Comments on: A RANT: Whatever happened to good writing? http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/ business advice for boomers Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:05:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jean http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-453 Jean Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:23:21 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/#comment-453 @Donna- Your comment that this is an Obama quote is interesting. I double-checked and found it in the text of McCain's acceptance speech. Maybe they're stealing each other's material! Jean @Donna- Your comment that this is an Obama quote is interesting. I double-checked and found it in the text of McCain’s acceptance speech. Maybe they’re stealing each other’s material!

Jean

]]> By: Alicia, Mental Health Notes http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1095 Alicia, Mental Health Notes Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:44:07 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/#comment-1095 Excellent rant Jean and Mr. Dentist! One problem with schools today - as jennydecki pointed about above - is indeed the teachers. However, it goes beyond just the teachers and on into <i>what is expected of the teachers</i>. So, it's not just the teachers. It's the schools, the boards of education, and all other academic powers-that-be. My best friend just started teaching last year. In the course of 90 minutes, she's expected to: - Go through an eight-step "discipline process" with each student who misbehaves during that period. (This "process" was set in motion to decrease the number of kids sent to the office. She can't send anyone to the office until each of the eight steps has been carried out, so, she could be going through eight steps with eight different kids at one time.) - Sign and stamp the cards of every student who follows a four-step program designed to, I don't know, get the kids in line or something. The kids have to show organization, respect, participation, and some other <i>something</i> (I can't remember), and she has to "stamp" each thing they showed that day, and sign her name for each day. (There are 26-30 kids in each of her classes.) - Make sure each student has the necessary tools to complete an assignment. I'm not talking about pencils and paper. I'm talking about a handful of students in each of her classes who need each question read aloud to them because, as middle school kids, they are on 3rd and 4th grade reading levels. These are just a few of the things I remember from our last phone call (re: her last venting session). These are things she is required to do every single day - things that severely cut into instructional time. And we wonder why kids can't do math or get a working handle on grammar? There's one reason. The teachers are too busy trying to please the school systems (and keep their jobs) by following BS "eight-step discipline processes" and putting cute stamps on cards to be able to devote enough time to actual teaching. Google, MySpace, and instant messengers are teaching the kids. u no? Excellent rant Jean and Mr. Dentist!

One problem with schools today – as jennydecki pointed about above – is indeed the teachers. However, it goes beyond just the teachers and on into what is expected of the teachers. So, it’s not just the teachers. It’s the schools, the boards of education, and all other academic powers-that-be.

My best friend just started teaching last year. In the course of 90 minutes, she’s expected to:

- Go through an eight-step “discipline process” with each student who misbehaves during that period. (This “process” was set in motion to decrease the number of kids sent to the office. She can’t send anyone to the office until each of the eight steps has been carried out, so, she could be going through eight steps with eight different kids at one time.)

- Sign and stamp the cards of every student who follows a four-step program designed to, I don’t know, get the kids in line or something. The kids have to show organization, respect, participation, and some other something (I can’t remember), and she has to “stamp” each thing they showed that day, and sign her name for each day. (There are 26-30 kids in each of her classes.)

- Make sure each student has the necessary tools to complete an assignment. I’m not talking about pencils and paper. I’m talking about a handful of students in each of her classes who need each question read aloud to them because, as middle school kids, they are on 3rd and 4th grade reading levels.

These are just a few of the things I remember from our last phone call (re: her last venting session). These are things she is required to do every single day – things that severely cut into instructional time.

And we wonder why kids can’t do math or get a working handle on grammar? There’s one reason. The teachers are too busy trying to please the school systems (and keep their jobs) by following BS “eight-step discipline processes” and putting cute stamps on cards to be able to devote enough time to actual teaching. Google, MySpace, and instant messengers are teaching the kids.

u no?

]]> By: Boomer teachers retiring — should their replacements get $100,000? | money news blog http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-721 Boomer teachers retiring — should their replacements get $100,000? | money news blog Sat, 13 Sep 2008 10:21:54 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/#comment-721 [...] response to my recent “rant” about the say of writing, several commenters said their opinions that teacher pay should be [...] [...] response to my recent “rant” about the say of writing, several commenters said their opinions that teacher pay should be [...]

]]> By: Boomer teachers retiring — should their replacements get $100,000? http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1065 Boomer teachers retiring — should their replacements get $100,000? Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:36:11 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/#comment-1065 [...] response to my recent “rant” about the state of writing, several commenters stated their opinions that teacher pay should be [...] [...] response to my recent “rant” about the state of writing, several commenters stated their opinions that teacher pay should be [...]

]]> By: Jean http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1064 Jean Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:21:43 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/#comment-1064 I was skeptical about your assertion that raising pay for teachers would affect student performance. But after reading the article Miranda suggested, I might have to change my mind. Anyone else want to jump in and comment on this issue? I was skeptical about your assertion that raising pay for teachers would affect student performance. But after reading the article Miranda suggested, I might have to change my mind. Anyone else want to jump in and comment on this issue?

]]> By: Jean http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1060 Jean Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:48:26 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/#comment-1060 Thanks for your comments, Jenny and Miranda. Funny, I also found myself editing myself, and my friend's stuff too. (Do you know how to spell "purportedly"? It's an awareness thing, and you don't become aware unless someone tells you it's important. I think there's another post in here somewhere.... Thanks for your comments, Jenny and Miranda. Funny, I also found myself editing myself, and my friend’s stuff too. (Do you know how to spell “purportedly”?
It’s an awareness thing, and you don’t become aware unless someone tells you it’s important. I think there’s another post in here somewhere….

]]> By: Gregory W. Smith: Looks Like His Ethics Training Didn’t “Take” | money news blog http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1056 Gregory W. Smith: Looks Like His Ethics Training Didn’t “Take” | money news blog Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:16:31 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/#comment-1056 [...] have done wrong.  Some state, “Well, everyone does it.”  If this sounds like another rant, maybe it is.  Sure, people have been doing this stuff for a long time.  Maybe it just shows [...] [...] have done wrong.  Some state, “Well, everyone does it.”  If this sounds like another rant, maybe it is.  Sure, people have been doing this stuff for a long time.  Maybe it just shows [...]

]]> By: Gregory W. Smith: Looks Like His Ethics Training Didn’t “Take” http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-1054 Gregory W. Smith: Looks Like His Ethics Training Didn’t “Take” Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:50:51 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/#comment-1054 [...] have done wrong.  Some say, “Well, everyone does it.”  If this sounds like another rant, maybe it is.  Sure, people have been doing this stuff for a long time.  Maybe it just shows [...] [...] have done wrong.  Some say, “Well, everyone does it.”  If this sounds like another rant, maybe it is.  Sure, people have been doing this stuff for a long time.  Maybe it just shows [...]

]]> By: Miranda http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-167 Miranda Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:35:57 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/#comment-167 Thanks for your rant, Jeanne! I agree that things are becoming serious. I also agree with Jenny that better pay for better teachers is needed. Did you hear about the experiment in D.C.? http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0903/p08s01-comv.html National standards are also needed. My husband's education in New York was much different than mine in Idaho. Thanks for your rant, Jeanne! I agree that things are becoming serious. I also agree with Jenny that better pay for better teachers is needed. Did you hear about the experiment in D.C.? http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0903/p08s01-comv.html

National standards are also needed. My husband’s education in New York was much different than mine in Idaho.

]]> By: MAPping Company Success http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/comment-page-1/#comment-166 MAPping Company Success Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:35:11 +0000 http://www.smallbusinessboomers.com/a-rant-whatever-happened-to-good-writing/#comment-166 [...] your children’s lives; yesterday at Small Business Boomers Jean ranted about Millennials’ atrocious writing skills, a subject I’ve bemoaned here multiple times—and not just [...] [...] your children’s lives; yesterday at Small Business Boomers Jean ranted about Millennials’ atrocious writing skills, a subject I’ve bemoaned here multiple times—and not just [...]

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