Teaching and learning

[acknak]

This is split from this thread: http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/ ... 12&t=12214, but it's probably not necessary to go back and get the background.

Let me start by asking some hypothetical questions, since I am not an experienced educator.

A student, who is passing other classes, is failing in one particular class and it comes to the attention of the school principal or headmaster. How should the administrator handle it?

Looking into the situation, the administrator finds that half the students in that class are having trouble. How should the administrator approach the problem in this case? Is it different from the previous scenario?

Would it be acceptable for the administrator to dismiss the single student as "too lazy to learn"?

Would it be acceptable to dismiss the failing half of the class?

[Dave]

This is split from this thread: http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/ ... 12&t=12214, but it's probably not necessary to go back and get the background.

Let me start by asking some hypothetical questions, since I am not an experienced educator.

A student, who is passing other classes, is failing in one particular class and it comes to the attention of the school principal or headmaster. How should the administrator handle it?

That will depend entirely on the situation, and assuming the ideal administrator to begin with. It can happen that a student who does well in all other subject areas can have even great difficulty in any one particular area. i can give a hundred examples. I did math/physics with little effort, except at university where it did take a little effort. My history teacher in high school wa a kind man. The BEST remark he could come up with at report time was "Shows absolutely no interest whatsoever." Believe me, he was being kind. I made up for it and married a historian/archivist.

My daughter is extremely talented, now married and a successfull well-paid nurse. I never interefered in the children's education but was there to help when asked. When at university, she was taking a physics course, an came home with some questions. The nature of her questions alone told me she didn't stand a chance. Two weeks later, she dropped the course. I told her she was there for herself, not for me. She took courses she needed and wanted, and is now bright and cheery.


Looking into the situation, the administrator finds that half the students in that class are having trouble. How should the administrator approach the problem in this case? Is it different from the previous scenario?

Have a sit-down talk with the teacher and the department head. In high school and junior school, students can feed off each other. One of the great satisfactions of teaching is turning around students, and sometimes an entire class around to your way of thinking and doing. They might have passed without effort before the reached this teacher. It may be that his teacher decided it was time they actually learned. OR he could be a crappy teacher! It happens. It is up to the principal and department head to inspect classes until satisfied.

Would it be acceptable for the administrator to dismiss the single student as "too lazy to learn"?

Again it can happen. But that should not be the instant assessment. I had one girl who was misplaced ,and reacted by doing nothing. The parents were very angry, blaming everyone but their baby girl. They didn't see that the rest of the class had an average of over 70% ! Everything fits into a wider context.

I say, if you want meat, go to a butcher, and don't ask me. But if you want to know if your child can or can not do math, ad so determine if there is some truth to laziness perhaps, then don't ask the butcher. Listen to the teacher. Successful teaching trig, I suddenly had one class not doing well form the start. I had to make a decision, and demanded that they have the basic functions memorised by the Friday. If not, they had to write them out 50 times [no alphabet, no sense continuing.]
Would it be acceptable to dismiss the failing half of the class?

Two decided to test it out. Then they refuse to do the lines. Keeping it short, the principal backed me, and they had to have it done by the next day. Asked ho long it took them ...20 minutes.
This is not event the tip of the iceberg. It is a very complex problem, but basically trust the teacher. Everyone has an opinion. Opinions don't count in the long run ...experience and ability does. I learned trig when I was 17 [98% external exams], and walked out of my own 1st year calculus exam in just over an hour. i just might know how to teach, especially with a few years under my belt.

[Dave]

This is split from this thread: http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/ ... 12&t=12214, but it's probably not necessary to go back and get the background.

Let me start by asking some hypothetical questions, since I am not an experienced educator.

A student, who is passing other classes, is failing in one particular class and it comes to the attention of the school principal or headmaster. How should the administrator handle it?

That will depend entirely on the situation, and assuming the ideal administrator to begin with. It can happen that a student who does well in all other subject areas can have even great difficulty in any one particular area. i can give a hundred examples. I did math/physics with little effort, except at university where it did take a little effort. My history teacher in high school wa a kind man. The BEST remark he could come up with at report time was "Shows absolutely no interest whatsoever." Believe me, he was being kind. I made up for it and married a historian/archivist.

My daughter is extremely talented, now married and a successful well-paid nurse. I never interefered in the children's education but was there to help when asked. When at university, she was taking a physics course, an came home with some questions. The nature of her questions alone told me she didn't stand a chance. Two weeks later, she dropped the course. I told her she was there for herself, not for me. She took courses she needed and wanted, and is now bright and cheery.


Looking into the situation, the administrator finds that half the students in that class are having trouble. How should the administrator approach the problem in this case? Is it different from the previous scenario?

Have a sit-down talk with the teacher and the department head. In high school and junior school, students can feed off each other. One of the great satisfactions of teaching is turning around students, and sometimes an entire class around to your way of thinking and doing. They might have passed without effort before the reached this teacher. It may be that his teacher decided it was time they actually learned. OR he could be a crappy teacher! It happens. It is up to the principal and department head to inspect classes until satisfied.

Would it be acceptable for the administrator to dismiss the single student as "too lazy to learn"?

Again it can happen. But that should not be the instant assessment. I had one girl who was misplaced ,and reacted by doing nothing. The parents were very angry, blaming everyone but their baby girl. They didn't see that the rest of the class had an average of over 70% ! Everything fits into a wider context.

I say, if you want meat, go to a butcher, and don't ask me. But if you want to know if your child can or can not do math, ad so determine if there is some truth to laziness perhaps, then don't ask the butcher. Listen to the teacher.

Would it be acceptable to dismiss the failing half of the class?

If they in fact fail, does it do justice to pass them? This is in fact what does happen, and the education system is in a shambles. Every mother's son has to be as good academically as any other, and that is about as true as the fact that I can play hockey.

This is not event the tip of the iceberg. It is a very complex problem, but basically trust the teacher. Everyone has an opinion. Opinions don't count in the long run ...experience and ability does. I learned trig when I was 17 [98% external exams], and walked out of my own 1st year calculus exam in just over an hour. i just might know how to teach, especially with a few years under my belt