Comments on: Reality-based education

By: wheatdogg

wheatdogg — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 20:18:18 +0000

Politics and infighting have hampered reading instruction for years. Rather than trying multiple methods of teaching kids how to read, too often the public schools fall victim to the latest “fad” in teaching reading. The readers that are used are mindnumbingly boring, since they have been crafted to fit into some expert’s reading “program.” Wise elementary school teachers have their kids read trade children’s books, like the Caldecott winners and Dr. Seuss, in addition to the programmed readers. It’s the top-down nature of public school pedagogy that hampers reading success.

Private schools and Sylvan centers are more flexible in their approaches to reading instruction, and give teachers more latitude in teaching reading.

You might also consider the demographics when making your generalizations. Typically, students in private schools and Sylvan centers are either more motivated than their public school peers, or have parents who are more involved in their education than public school students’ peers. Either way, you get kids who are initially more predisposed to learning to read (English) than in the public schools.

By: Quincy

Quincy — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 05:49:12 +0000

Tito -

KIPP academies and some other charters (such as Amistad Academy in the Northeast) teach reading and math, along with the other skills needed for success in the higher grades with lower per-pupil spending and mainly at risk kid, so it can be done with a similar resources to public schools. It also means that school systems like NYC and Washington, which each spend $12,000+ per pupil per year, compared to $7,000/pupil/year in the average KIPP Academy, should hang their ineffective heads in shame for dereliction of duty.

By: Special interests protest Congressional captcha - Homeland Stupidity

Special interests protest Congressional captcha - Homeland Stupidity — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 21:27:35 +0000

[...] Reality-based education [...]

By: Michael Hampton

Michael Hampton — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 19:02:27 +0000

I use Sylvan only as an example. You can find numerous other examples in your nearest phone book. (Do people use those anymore?)

By: Tito

Tito — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 16:00:04 +0000

I will point out that Sylvan does this with one on one instruction and is vastly more expensive than your standard public school budget. Not saying I disagree with public schools being horrible, and needing to be able to transfer (vouchers would be great). However, if we wanted to get the sylvan kind of education out to all students, it would cost a ton more than we are currently paying, as evidenced by their rates. Smaller class sizes and skilled educators will nearly always produced vastly better results.

By: TuCents

TuCents — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 14:49:20 +0000

Carnival of Liberty 50…

The weekly compilation of articles on the topic of Life, Liberty and Property. This week is the 50th Carnival of Liberty, and I felt the most appropriate theme would be ‘Fifty’ itself in all it’s glory and permutations. Or what I coul…

By: Your children are being brainwashed - Homeland Stupidity

Your children are being brainwashed - Homeland Stupidity — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 04:23:30 +0000

[...] Reality-based education [...]

By: Q

Tue, 20 Jun 2006 02:26:58 +0000

they should just give sylvan complete control over the board of education and call it a day.