at the high school could probably suggest one.
Not having books is a flaw in the system. Online books are fine but books are needed. Just any book will not do. They must match the lessons and be made available to students, parents, and tutors. The test results will not change until that happens.
If you understand it correctly, then there is a huge problem - why should one Paulding school have a different (and possibly better) cirriculum than another Paulding school?
The text book used is not the same as curriculum. The curriculum is the standards set by the state. The books they use may not be the same, but the curriculum is the same across the entire state.
In my class I have a text book that used to align with GA QCCs (what we had before standards), but half of what we teach (the standards) are not in the text book, since they changed since the text was bought by the county. I teach the standards--my curriculum, not what is in the text book. Next year, it will all change again.
Not having books is a flaw in the system. Online books are fine but books are needed. Just any book will not do. They must match the lessons and be made available to students, parents, and tutors. The test results will not change until that happens.
warning its a long one
I'm not disagreeing with you that it does make it easier for everyone. Trust me I KNOW it does. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, in our current society information changes quickly. Many books are outdated in a short time. It is not feasible for systems to constantly purchase new books in EVERY subject area. Its just not going to happen unless they go to Ebooks.
Also, teachers can not teach straight from text books anymore. For many reasons, teachers pull from many sources for teaching material, even if an up-to-date text is available. We have to help students use multimedia in learning, so all, even most lessons are not going to be in the book. We're not supposed to teach the "old way." The days of chapter 1 lesson 1 problems 1-5, chapter 2 lesson 3 problems 1-10, chapter 3... are over.
Many college, university, and technical school libraries are moving away from storehousing thousands of books for students to check out. More and more, these schools don't have libraries and librarians, they have media centers and media experts who help students access electronic information for research. This seems to be where we're heading, toward electronic information and away from books. I don't like many things about it either and the old way is so much less stressful.
I do think my test scores would go up if I had a text book and workbooks that contained all of the standards. What I wouldn't give most days to be able to follow a book and be given easy resources for students to use like we used to have. Most textbooks now even have an online version. That would be sooo nice to have. I think students would have a better knowledge of the factual information...IF THEY WILL STAY FOCUSED ON A BOOK. (that is a big IF)
BUT I don't know what we would be sacrificing for better test scores. I don't know if actual books will be used much in the future. Would we be teaching them to use antiquated resources, because that's what we are more comfortable using? Are we hamstringing them for the real future, for the sake of test scores? Would we be better off not putting money into books and getting computers for classrooms??? (there's not much money for either right now) I don't know. I do know that most kids now will focus a lot longer on a computer screen or even a Kindle, than a paper book. (but I don't want it to be that way )
I want to know why they don't give the students little individual chalk boards like they did in the past? They were great for taking tests on, etc. I say if it was good enough 100 years ago, it should be good enough now!
Who is John Gault? - He's the successful business owner who didn't want to play by the new 'Law of the Land' so he closed up shop, packed up his stuff and left. He was joined by many other successful business owners who did the same. They stayed away until the government begged them to return and repealed the law.
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