Should we throw out the term "dropout?"

Is there value in trying to change language that is perjorative, but that resonates with people? For example, the term dropouts. We've tried interrupted education. Is there value in trying to change the term?

Beacon Bytes Sysop said...

Yes there is great value in changing the language. If your boss can fire you, you can fire your boss. If your boss can replace you, you can replace your boss. You did not quit and by definition become a quitter. You fired your boss or you replaced your boss. The contract gives both parties freedom. As a 33 year teacher, I hate the word "dropout." It ranks with others that will go unmentioned. Bill Gates is a college dropout. The world is a much better place because he did dropout. Thomas Edison dropped out thanks to his mother. Think of all he would have learned that he could not do if he had stayed in school. Stephan Gary "Woz" Wozniak and Steven Jobs both dropped out and made the world better. Do not confuse schooling with education. Schooling is what you do in school. Education is what you do your whole life even while you are sleeping. Education never ends until you do. Schooling is a construct, an artificial creation that tries to monopolize education. Schooling did not, can not, and will not monopolize education. Remember Emerson and "The American Scholar?" Nature first, books second for your idle hours, and real life with real people third.

Character Education

One of the books I'm using as a reference for my paper ties in nicely with our class conversation on Saturday regarding character education. The book is "Being Good: Rethinking Classroom Management and Student Discipline" by Steven Wolk. He wrote that character education is "... gaining in popularity because our society and our politicians seem to believe that our children are lacking in morals. I find this ironic because adults cause the vast majority of the misery in the world. If there were some kind of national troublemaking index, I have no doubt that adults would rate far higher than kids. Adults start all wars, commit the vast majority of violence, lie to their bosses and friends and spouses, cheat on their taxes, [etc.] ... Yet, oddly, adults point fingers at our children as if kids are the ones in need of strict discipline, moral help, and character education."

Any thoughts on this????

Bullying

While researching for my paper in this class I ran across this article and thought it would be beneficial to all of us to take a look at it as it is something each of us can use in our classrooms and at home with regard to Bullying. http://www.education-world.com/a_special/bully.shtml
There are activities that you can share with your students, children and others. Hope you enjoy it! Thanks Siobhan for "bullying" me into this topic!

Assigning Homework

Hi All,
While working on my research project, I was wondering what your opinions were. Do you think that assigning homework is beneficial? Does it teach important life long lessons? Or, does homework intrude on important family time?

I would also like to say a brief goodbye. I am leaving for a vacation in Turkey on Saturday. I will be thinking of you all.

See you all on the 17th June.

Lydia

More Psychology Stuff

On the off-chance that you are not all psychologied-out, discovered this article online which I found to be quite interesting and ties in nicely to this class (well, it uses the word 'cognitive' a lot at any rate!).
See:
http://ftad.osu.edu/Publications/TeachingHandbook/chap-2.pdf

Btw, congratulations to all you exam-passing boffins out there!

Continuing with Siobhan's FTCE Post

I took the Professional Education/FTCE test today. It was far easier than I had anticipated. I would say that there were only two questions (out of 120) where I couldn't make an educated guess. In my opinion (sometimes humble, sometimes not) every student in our class would be able to pass that test right now.

One thought on where to take the test. I've taken a computer test at the Bank of America building out by the Fort Myers airport and today I took the test at the McTarnaghan Building at FGCU. The latter is more comfortable, an important point for old guys like myself.

Web Site for Computerized tests

Hi,

This is the web site to register for the computerized FTCE tests.

http://www.cefe.usf.edu/

I registered on Monday and took the test Friday and you get the result right away.