Ambiguously Gendered Revenge of "What is the Hivemind?"

[Jdvn1]

Oh the Union didn't like it that much, but the administration is masterful in at least the art of manipulation. Plus the Union didn't really like the teachers from our school because we did better than the other schools in our county, so they were always irrationally jealous.

Well, I mean I don't know what power various Unions have there. Like, there are multiple state unions and multiple national unions and it's possible in Maryland the national unions don't have as much of a base, so the teacher might be from a state union which will have a different amount and variety of resources, or it's possible that due to state legislation, the national unions' power would be curbed...

I'm sure the Union didn't like it, but I don't know what they could do about it. I'd guess that most teachers' unions would like the teachers from your school for being exemplary teachers, and tout your statistics as reasons why teachers should be better paid.

 

[Crothian]

Statistically, the US is dead last in student performance among industrialized nations. Just because your school offers more AP classes doesn't mean they're better classes than the public schools of other nations.

But to bring back mny Germany point, the best students there are going to the hifg schools that are in these statistics. Where in the US it is everyone. Different systems.

 

[Jdvn1]

Just making the point that the explanation of mass is anything but trivial, since you seemed to think that it was trivial.

Well, you can explain it with m=W/g or with "Mass is a quality of all stuff, related to..." I don't think the explanation is trivial, but I'd hesitate to say it's difficult.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Well, I mean I don't know what power various Unions have there. Like, there are multiple state unions and multiple national unions and it's possible in Maryland the national unions don't have as much of a base, so the teacher might be from a state union which will have a different amount and variety of resources, or it's possible that due to state legislation, the national unions' power would be curbed...

I'm sure the Union didn't like it, but I don't know what they could do about it. I'd guess that most teachers' unions would like the teachers from your school for being exemplary teachers, and tout your statistics as reasons why teachers should be better paid.

You'd think so. That's what I would have thought, but it just isn't how it worked...its the "No Child Left Behind" mentality, which makes them ignore and villify our teachers--even our Special Needs teachers--because they see us as "elitist" because we outperform their schools.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Well, you can explain it with m=W/g or with "Mass is a quality of all stuff, related to..." I don't think the explanation is trivial, but I'd hesitate to say it's difficult.

Remember though, someone who doesn't know what mass is is less than likely to understand weight or gravity. Just like someone who doesn't understand multiplication probably won't learn from being told that it is the inverse of division.

 

[Jdvn1]

If my school taught better than the schools of the foreign students, though, then what does that say? Certainly my school's AP test score averages were above those across the nation; all 5s except one 4 in our psychology class? That clearly isn't what everyone is getting...

... Your high school or your college? You said the MIT students were learning better than they would have in their own countries -- referring to colleges, I'd agree with you. However, most AP courses aren't equivalent to college courses. Maybe they're supposed to be, but they're typically not.

If you get 5's on your AP tests, that's all well and good, but I dont' think it's equivalent to an A in the college courses. It's probably enough to get to the next level of courses (which you typically need, what, a C to do?), but 5's compare you to other AP test scores, not college students.

I'm still not sure, though, if you're trying to make a point about high schools or colleges.

 

[Jdvn1]

College might not supposed to be needed, but it is. I've been in the Personal section of business and it does not matter what the diploma says, they are want people who have them.

Depends on the job. A carpenter can easily make 50,000/year without a college degree. That puts him above my dad who has a Master's degree. But the reason job offers ask for college diplomas is because they know a high school diploma doesn't mean anything anymore. Which is a result of high school teaching theory being extremely dated.

Some schools are keeping up. It took to my Junior year of College before I covered something that was not covered in my high school Math class and we didn't have an AP class, just an advanced one. Its the inner city schools though that are really failing.

I'm not saying all students are, by a rule, stupider in the US. Did most students do as well as you did? Does your high school doing well in a few instances mean the high school is keeping up? Or that high schools in other countries aren't better?

 

[Jdvn1]

But to bring back mny Germany point, the best students there are going to the hifg schools that are in these statistics. Where in the US it is everyone. Different systems.

Oh, I think I misunderstood you before. Germany's students have all students go to high school. There's a school after that for the finishing work. I think it's comparable, although not the same.

 

[Kemrain]

Wow, and here I thought the hive got quiet. I simply didn't notice page 9 and 10 accrue. Damn.

- Kemrain the Oblivious.

 

[Rystil Arden]

... Your high school or your college? You said the MIT students were learning better than they would have in their own countries -- referring to colleges, I'd agree with you. However, most AP courses aren't equivalent to college courses. Maybe they're supposed to be, but they're typically not.

If you get 5's on your AP tests, that's all well and good, but I dont' think it's equivalent to an A in the college courses. It's probably enough to get to the next level of courses (which you typically need, what, a C to do?), but 5's compare you to other AP test scores, not college students.

I'm still not sure, though, if you're trying to make a point about high schools or colleges.

No, you misunderstand. My high school taught the material to me better than those of the students from other countries. I came in with a big advantage compared to them. Heck, I even learned more French history and Lit than my cousin in France, and more about Spain than my friends from Spain...