A Model School Flops (Leftwing Charter school a colossal failure)

[The Village Idiot]

Turning schools into social service agencies doesn't make the kids smarter.


http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/a-model-school-flops/

excerpt... well worth reading it all.



It sounded like a great idea: Stanford education professors would create a model school to show how to educate low-income Hispanic and black students.

Or, as it’s turned out, how not to.

In March, Stanford New Schools (aka East Palo Alto Academy) — a charter high school started in 2001 and elementary grades added in 2006 –  made California’s list of schools in the lowest-achieving five percent in the state.

This month, the Ravenswood school board denied a new five-year charter. The elementary school — now with K-4 and eighth grade — will close in June. Another year or two wouldn’t be enough to improve poor student performance and weak behavior management, Superintendent Maria De La Vega told the board.

The high school will get two years to find a new sponsor: the local high school district has said “no,” but there are other options.

How did it happen? Stanford New Schools, run by the university’s school of education, seems to stress social and emotional support over academics.

Stanford New Schools hires well-trained teachers who use state-of-the-art progressive teaching methods; Stanford’s student teachers provide extra help. With an extra $3,000 per student raised privately, students enjoy small classes, mentoring, counseling and tutoring, technology access, field trips, summer enrichment, health van visits, community college classes on campus, and community service opportunities. The goal is to send graduates to college as critical thinkers, lifelong learners, and “global citizens.”



excerpt

[bijou]

So more traditional methods produce better results with the same disadvantaged kids, sadly these libs won't learn from that fact.

[The Village Idiot]

So more traditional methods produce better results with the same disadvantaged kids, sadly these libs won't learn from that fact.

No they just need more money and more leftism and go back to the leftwing drawing board.

[Peter3_1]

Uniforms, 50 min. classes followed by a 10 min. RUN to the next classroom and instant justice for disruptive students (expelled, no appeal) might help. PLUS a criculum that REQUIRES skills in Math, english, history  and science with a grades earned by tests  might have worked........bet the classes were all P/F.

[ColonialMarine0431]

Certain people are genetically inferior. What a colossal waste of time and taxpayer money to try to teach simple 7th grade Algebra to a bunch of baboons. Regardless of whether they're white, black, hispanic etc...some people are simply genetically inferior. They're a drain on society and liberal teachers dumb down the curriculum  to accomodate them.

[Chris]

Maybe we should bring back vocational schools.  Teach academics up to 8th grade and the student can continue to a 4-year college prep school, or a 4-year vocational institution.  If half these bozos were taught some sort of skill, they might have a better chance of succeeding instead of dropping out or aging out of the school system.  I went to a "comprehensive" high school... it was a mix of vocational and academic.  Some of those 'students' really didn't belong in a classroom and probably would have been better off spending their time at school learning a trade.

I posted an article earlier about a magnet school in Chicago that had all their graduating students accepted to 4-year universities.  Schools work if they are run right.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Certain people are genetically inferior. What a colossal waste of time and taxpayer money to try to teach simple 7th grade Algebra to a bunch of baboons. Regardless of whether they're white, black, hispanic etc...some people are simply genetically inferior. They're a drain on society and liberal teachers dumb down the curriculum  to accomodate them.

At least they'll always have The Corps.

[ColonialMarine0431]

At least they'll always have The Corps.

Bad Bunny!!!!! Bad!!!!! I'll have you know I graduated College with 2 degrees! Bad, Bad Bunny!!!!! Ptarmigan, help me kill this bad, bad Bunny!!!!!!   

[formerlurker]

Certain people are genetically inferior. What a colossal waste of time and taxpayer money to try to teach simple 7th grade Algebra to a bunch of baboons. Regardless of whether they're white, black, hispanic etc...some people are simply genetically inferior. They're a drain on society and liberal teachers dumb down the curriculum  to accomodate them.

???

Define genetically inferior. 

[NHSparky]

???

Define genetically inferior. 

I was just gonna ask that.

[Ptarmigan]

Maybe we should bring back vocational schools.  Teach academics up to 8th grade and the student can continue to a 4-year college prep school, or a 4-year vocational institution.  If half these bozos were taught some sort of skill, they might have a better chance of succeeding instead of dropping out or aging out of the school system.  I went to a "comprehensive" high school... it was a mix of vocational and academic.  Some of those 'students' really didn't belong in a classroom and probably would have been better off spending their time at school learning a trade.

I posted an article earlier about a magnet school in Chicago that had all their graduating students accepted to 4-year universities.  Schools work if they are run right.

I like that idea. The trend though is get rid of vocational training from high school.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Bad Bunny!!!!! Bad!!!!! I'll have you know I graduated College with 2 degrees! Bad, Bad Bunny!!!!! Ptarmigan, help me kill this bad, bad Bunny!!!!!!   

Fahrenheit and Celsius, Dag-Nabbit!!!

 

[NHSparky]

Fahrenheit and Celsius, Dag-Nabbit!!!

 

Yep--by his senior year, he managed to make straight A's.  Too bad he never learned to make round O's.

[Chris_]

Certain people are genetically inferior. What a colossal waste of time and taxpayer money to try to teach simple 7th grade Algebra to a bunch of baboons. Regardless of whether they're white, black, hispanic etc...some people are simply genetically inferior. They're a drain on society and liberal teachers dumb down the curriculum  to accomodate them.

I think your way off base with this one. These are kids that probably have no Fathers, good role models, and have probably never stepped foot in church. They have no hope.

[ColonialMarine0431]

???

Define genetically inferior. 

I simply meant that some people are just plain dumb. Maybe "genetically inferior" was the wrong usage. "Mentally inferior" might be more appropriate. Let's be honest. Some people are just ignorant.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

I simply meant that some people are just plain dumb. Maybe "genetically inferior" was the wrong usage. "Mentally inferior" might be more appropriate. Let's be honest. Some people are just ignorant.

I think ignorant might be misapplied as well. Ignorance is a lack of exposure to knowledge. It is simply not knowing any better.

Stupid is knowing better and doing the wrong thing anyway.

Perhaps what you're looking for is: some cultures--including urban cultures within the US--devalue education as being too conformist.

I seriously doubt there is anything wrong with any of the students save they have been lied to by their predominant culture and those who sought to "educate" them.*


* I have always found it interesting that these so-called experts deem themselves smarting then those who went before them and as such they claim the old ways must be torn down and re-ordered.

Yet, the so-called experts were themselves made such by the old ways. If the old ways are so bad then how did the new-way advocates get to be experts in the first place?

[littlelamb]

Some people belong in higher education some don't

[Ptarmigan]

If people were genetically stupid, than they have become a slave to their genes.

[Chris_]

Some people belong in higher education some don't

Perhaps this discussion is focusing entirely on the incorrect terminology and dataset......

Human IQ scores follow a "bell curve" as a universally accepted fact.........it is silly to assume that an individual with an IQ of 70 or even 85 is college material.......the abandonment of vocational education in schools is a huge mistake, as there are plenty of opportunities for people with lesser intellectual skills and abilities to lead successful lives in our society......

Someone once said......"the world needs ditchdiggers too......", and although extreme, the concept is true......

It is further true that a master plumber or electrician can earn well into a six-figure income on a routine basis, and these are jobs that do not require a 120 IQ to master and flourish in.......these income levels exceed "degreed professionals" in many areas.......

The job of the successful school should be to identify the skill and aptitude level of each student, and provide them with an education that maximizes those skills and aptitudes to the extent that the student is capable of functioning in a self-sufficient manner in the economy........

The liberal idea that everyone needs to have the "opportunity" for higher education is just garbage, as at least half of the student population is incapable intellectually of gaining any advantage from that opportunity.

This is like "affirmative action" on steroids......and we are all experiencing the results of that.  Our focus should be matching the individual to their capabilities, not forcing incapable people into an environment where failure is a given........then passing them through by lowering the standards for everyone.......colleges and universities then become factories producing "incompetents"........

There is no societal gain from such an approach, and a significant downside......

doc

[Ptarmigan]

Perhaps this discussion is focusing entirely on the incorrect terminology and dataset......

Human IQ scores follow a "bell curve" as a universally accepted fact.........it is silly to assume that an individual with an IQ of 70 or even 85 is college material.......the abandonment of vocational education in schools is a huge mistake, as there are plenty of opportunities for people with lesser intellectual skills and abilities to lead successful lives in our society......

Someone once said......"the world needs ditchdiggers too......", and although extreme, the concept is true......

It is further true that a master plumber or electrician can earn well into a six-figure income on a routine basis, and these are jobs that do not require a 120 IQ to master and flourish in.......these income levels exceed "degreed professionals" in many areas.......

The job of the successful school should be to identify the skill and aptitude level of each student, and provide them with an education that maximizes those skills and aptitudes to the extent that the student is capable of functioning in a self-sufficient manner in the economy........

The liberal idea that everyone needs to have the "opportunity" for higher education is just garbage, as at least half of the student population is incapable intellectually of gaining any advantage from that opportunity.

This is like "affirmative action" on steroids......and we are all experiencing the results of that.  Our focus should be matching the individual to their capabilities, not forcing incapable people into an environment where failure is a given........then passing them through by lowering the standards for everyone.......colleges and universities then become factories producing "incompetents"........

There is no societal gain from such an approach, and a significant downside......

doc

There are too many people who have college degrees to a point it has nearly become worthless. I have a bad feeling it will apply to Masters and even Doctoral degrees. I agree that abandoning vocational teaching is a mistake. There are times in high school I actually wanted to learn them.

[vesta111]

Certain people are genetically inferior. What a colossal waste of time and taxpayer money to try to teach simple 7th grade Algebra to a bunch of baboons. Regardless of whether they're white, black, hispanic etc...some people are simply genetically inferior. They're a drain on society and liberal teachers dumb down the curriculum  to accomodate them.

No-No- No to each his own.

Genetically inferior is a false concept.

Everyone unless in a coma or totally brain damaged has a talent.

The idea is to find that talent and push the person to develop it.  We need teachers that work outside the box, can identify a child who has problems with math and lead them into something that they can do well withought math.  Most everything involves math and the child will learn it down the line.  Long as it is not pushed it will come naturally to without the kid even knowing it.

Teachers that can take a really Artistic child that can work with animals, or take a child with big time aggression to a karate class and allow them to learn to work out their aggression and learn discipline.

Colonial, you cannot tell me that a child that is blind and deaf cannot be taught with the proper teacher.  Annie Sullivan taught Helen Keller to not only speak but to read, write and give speeches to over flowing audiences.

There are few humans of any age that with the proper teachers cannot excel at something.

No person is Genetically Inferior,  [EXCEPT] those who know better but insist they they are better then anyone else.

   You may have a fancy education and teach at an expensive University, Poetry.     Some old lady in India may with no education is feeding the poor---- are you more important then she is.?

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

No-No- No to each his own.

Genetically inferior is a false concept.

...

For the most part I rejected CM's premise.

Now I feel as if I owe him an apology.

[formerlurker]

I simply meant that some people are just plain dumb. Maybe "genetically inferior" was the wrong usage. "Mentally inferior" might be more appropriate. Let's be honest. Some people are just ignorant.

I don't think "dumb" has anything to do with this.  I think it was a work in progress that failed because it was nothing more than an experiment.  You have no idea what the academic capabilities are of these children, some could be extremely intelligent.   No idea.

I don't know anything about this charter school aside from the very limited info provided here in the article.    Nothing to base much of an opinion on.

[ColonialMarine0431]

For the most part I rejected CM's premise.

Now I feel as if I owe him an apology.

No apologies needed. Just admit you're an evil Bunny. 

[The Village Idiot]

I don't know anything about this charter school aside from the very limited info provided here in the article.    Nothing to base much of an opinion on.

Leftwing progressive do-gooders who think school is a social service and the kids can teach themselves.

idiots.