High School Dropout Musical

[Guest Julius Quasar]

Sorry, I couldn't think of a better title for this thread.   

But the point of this thread is to talk about the High School Dropout Rate in the United States.

I hear now that 1 in 5 kids are dropping out of high school now in the U.S., at least, and that number is rising. 

What do you think is causing it?

How could it be fixed?

Now, we know a lot of American Public Schools (especially the high schools) are toxic.  They got roving gangs, uncaring administrators, and burned out teachers being undermined and second guessed by the administration. 

Also, kids are unfairly labeled as "Special Needs" just because they got a learning disability, ADD, or dyslexia, and they are unfairly left behind, ironically thanks to  "No Child Left Behind", signed in crayon by you-know-who, but it was concocted by the democrats, although the republicans helped.  Just a bunch of cranky old legislators trying to get revenge on teachers everywhere because when these legislators were kids, they remember how hard teachers were on them.

Plus, stupid states like California are trying to jack up taxpayer money on useless school programs that are proven failures, especially the "First Five" BS, instead of helping the little kids start their first five years of schooling, why not concentrate on helping the kids on their last years of graduation!?

Also, there are other factors that contribute:

Did both parents finish high school?  If not, their kid(s) is/are most likely to drop out

Economically disadvantaged?  Well, not always...Heck, Freddie Kennedy dropped out of High school.  I've know some kids and their families who were living out of their car that still finished high school, independent studies, or even earned their GED.  But I can see that kind of impoverished lifestyle can hamper your attempts to finish school. 

Not to sound racist, but I've heard cultural influences can come into play for whether people finish their schooling or not.  More laid back cultures like the Mediterranean and the Caribbean cultures tend to put school and business on "cruise control", wheras far eastern cultures, it's more like

Asian Dad: *to his son* "You doctor yet!?"

Asian Son: "No dad, I'm still twelve years old...Just like I told you an hour ago." *trying to study*

Asian Dad: "Talk to me when you doctor!!!" *slams door*

But, some kids just don't see the point, they feel they got no future, they see people with PH.Ds practically holding up "Will work for food" signs, it can get demoralizing.

But, what's your 2 bits (or more) on the U.S. high school dropout rate?

[Guest FoXXX]

uncaring administrators, and burned out teachers being undermined and second guessed by the administration. 

Isn't that the truth :|

[Robert Monroe]

The American school system in general is just fvcked up all the way. It has terrible funding, the approach to subject matters are unengaging and boring, the information isn't made relevant to the modern day, and the facts are spun or otherwise biased to give only a partial view on things. For the time being, home-schooling or private schooling is the way to go for grade school.

[Guest Julius Quasar]

True.  It used to be about learning.  But sadly today it's all about "piling on the homework assignments" and constantly testing kids.  That can really piss off and discourage students. 

[fox1235]

First thing abolish homework, they do nothing to help you and just waste time.

A better idea is to just give out once-a-month not too hard projects.

[Sabre]

I have no experience. However a teacher of mine went to america to see how they do things, and was appauled by how bad things are.

[Guest Julius Quasar]

First thing abolish homework, they do nothing to help you and just waste time.

A better idea is to just give out once-a-month not too hard projects.

^ This.

I believe some Asian and some European nations already do this.

[Robert Monroe]

Only course that needs homework is math, because repition is the only way to remember that shit. Sciences and everything else can be done with proper studying.

[Guest Julius Quasar]

Only course that needs homework is math, because repition is the only way to remember that shit. Sciences and everything else can be done with proper studying.

MAYBE math, as long as it's not 10, 20, 30 pages of it like so many schools assign.  Though I don't think even Math should be given as homework.  There should be a rigid divide between school and play, like in Japan. *rings gong*

[Robert Monroe]

MAYBE math, as long as it's not 10, 20, 30 pages of it like so many schools assign.  Though I don't think even Math should be given as homework.  There should be a rigid divide between school and play, like in Japan. *rings gong*

Math homework doesn't have to be extensive. But it DOES need to be there. Math is not something that you can just study the concepts of and then be expected to remember them. Repition through exercise is the only way.

[fox1235]

I have no experience. However a teacher of mine went to america to see how they do things, and was appauled by how bad things are.

Some teachers like to rant on how the European countries are beating us sometime.

Do you guys have 6 day school weeks like some European countries?

[Guest Julius Quasar]

Math homework doesn't have to be extensive. But it DOES need to be there. Math is not something that you can just study the concepts of and then be expected to remember them. Repition through exercise is the only way.

Perhaps.  I definitely see your point...

Thing is, also, school has just used "quantity" over "quality" in their methods for teaching, and all this constant "testing" doesn't work.  In the old days, like my grandpa's generation, they had only 6 years of school, and I've seen this "Final Exam" for a Kansas School for 8th Graders in 1895, and there were people with Master's Degrees who couldn't pass that exam (it was damn hard).

[Robert Monroe]

Perhaps.  I definitely see your point...

Thing is, also, school has just used "quantity" over "quality" in their methods for teaching, and all this constant "testing" doesn't work.  In the old days, like my grandpa's generation, they had only 6 years of school, and I've seen this "Final Exam" for a Kansas School for 8th Graders in 1895, and there were people with Master's Degrees who couldn't pass that exam (it was damn hard).

There is too much quantity over quality, because schools have to appeal to the lowest common denominator of children, which is sadly the stupid ones and ones that don't wanna learn.

[Guest Julius Quasar]

There is too much quantity over quality, because schools have to appeal to the lowest common denominator of children, which is sadly the stupid ones and ones that don't wanna learn.

Ahh, there you go, couldn't have said it better myself.