Finally there is the Evil Dick-(head.) This man has serious problems and really needs to have hais behavior addressed by a professional

Please. At least the guy is real. Unlike that sanctimonious, officious, bible-punching holy roller (the black girl - I think her name is 'Jameka' or something).

When I was in Peace corps I used to see religious zealots like her in asylums, having to be amdinistered electro-convulsive therapy with their lithium, and other meds.

By contrast, one never saw guys like ED - they were too grounded to be running into the roads with robes on, posturing as "saviors" or preachers.

It's worth making the effort to Google Ivan Illich's 1988 talk, "The Educational Enterprise in the Light of the Gospel."

Illich's book is well worth a read, but a much better updated perspective on current American education can be had by reading John Taylor Gatto's An Underground History of American Education:

http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/underground/

Gatto's early take on our education system is exactly correct. In the early days the teaching of rhetoric and critical thinking afforded protection from the mind-gutting effects of crappola dand bunkum. However, after corporatists - and the corporatist state took over, citizens became like "sheep waiting to be shorn". Today we see the preponderance of sheep - as millions willingly drink the kool aid of PR and vacuous commercial mindrot daily. And little wonder the corporo-fascist state's power is enhanced.

If people, especially teachers, do nothing else with their lives or time - they ought to read every chapter of Gatto's book. Indeed, there is NO excuse not to - it's FREE online!

Zzigurrat opined:

Stay out of the financial McDonalds and head over to Whole Foods.

Yeah, well - I have. All moola pulled out of Wall-street based gambling entities - and put into fixed income (money market accounts, CDs)

Even the illustrious "Gordon Gekko" admitted that stock investment is like "throwing darts at a wall". Those who don't recognize that basic truth have no business in the debate.

Castlesinthe Sand wrote:

If you expect people to be able to vote, negotiate, and function in civil society, they need to be educated, not merely trained.

Indeed, even monkeys can be trained. What do we want - a nation of tained flunkies and monkeys? People have to learn how to THINK as well. The nitwit that you responded to, obviously doesn't get that. He's probably a reep that would love to continue the current trend of metastasizing unthinking drones. The easier it becomes to have them brain-jacked by FAUX News and vote reep.

True education, as opposed to its pseudo-counterpart, prepares people for live. Moreover, incites people to learn all through life, not stop after they get a parchment.

Only morons and "monkeys" learn only what they need too. Further - they become fodder for everyone else to exploit, as John Taylor Gatto so aptly notes.

We need more thinking, reflective and civilized humans not more "WALMART-IZED" flunkies and trained monkeys.

domini wrote:

Ed professors believe that once you have methods, you can teach anything. Study after study disagree with that idea.

Most ED profs are morons. The reason, as Gatto observes (though he is more circumspect in choice of lingo), that American education is in such dire straits. To truly improve education, so teachers can actually EXCEL in the specialist subjects that they teach (as per sound exams) means to vastly improve specialist training in the subjects- whether physics, chemistry, math or other.

NO gym teacher ought to be teaching math or physics btw!

I taught for 20 yrs. in the W. Indies, and had no teaching certificate. I did have a Masters in Physics, and that was regarded as more than ample. My upper level (6th form) students always excelled in external physics exams - and more than 90% received scholarships. (Btw, these were largely poor black Caribbean kids, not rich whities)

Method can be learned in a fortnight or so of on the spot training, and if the person has a grain of sense or intellect he or she can forge a productive methodology minus all the bunkum and dross.

If I were mandating an ED curriculum, I'd demand at least the equivalent of a major in the specialist subject before Joe or Jane was allowed into the classroom.

My 0.02.