Comments on: Why Gifted Students Still Hate School, Part II http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/why-gifted-students-still-hate-school-part-ii/ Classical education, homeschooling, gifted education, education, public school Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:58:46 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Truth http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/why-gifted-students-still-hate-school-part-ii/#comment-711 Truth Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:58:46 +0000 http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/?p=61#comment-711 It's a harsh environment in schools for those willing to learn things. They are confronted by teachers who do not comprehend clearly what they teach...and, more often, clearly do not comprehend what they teach. They are surrounded by those who have no respect for those around them and common sense has absconded from those people's minds long ago. On a personal note: it's extremely hard to accomplish something when nobody cares about it, including the teacher, whose blatant ignorance has been present from the beginning in the form of those egregious grammatical and spelling mistakes on the assignment sheet you try to purge from your mind vigorously. It’s a harsh environment in schools for those willing to learn things. They are confronted by teachers who do not comprehend clearly what they teach…and, more often, clearly do not comprehend what they teach. They are surrounded by those who have no respect for those around them and common sense has absconded from those people’s minds long ago. On a personal note: it’s extremely hard to accomplish something when nobody cares about it, including the teacher, whose blatant ignorance has been present from the beginning in the form of those egregious grammatical and spelling mistakes on the assignment sheet you try to purge from your mind vigorously.

]]> By: j http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/why-gifted-students-still-hate-school-part-ii/#comment-665 j Fri, 22 May 2009 17:44:06 +0000 http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/?p=61#comment-665 Also, I wouldn't equate "talent" as you do with "good looks." More to having talent than that! If you ever lived in LA, you'd realize most actors and actresses aren't the brightest sort. Give me a good YouTube video any day over another crappy low IQ action adventure blockbuster or 50% commercials. There are many gems among the rubble within the Internet. Again, I'm picking up on technophobia. There has always been mindless entertainment around, no matter the generation, the delivery mode or the historical context. What's important is that we are allowed a CHOICE in picking what's good or bad. It doesn't matter if it's a high paid bimbo acting in a million dollar movie, or just a kid expressing his political ideas on YouTube. Who's to say, limited entry to expression in the media equals quality. I love hearing what normal, everyday people have to say. Sometimes they say it far better than a "professional." Also, I wouldn’t equate “talent” as you do with “good looks.” More to having talent than that! If you ever lived in LA, you’d realize most actors and actresses aren’t the brightest sort. Give me a good YouTube video any day over another crappy low IQ action adventure blockbuster or 50% commercials. There are many gems among the rubble within the Internet. Again, I’m picking up on technophobia. There has always been mindless entertainment around, no matter the generation, the delivery mode or the historical context. What’s important is that we are allowed a CHOICE in picking what’s good or bad. It doesn’t matter if it’s a high paid bimbo acting in a million dollar movie, or just a kid expressing his political ideas on YouTube. Who’s to say, limited entry to expression in the media equals quality. I love hearing what normal, everyday people have to say. Sometimes they say it far better than a “professional.”

]]> By: j http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/why-gifted-students-still-hate-school-part-ii/#comment-664 j Fri, 22 May 2009 17:35:14 +0000 http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/?p=61#comment-664 I like the article, but am not sure about your technology phobia. No professor I know blindly reads only the bullet points on slides. They lecture just the same as if the slides weren't there. PP is just a guide and is great for showing diagrams, charts, images, or anatomy (not much different than a projector, etc.). It's great for reinforcing knowledge visually too. I learned PP on my own as a freshman. It's rarely time consuming once you know it well. You have to realize you are dealing with a new generation of kids that are very immersed in technology. Anyway, if you feel you are bucking the herd too much and are unhappy, why don't you try a new profession somewhere else in education or out of education? Apply to teach at a private school or a school district that is more well-organized and challenging academically instead of wasting your breath on a blog? You sound like you have too much to offer to waste your time where you're at now. I like the article, but am not sure about your technology phobia. No professor I know blindly reads only the bullet points on slides. They lecture just the same as if the slides weren’t there. PP is just a guide and is great for showing diagrams, charts, images, or anatomy (not much different than a projector, etc.). It’s great for reinforcing knowledge visually too. I learned PP on my own as a freshman. It’s rarely time consuming once you know it well. You have to realize you are dealing with a new generation of kids that are very immersed in technology. Anyway, if you feel you are bucking the herd too much and are unhappy, why don’t you try a new profession somewhere else in education or out of education? Apply to teach at a private school or a school district that is more well-organized and challenging academically instead of wasting your breath on a blog? You sound like you have too much to offer to waste your time where you’re at now.

]]> By: EVasuaceduede http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/why-gifted-students-still-hate-school-part-ii/#comment-662 EVasuaceduede Mon, 11 May 2009 13:02:15 +0000 http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/?p=61#comment-662 One minute, please! --------------------------------------- signature: http://140.111.145.143/moodle/user/view.php?id=218&course=1&metka=ge5he8hgp One minute, please!
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signature: http://140.111.145.143/moodle/user/view.php?id=218&course=1&metka=ge5he8hgp

]]> By: adsoofmelk http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/why-gifted-students-still-hate-school-part-ii/#comment-336 adsoofmelk Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:33:33 +0000 http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/?p=61#comment-336 Hey, glad to oblige. ;-) Hey, glad to oblige. ;-)

]]> By: Sandra Foyt http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/why-gifted-students-still-hate-school-part-ii/#comment-332 Sandra Foyt Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:08:43 +0000 http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/?p=61#comment-332 I am laughing so hard, I may wake up the house. My favorite crappy movie of the day is Idiocracy. Until now, it was the only public expression that captured how I really feel, sorry, view society. Or, at least the only humorous expression of this notion. Now, I'll just point to your article. Brava! I am laughing so hard, I may wake up the house. My favorite crappy movie of the day is Idiocracy. Until now, it was the only public expression that captured how I really feel, sorry, view society. Or, at least the only humorous expression of this notion. Now, I’ll just point to your article.

Brava!

]]> By: Mr. W. http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/why-gifted-students-still-hate-school-part-ii/#comment-186 Mr. W. Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:46:38 +0000 http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/?p=61#comment-186 I've mentioned that my SpEd co-teacher isn't the sharpest nail in the gun, but she has a big heart. Following my lead, as I've been working with her for two years now, she doesn't get frustrated when students correct her errors. Today we were doing some handwriting practice with poetry. (I know handwriting isn't in the curriculum for 9th grade remedial reading, but hey, it's important for my kids.) Since Co-Teach has better cursive writing (I know my weaknesses.), she has taken these biweekly lessons on herself. In this week's lesson, she wrote a stanza from a poem in cursive and challenged our kids to find errors in her cursive writing technique. Holy Crap! Our remedial students caught a spelling error, punctuation errors, and a non-stop progression of poorly shaped letters: all unintentional by Co-Teach. In one class, I actually had to put a stop to it after about 5 minutes and a bit too much glee from the kids. Co-Teach took it all in stride, but I don't think she garnered any respect from the students. Graciously admitting to a mistake or two over time is one thing, letting students rip you apart, mostly over minutia, is another. Whew! -MrW I’ve mentioned that my SpEd co-teacher isn’t the sharpest nail in the gun, but she has a big heart. Following my lead, as I’ve been working with her for two years now, she doesn’t get frustrated when students correct her errors.

Today we were doing some handwriting practice with poetry. (I know handwriting isn’t in the curriculum for 9th grade remedial reading, but hey, it’s important for my kids.) Since Co-Teach has better cursive writing (I know my weaknesses.), she has taken these biweekly lessons on herself.

In this week’s lesson, she wrote a stanza from a poem in cursive and challenged our kids to find errors in her cursive writing technique. Holy Crap! Our remedial students caught a spelling error, punctuation errors, and a non-stop progression of poorly shaped letters: all unintentional by Co-Teach. In one class, I actually had to put a stop to it after about 5 minutes and a bit too much glee from the kids.

Co-Teach took it all in stride, but I don’t think she garnered any respect from the students. Graciously admitting to a mistake or two over time is one thing, letting students rip you apart, mostly over minutia, is another. Whew!

-MrW

]]> By: adsoofmelk http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/why-gifted-students-still-hate-school-part-ii/#comment-168 adsoofmelk Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:56:49 +0000 http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/?p=61#comment-168 Wow, Jasmine -- I'm really flattered! Thank you! Wow, Jasmine — I’m really flattered! Thank you!

]]> By: Why Gifted Students Hate School, Part Three « Lorem Ipsum http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/why-gifted-students-still-hate-school-part-ii/#comment-167 Why Gifted Students Hate School, Part Three « Lorem Ipsum Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:40:15 +0000 http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/?p=61#comment-167 [...] made the point before that public schools select the most mediocre (or worse-than-mediocre) students to be its teachers and pro.... It’s not a real insight to observe that students who do not do especially well at school do not [...] [...] made the point before that public schools select the most mediocre (or worse-than-mediocre) students to be its teachers and pro…. It’s not a real insight to observe that students who do not do especially well at school do not [...]

]]> By: languagelover http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/why-gifted-students-still-hate-school-part-ii/#comment-166 languagelover Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:29:53 +0000 http://adsoofmelk.wordpress.com/?p=61#comment-166 Excellent, excellent, excellent. I've been arguing many of these points with my own administrators. Right now, my school is investing piles of money to try to lower our dropout rate, but are doing nothing at all to help or inspire the other end. I've proposed a dozen different ideas for enrichment activities that would only be offered to those who had earned it--not necessarily through classroom grades. All of my suggestions have been met with a polite smile and nod, "That's a good idea." Is any of it being implemented? No. I am also going to be in a similar boat with my "gifted" eldest child. He was put into a "Gifted and Talented" program in kindergarten, but he was taken out of class in the middle of other activities to go to a room by himself, given a handout that explained that he was supposed to invent something and then left alone for a period of time. Then, he was returned to his classroom where his classmates filled him in on all of the fun he missed. After a month of this, he chose to drop out of the program. He felt that he had been punished for being "gifted." Excellent, excellent, excellent. I’ve been arguing many of these points with my own administrators. Right now, my school is investing piles of money to try to lower our dropout rate, but are doing nothing at all to help or inspire the other end. I’ve proposed a dozen different ideas for enrichment activities that would only be offered to those who had earned it–not necessarily through classroom grades. All of my suggestions have been met with a polite smile and nod, “That’s a good idea.” Is any of it being implemented? No.

I am also going to be in a similar boat with my “gifted” eldest child. He was put into a “Gifted and Talented” program in kindergarten, but he was taken out of class in the middle of other activities to go to a room by himself, given a handout that explained that he was supposed to invent something and then left alone for a period of time. Then, he was returned to his classroom where his classmates filled him in on all of the fun he missed. After a month of this, he chose to drop out of the program. He felt that he had been punished for being “gifted.”

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