Is it failing? It has failed, utterly and completely. Take a glace at public discourse, popular culture, politics, entertainment. The word that always comes to mind is misosophic - the hatred of wisdom. — Modern Conviviality
What countries would be like this?I have a strong suspicion that people who are raised in societies that put a great emphasis on interpersonal relations, spiritual growth, and the happenings of society tend to flourish and produce more social oriented/conscious individuals. — Posty McPostface
Yet is this what the education system educates us? I think what you are talking about is more about the American attitudes towards work, career and values in general and perhaps about social cohesion. Things that I think aren't so much touched in the education systems anywhere. It's more about math, science, languages etc. in the education system.By fail I mean to imply that we are creating a future where acts of charity or altruism are viewed as irrational or non-rational pursuits and the gratification of personal needs and wants is placed on a pedestal. — Posty McPostface
What countries would be like this? — ssu
Yet is this what the education system educates us? I think what you are talking about is more about the American attitudes towards work, career and values in general and perhaps about social cohesion. Things that I think aren't so much touched in the education systems anywhere. It's more about math, science, languages etc. in the education system. — ssu
my envy of social democracies in Europe — Posty McPostface
Are you aware that there is homelessness in Europe? Slums? Drug addiction? Poverty? Crooked corporations? — Bitter Crank
Am I somewhat uneducated then? — Posty McPostface
no
:razz: :up:
Then again, no one can be perfectly educated, and the ambition to become better educated is always a good thing for, well, typically, at least those individuals that are educated. — javra
So, why do we not instill values in the youth? — Posty McPostface
Most children are reasonably well socialized with reasonably decent values. Alas, not all. — Bitter Crank
Most children are reasonably well socialized with reasonably decent values. Alas, not all. — Bitter Crank
So, are we creating a better future for them with our current educational system in America? I wonder. — Posty McPostface
The little red school house isn't there to train people to vote for or against particular candidates, even if the school teachers find a particular candidate to be thoroughly loathsome. — Bitter Crank
Well, I've gone through the Finnish education system up to a Masters degree in the University and have had a brief contact with the American educational system (2nd grade in Primary School and briefly in Junior High). What I noticed is that the American system was easy and had far lower objectives in math, history, nearly everything than in Finland. It was like designed to create mediocre students for higher education.Most West European and Scandinavian countries, in my mind. — Posty McPostface
Wonder what those would be that wouldn't be 'touched'. Perhaps the problem is that everything is only touched in the US system.So, why do we not instill values in the youth? Why aren't those all important topics 'touched' in the American education system or anywhere else, as you say? — Posty McPostface
parents believe it is the schools job to teach values to their kids — Sir2u
You only need one in a hundred to cause havoc. — Sir2u
If they can prepare 18 year olds for work or for the university, then they have been successful. And that doesn't give much other time than to school math, foreign languages, chemistry, physics, biology, etc.Posty, you're asking the schools to bear unreasonable levels of responsibility. Schools do well (not just to day, but at any time) if students leave being able to read, write, do sums; know their basic history, have some understanding of science, and know how to carry on a civil discussion. — Bitter Crank
It was like designed to create mediocre students for higher education. — ssu
I think they came closest to what you are looking for in education (perhaps). — ssu
But parents establish the values of their children, for better and for worse--quite often the latter. — Bitter Crank
I went through a very small town school (1952-64) where havoc rarely, if ever, existed. — Bitter Crank
Simply because there are so many of you. We just have the equivalent population of Minnesota. That leaves +320 million other Americans that don't live in Minnesota, so I guess there are ample amount of smart kids for the Ivy League colleges.We do boast the most esteemed colleges in the world, so I wonder too how is that possible given such a dismal primary and secondary education system. Why is there such a discrepancy here in the States with regards to primary and secondary schools and universities? — Posty McPostface
But those are encompassed into the subjects themselves, which you only notice afterwards (and not as a child). In biology from 1st grade they tell ypu how harmful it is to through away a plastic bag into the wild. Later it's shown the harm that smoking does to lungs when the kids are young teens. My boy who is 10 years had to read a book about climate change in the polar region (with penguins and polar bears on opposite poles). Just to give examples. They aren't overtly political subjects, but some on the right (or the left) can see a bias (if they want to see).How to encourage people who care about the environment, politics, the drug war, and crime, should be topics worth pursuing and talking about in schools. — Posty McPostface
I wonder too how is that possible given such a dismal primary and secondary education system. Why is there such a discrepancy here in the States with regards to primary and secondary schools and universities? — Posty McPostface
This can make the gap severe if the quality of schooling is truly totally different. In Third World countries this is an even bigger problem.Those students whose parents are reasonably affluent will locate themselves in school districts where their children will get a good education. Usually those school districts are suburban. The quality of education in a good, college-tracking high school is going to be altogether different than the experience that will be received in a run-down 'fuck'em' school where it is assumed the children have no future. — Bitter Crank
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