One reason I don’t think we will have enough doctors in the future is because the students I see coming up would not be able to tell which end of a hypodermic needle to put in the patient and which end to push with their thumb.
Today we had an assembly for the students who will be moving out of eighth grade at the end of the year. They were given a post card to carry home to their parents. Each child received a postcard in one of three colors. Yellow meant you were on track for promotion. Green meant you could promote if you made up classes. Blue meant you would not promote. Each card had the child’s name and ID on it.
I had one young man show me his yellow card, with his name on it and a clear statement that he was on track for promotion. This stood out to me because I know he was a total knucklehead and goof-ball. So I checked his record for this year. First semester he receive an “F” in two core subjects and a “D minus” in the other two core subjects. The first progress reports this semester had three fails and one almost fail. He is on track for promotion.
This is called “social promotion.” Maybe it isn’t a new term but it is one we need to be reminded of. It is rampant in public schools. It is why people graduate not able to read and write. It is why you need an exit examine in college. It is why people vote for candidates that promise nothing but hope and change. It why people think that the government can keep printing money and granting entitlements and no one will ever be accountable. It is an example of why education becomes a joke instead of an opportunity.
Don’t believe all the jargon about rigor and high standards. Your child may have teachers that have high standards. They exist. There are probably some schools trying to do a good job. The odds against your child having either are high.
homo unius libri
I don't know if you saw it or not, but there was an old eighth grade test from the one-room school days going around on the interenet lately, and I don't think most modern TEACHERS would pass it. You're from the old school, so you know what I mean!
ReplyDeleteYes, I have seen it. I probably could not get it all right but I think I could pass. If you saw the clips of the National Prayer Breakfast you heard Dr. Carson talk about a similar test that I think he referred to as 6th grade.
ReplyDeleteI was listening to a podcast from Reasons to Believe and they said that some researchers actually think the the intelligence of the human race is lower than it was in the ancient times. I don't have any reason to dispute that.
Grace and peace.