Why Tough Teachers Get Good Results

[langmick]

I had the same kinds of teachers when I was in grade school and HS. I work on a college campus and each year kids look younger and younger, standards for behavior and decorum are for the most part totally gone, for girls and guys.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304213904579095303368899132.html

Take the scale of grit test.

http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~duckwort/images/12-item%20Grit%20Scale.05312011.pdf

[electrizer]

Good one! Here's a similar thing, on sports vs academic performance:

One of the ironies of the situation is that sports reveal what is possible. American kids' performance on the field shows just how well they can do when expectations are high and they put their minds to it. It’s too bad that their test scores show the same thing.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2013/09/have-sports-teams-brought-down-americas-schools.html

[langmick]

There is no doubt the culture is changing here in the US.

Science is not easy, it is quite hard.

But there are kids who are still nerds, even though it is increasingly more stigmatized to be smart.

I work at a University...the kids I see on campus, riding skateboards, have no goddamned business in a classroom. They are sloppy and talk very low class and sound like idiots.

But the Eng school is a different story, of course. There are still kids who want to kick ass. I have an 11 year old nephew who gets up at 5 every morning to read and study and learn. He pushes so hard. It's awesome to watch.

And he can learn very complex pieces of music, and loves it. I challenged him to write a melody a day for a year, I do it and he does it, then we mix and create a piece.

He came back asking if we could do harmonies...

But he hates school.

So what is the missing piece of the puzzle here, or pieces?

Teachers getting more money? Doubtful.

Music in schools? Not sure if that's a key.

Teaching kids to use their mind and not to be afraid of doing so? Might be something to the psychology...

It is worth observing that it is apparent our schools were better in the past.

I fucking hated the shit out of school...except music, but that was kinda easy, especially being a drummer. Science was cool, but I didn't give a shit about working my mind. Pot will do that.

Ah, I'm rambling...

[langmick]

Totally right.

http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/culture/learn-less-and-work-more-says-tycoon-20130925-2udsq.html

Things were harder years ago. I fear we will go back...

[percusski]

Great stuff and excellent articles, similar sentiment to what I was alluding to in the other thread 'Why Music?'

I scored 4.66 so Clint Eastwood levels I guess...

[AllenS]

But there are kids who are still nerds, even though it is increasingly more stigmatized to be smart.

I disagree with the latter part of this statement...