Comments on: Do Americans care all that much about academics?

By: Dana

Dana — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 10:01:09 +0000

Thanks! And I gave up on catching up and just cleared my feed reader. I may have missed something important, but I’m hoping most people did not have too much other than turkey on their plates last week!

By: Crimson Wife

Crimson Wife — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 05:18:18 +0000

I’m playing a bit of post-Thanksgiving catch-up, sorry for being late to the conversation! Anyways, I just wanted to say that you’ve written an excellent post

By: Dana

Dana — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 03:05:48 +0000

That is very nice of you to say, Jacci. I’m sorry I was unclear originally. I guess I could have as easily deleted and rewritten the comment, but I figure since you guys don’t have that privilege, I’ll let my boo boos stand, as well. : )

Jennifer, I don’t know. But I suspect it has to do with the feeling that the problems with education do not actually affect “my” school. Until they are felt, there will not be many who will act…although there are more and more every year. And the more homeschooling is known, the more it will be viewed as a viable alternative rather than as a “last hope” sort of thing.

By: JacciM

JacciM — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 01:15:07 +0000

LOL, Dana. At first, I admit, I thought you meant me. I thought, “Oh great. What mindless drivel was I writing late at night” I understood after a sentence or two, though. Funny.

I agree with you on education being more than academics – more even than “making a man”. I see education as growth, broadening, deepening, and equipping. For me, it involves the imagination and soul every bit as much as the mind.

I dig your blog Keep the good posts coming!

Blessings,
Jacci

By: My Twenty Cents Keep

My Twenty Cents Keep — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 01:55:47 +0000

Fascinating! I,too, had to read it twice!

By: Jennifer in OR

Jennifer in OR — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 01:51:58 +0000

“The only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that parents are not dissatisfied enough to pursue an alternative course of action, not that they are satisfied.”

Regarding that thought, I’m just wondering WHAT IT WILL TAKE for parents to be “dissatisfied enough” to pursue an alternative education for their children. What level of school violence, bullying, atheistic teaching, mind-numbing drivel will it take?

By: Summer

Summer — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 22:18:37 +0000

Too much food for thought when I didn’t get a good night’s sleep. I’ll have to come back and reread later.

By: Dana

Dana — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 20:53:57 +0000

JacciM, I wanted to make sure it was clear I meant that it was the argument that you should do less to not make others feel bad that I was accusing of being queer, not what you were saying. But then, I was told as much regarding some of my test scores in school so I know there are people who think that way. It is at its core a socialist philosophy, I think…one that attempts to hold us all at the same level.

By: Dana

Dana — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 20:50:59 +0000

Renae, I’m sorry about your waffles. I’ll try to make future Sunday morning posts less interesting for you. : ) Maybe I’ll share our pastor’s three month long study of the Lord’s Prayer.

Thank you for your thoughts, Shawna, and I agree. I think a lot of people do see a problem with what you are talking about which is why they protest the homework, loss of field trips, etc. These are not the apathetic parents, and they do not deserve criticism as being somehow uninterested in academics because they want more for their children. Opposing the school is not equivalent to opposing education and I do not think it is fair to the many involved parents who are fighting to improve their children’s education in these ways.

By: Dana

Dana — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 20:45:51 +0000

JacciM, Not to sound overly critical of someone I have never meant, but that is the queerest argument I have heard yet. : )

I would say most want a good education, but we are not agree on what that is. Some will see that as spelling bees and geography quizzes, others will see it in character issues and values, others will see it in pedagogical views.

Many do caution against pushing academics too much (or at all, depending on the philosophy we are talking about) but that is separate from education in my mind. Education involves academics plus character, etc.