Panel Proposes Major Changes to American Education System

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The biggest problem with education reform is that any idiot with a degree in education considers him/herself an expert in the field. These morons experts then disagree with all of the other morons experts about how to improve schools.

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The Education system globally, not just in America or Ireland, might work better if it's core decisions were left up to teachers and educationalists and not politicians and business leaders who have other less-benign interests.

Completely disagree. Look at teachers unions: they're very powerful, and they get basically whatever they want. I've had teachers tell me "it's not job to try to motivate kids." Teachers are a part of the problem.

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Back to topic: start school at 3? What the f-ck? My parents had all three of their kids reading and doing multiplication by age 4. The same results would not have been attained with teachers.

This part of the plan seems to cater to the segment of the population who views school as free daycare. F-ck that.

The other part of the plan, letting students off 2 years early if they're prepared. I can get behind that.

Anyway, it's well established that education majors as a group have the lowest standardized test scores out of any college major. Therefore, we put the dumbest people who can scrape together a college degree in charge of teaching our students. And we wonder why our schools suck. Until we address this issue, the sweeping reforms will all end up with our schools sucking just as much.

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You shouldn't oppose something just because it "caters" to something you don't like.

I'll oppose what I want, and for any reason I want.

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I once told a girl that I was interested in that I wanted to be a teacher. Her reaction was totally incredulous, "why?" I think at some level teachers are seen as losers, who couldn't make it in whatever field that they teach. Sure we say their job is important, etc. etc. but few ambitious people really want to be a teacher.
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I think most of the problem is money. Money provides motivation for the ambitious. Teachers salaries are based on their education and seniority. Further, it's a very safe job; it's pretty hard to get fired as a teacher. We ought to change that. Enable the firing of bad teachers, and pay the good ones more. The lure of more money may attract more ambitious types, while the risk of getting fired may repel the losers from the profession.