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What should be the primary purpose of our education system?

What should be the primary purpose of our education system?

  • To produce students that can outscore other nations on exams

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • To instill moral and/or religious values in students

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • To keep minors busy so they don’t get into trouble

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • To identify the students most likely to become future leaders

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    37
I agree. I was thinking middle school can be done away with. Make elementary 1st through 6th instead of 1st through 5th. Then after elementary straight to high school. They'd graduae at about age 16 which is my proposal for the new age of majority.
 
Really they should be in school much longer if you did it that way Johnny. Would do it like the Japanese or Germans do it if you went your route.

Also I skimmed and saw someone say something about school uniforms, school uniforms are there for a few reasons, one as a way to stay orderly and not have to worry about "oh this kid is wearing that" type deal, and also if a kid skips out of class and is caught running around outside the school with a uniform then hmm I wonder where that kid just got out of but naw I never wore a uniform though, just what I figured they were for.
 
To teach students a core curriculum (e.g. basic math, reading, science, history)
To teach students useful life skills (e.g. health, sex education, work ethic, personal finance)
To enable students to find jobs after they’re done with their education
To instill patriotism and/or good citizenship in students
 
Your "instilling patriotism" sounds an awful lot like "political indoctrination." I'm sure you'd be right pissed if if some Berkeley liberal taught your kids, "The love of equality, personal rights (including abortion), moderation, collectivism, and tolerance."

In the words of Joe Friday, "Just the facts mam." Politics doesn't belong in schools.

There is nothing wrong with instilling patriotism in America's youth in the classroom. Benevolent indoctrination regarding our Democratic Republican virtues is a benefit for our society.
 
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I have often felt that if our system would drop many of the courses and curriculum I see as unnecessary we could have all the basics taught by grade 6. From there we could move on to teaching them more specific fields that are of interest to the child (much like collage). Instead we try a very broad approach to try and insure that a student has some knowledge in fields that child has no interest in pursuing and will likely never use.

What would you drop? As I see it, most knowledge you learn has some practical reason its taught
 
Should our education system show what percentages of a population of an entire continent does not believe what is being written in history?

For example over 38% ...well over 1 out of 3 Americans polled do not believe the "official story" spoonfed to the public about 9/11 and subsequently written in history books.....will the over 38% of Americans who believe the "official story" is a lie be recognized in the history books?

How about in Canada where over 1/3 of Canadians polled think the U.S. concocted 9/11....will those numbers be in future history books?

How about well documented and verifyable quotes from many prominent people all over the world saying disturbing things about the U.S.
and how they believe the U.S. government concocted 9/11 just like the Nazi Political Party Concocted the fake attack on their own government building in Germany for many parallel reasons?
 
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Should our education system show what percentages of a population of an entire continent does not believe what is being written in history?

For example over 38% ...well over 1 out of 3 Americans polled do not believe the "official story" spoonfed to the public about 9/11 and subsequently written in history books.....will the over 38% of Americans who believe the "official story" is a lie be recognized in the history books?

How about in Canada where over 1/3 of Canadians polled think the U.S. concocted 9/11....will those numbers be in future history books?

How about well documented and verifyable quotes from many prominent people all over the world saying disturbing things about the U.S.
and how they believe the U.S. government concocted 9/11 just like the Nazi Political Party Concocted the fake attack on their own government building in Germany for many parallel reasons?

You have an entire forum for this, please keep it there.
 
What would you drop? As I see it, most knowledge you learn has some practical reason its taught

I am talking the basics. Once the basics have been taught students could learn more in the field of their choice. Some that I would drop from basics (just to list a few).

Advanced mathmatics example, calculus, trigonometry, Algebra.

Sports programs

Music

Chemestry

Not many people use any of these subjects in there daily lives. If you want to enter a field that requires these, then they can be taught.
 
What sort of poll excludes the single most important answer from it's list of possibles? Not having read the thread, I have no idea if was suggested later or not. Any "education" that doesn't have teaching a good critical thinking process, is worthless.
 
I am talking the basics. Once the basics have been taught students could learn more in the field of their choice. Some that I would drop from basics (just to list a few).

Advanced mathmatics example, calculus, trigonometry, Algebra.

Sports programs

Music

Chemestry

Not many people use any of these subjects in there daily lives. If you want to enter a field that requires these, then they can be taught.
Anymore, algebra and trig are basic math. First, trig is easy, there are only a few formulas to memorize and that is it. Basic Algebra, like the first year, is essential, and easy.
Advanced algebra, geometry, and calculus should be available for those college bound and wanting to major in science, math, engineering, etc., but not required for everyone.
I have had several different highly technical jobs, and first year algebra and trig were more than sufficient. They made me take geometry and calculus, but once out of school, I never used them. Most engineers will say the same thing, actually.
First year chemistry, biology, and physics are good to know as well. Those kinds of classes are given/taken to introduce the student to subjects they might just take a liking to....
Along with dropping some subjects, others should be added. A good VoTech program should start in High School, then continued on in Trade School....
 
What sort of poll excludes the single most important answer from it's list of possibles? Not having read the thread, I have no idea if was suggested later or not. Any "education" that doesn't have teaching a good critical thinking process, is worthless.

I was thinking that critical thinking would fall under "important life skills" when I made the poll...
 
I was thinking that critical thinking would fall under "important life skills" when I made the poll...

Ahh ok. Considering the results of NCLB, there's apparently a significant segment of the population doesn't see it that way. They seem to think it's "more important" score well on "standardized tests" than it is to learn how think for themselves or creatively problem solve.
 
I am talking the basics. Once the basics have been taught students could learn more in the field of their choice. Some that I would drop from basics (just to list a few).

Advanced mathmatics example, calculus, trigonometry, Algebra.
Assuming most schools are like mine, you only need 3 years of math, and usually nothing higher than algebra 2. Math is a very important skill in many jobs... more importantly, it teaches you to think critically and logically

Sports programs
With how obese kids are getting, anything to encourage them to exercise is a good thing. Besides, past 2 years of PE, these have always been voluntary at schools i went to.

It's always been voluntary, again, and I don't see why it should be dropped.

Chemestry
I believe a certain amount of scientific literacy is very important in this day and age.
 
It's almost impossible to pick just one. And which would/should be the primary focus would also depend on what age bracket you're discussing. I'd like to see the following things emphasized in education:

1. Basic knowledge. Reading. Writing. Math. Those are essential skills to be able to function in our society. No one should be without them.
2. College prep and/or vocational training. Yes, we should be preparing our children for their future.
3. Instilling a general snese of patriotism. I'm not talking about brainwashing or hard core propagandaization. I mean just teaching a respect for our nation's history and our principles (even if history shows we don't always live up to them). Things like liberty, equality, opportunity, freedom. They give future generations a sense of who we are as a nation. Or at least, who we want to be as a nation. A common set of values helps unite us. This is a good thing.
4. Critical Thinking. I think this one might be the most important. In a democratic and capitalistic society that emphasizes freedom to choose, people need to learn HOW to make good choices. We're exposed to so much propaganda - be it advertising for a product or political spin for a candidate. People need to be able to look at what's being presented to them and judge it on their own. They need to be able to cut through all the BS.

I know some folks have said schools have no place in doing sex ed, or instilling values or morality. I would like to agree. It would be great if schools could just focus on the four things I listed above, but parents are dropping the ball en mass and are forcing schools to try to pick up some of the slack. It's usually a losing battle, but how can you educate a child when that child has no sense of respect for authority? Or honesty? Or self control? I think most educators don't want to be in the business of instilling morality or values, but feel they have no choice because so many children are raised by people who are complete and total failures as parents.
 
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