Should education be based on test scores, rather than attendance?

[Technocratic]

Tech!!! Where students are siphoned off to specialized types of schools and programs? You mean like the ones I'm talking about? That's EGZAKLY what I'm saying. Except government financed schools that cost twice as much as the private sector simply arenn't going to do it. Haven't so far. What's changed?????

Well, for some reason, Germany and Singapore can maintain a good public education system. For Germany, private schools are marginally used. I prefer to maintain a public system, and I would model it after theirs.

The German schools perform well, but they pay their teachers well, too. There are lots of things that can be done to improve public schools here without destroying the system and revering to private schools, imo.

Maybe Public Charter schools.

 

[Technocratic]

I am also from the United States. I was born in Trenton, NJ.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

The German school system is tripe.
They take the kids - at age 10 - and divide them into 3 groups of education-paths based on how well they're doing. Only one of these leads *to* attending a university as an option at all.

I believe this seriously limits individual potential and denies children from a larger variety of influence and experiences and sets them up for the rest of their lives as a limited individual.

The 'sub standard' kids from the pre-teen age of 10 are given the shaft, pretty much - as switching their 'assigned' school either lets them into university or keeps them out.
It's also tainted by their parent's affluence.

In the USA we base our school system on the belief that any child of any race, ability or disability can achieve success, go to college, and be given equal opportunity to expand their knowledge and become something beyond what their life was at age 10, or what their parent's were. Exposure to educational options should be a wide variety which allows them to choose any path they want - no restrictions other than those that are self-imposed by choices made in life.

This personal-experience comparison was very interesting to me - it really directly discusses a German-immigrants view of the German school system VS the American school system.
Though this person's view is still limited (like the comment on when the average American mother works/goes on maternity leave) it's still quite revealing.

As a former bad-student I firmly believe that deciding one's educational future based on their attitude and actions when the age of 10 or so is just a bad idea. Instead of encouraging proper education and personal growth such things would discourage it.

Children shouldn't be penned into what they did when they were 8 or 10 - they should have the freedom to grow up and decide *for their selves* when and how they proceed with their future. Education should never be denied or limited.

 

[Technocratic]

Tracking like that isn't a bad thing. I don't see how it's "tripe" to place people where they belong based on performance. Our system doesn't work, because it attempts to be too egalitarian to the detriment of all the students.

We really shouldn't have so many people going to college or in the same courses. Most aren't cut out for it.


Does the German system cut the dead wood? Yea.

 

[jujuman13]

Well, for some reason, Germany and Singapore can maintain a good public education system. For Germany, private schools are marginally used. I prefer to maintain a public system, and I would model it after theirs.

The German schools perform well, but they pay their teachers well, too. There are lots of things that can be done to improve public schools here without destroying the system and revering to private schools, imo.

Maybe Public Charter schools.

Perhaps of far greater importance is the fact that both Singapore and Germany allow very limited interference by Politicians into their respective educational systems.
The fact that every time either one of the US animal party's gains Political dominance, the educational system is changed to that whichever animal is in power, prefers it to be.
My motto would be to keep the animals out of education.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

Tracking like that isn't a bad thing. I don't see how it's "tripe" to place people where they belong based on performance. Our system doesn't work, because it attempts to be too egalitarian to the detriment of all the students.

We really shouldn't have so many people going to college or in the same courses. Most aren't cut out for it.


Does the German system cut the dead wood? Yea.

They're determing a child's educational future - their entire life future - by how they are when they are 10.
10 years old.

Especially when you consider that one path or another will either lead them to higher education - or away from it.
What right does the German government really feel they have to deny a deep and expanded education to one based on their childhood whimsy?

At that age NO child is fully developed - nor have they had a chance to thoroughly explore latent potential that comes from maturity and exposure to a variety of influences.

That's too young to base anything 'future' on. I think it denies basic rights and is unethical to do so.
And I say this with the greatest grim-faced restraint.

I'm pleased that the US values individuality, creativity, and truly believes and supports that everyone is capable of achieving *whatever* they put their mind to. . . and when students don't achieve and don't succeed the government (federal, state, local) will try to ASSIST and help - no matter what someone's age is.

In our US system we acknowledge that, yes, not everyone is cut out for college. It's not a *requirement* in life to attend - many don't.
BUT that should be UP to that individual to decide - NOT the government. NOT the school officials - but that individual and that individual ONLY.

Ok - that's it from me, this is a tense issue for me - you get my point. I loath the German system and considering it makes me love our system even more. I'm all for my kids going to college if they want, even my 12 year old who has developmental disorders and isn't on-par with the average 12 year old - I'll foot the whole bill for all 4 of them to attend college if they want - and I won't hold whatever they say or do when they're 10 years old against them or peg them into a hole for the rest of their lives based on what grades they earned in the 5th grade.

If Germany's system kicked in later - like - around age 16 or 18 it would make more sense to me - I still wouldn't want it, but it would seem more reasonable.