Phony Education

The woman stood at the cash register and called us over to her empty line.  She rang up $2.13, the price of my diet Coke, tax included,  My husband handed her a ten-dollar bill while I tried to fish out the change.  I handed her $.15 but quickly realized she  didn't understand what to do with the coins which were in addition to the amount on her screen and I took them back and she proceeded to count my change.  She got the bills okay but the coins flustered her.  She could not count $.87 without help from us.  It was painful to watch.

We walked away feeling sorry for the woman.  It was obvious she was severely mentally disabled and was doing her best.  She probably has a great personality and walked into the job interview proudly waving her high school diploma, a diploma she got because high schools graduate everyone nowadays.

A Principal once told me giving these diplomas was helping kids but I see it as only hurting them.  This woman has been sent into the world to fail at a her job.  She is not even able to make change and will not even properly be able to shop.  Many years ago I had a special education student who was afraid to take a bus because she couldn't count the quarters she needed to pay her fair.  The schools were different then.  As her math teacher, I was able to work with her on money skills.  Another teacher took a group of students like her to a nursing home where they learned skills they needed to survive.  She didn't get a diploma but she did get to graduate.  I don't know what happened to her but I know she is not standing behind a cash register being abused by people who don't understand her disability.

I watched a special education supervisor do credit recovery problems for her student.  I know of one (there are many more) who only lets teachers who give out answers proctor exams.  Learning disabilities are a real thing.  Covering them up helps no one.

Walcott Dry Your Crocodile Tears And Face Facts

 



Newsflash to Dennis Walcott--in his too long term, Bloomberg has made the level of education in this city an all time low.  Walcott should dry his tears and look at the system today and compare it to the one that educated his children and, if he can't see a difference, he needs to go back to school.

Back when Walcott's daughter was a student at Francis Lewis HS, learning mattered.  She had to go to class, do homework and pass rigorous regents exams.  If she didn't cut it, there were repeater classes and summer school.  There was no boot camp and no chances to get her friends or to pay someone to answer online questions for her.  She worked and her teachers made sure she worked and learned.  I'm not sure, but  she might have been in an algebra class of mine.  I don't think Walcott would have had any problem with the quality of education she received.  And, since she is a success today, that reinforces what I am writing here.

Many kids today graduate without being able to perform simple arithmetic operations, write a coherent paragraph, or even be able to read.  Under fear of having their schools closed, Principal's are getting everyone out.  Kids are taking 8 regular classes, 2 after school classes, Saturday classes and then doing credit recovery work online.  None of this makes any sense.  A child who could not do well with 5 classes certainly can't handle a course load like this.  My former AP thinks every teacher should be able to have 100% of their classes passing.  This is hardly a reasonable goal.  I've had kids say to me, "If I don't pass, you can get fired."  Teachers have to pass them, whether they deserve to pass or not.

Bloomberg's reign has created an era of entitled students who think showing up half the time is enough.  I see this in the college.  The secretary told me the tale of students walking in, demanding to see the chairperson because their teacher refuses to give them extra credit to make up the homework they did not hand in, the tests they failed and the classes they missed.

I'm not a teacher worried about my job.  I've left the system.  I've had enough with the bull that passes for education reform.  I've had enough of the bright kids getting mediocre educations so everyone can pass.

Walcott, wake up and listen to those Democratic mayoral candidates.  I've been in the system.  They know what they are talking about.