tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post6611977368752068991..comments2024-03-26T15:30:39.733-07:00Comments on Rainy Day Thoughts: Life is about changeRain Trueaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-24647455256685932632010-12-11T08:47:20.582-08:002010-12-11T08:47:20.582-08:00Perhaps we should be looking at how the countries ...Perhaps we should be looking at how the countries that do a better job of education -- Japan, Germany, South Korea, etc. -- manage to do it.<br /><br />I suspect money is a big part of the problem. The low <i>average</i> academic performance in the US conceals a vast range of good to bad. We have some excellent schools here. But this is the only major country where education is mostly locally funded -- richer areas can afford better schools, poorer areas are stuck with much more limited ones.<br /><br /><i>along the freeway is a big billboard showing photos of men and then after several of those, a photo of a chimpanzee and it says don't let them make a monkey out of you</i><br /><br />I've seen that billboard. That's another advantage the other advanced nations have -- they don't have a vociferous mass of people who want ancient mythology taught in science classes alongside evolution (well, western Europe has Muslims who do agitate for that, but they're not nearly as numerous or influential as our Christian Right).<br /><br />Never mind people who can't spell, why is it that people who don't even know the difference between a chimpanzee and a monkey can try to argue about evolution without being laughed off the stage?Infidel753https://www.blogger.com/profile/10965786814334886696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-87926189795559379172010-12-09T10:43:31.645-08:002010-12-09T10:43:31.645-08:00The subject of private ( called prep-schools in my...The subject of private ( called prep-schools in my day) education is a very interesting topic itself. Fran is absolutely on spot about the differentials between private and public. I am the only member of my family to have attended public schools ( by choice, because back then America had first rate, world class educational systems paid for by tax levies---particularly in the suburbs.) One of the problems developing a loose confederation of expensive private schools, however, is the trend for authoritarian privilege---particularly with religious institutions.My brothers who attended private Catholic schools and colleges are now-a-days rabid neo-con Republicans. I consider it my duty to humanity to be a recompense in the karma of these matters. lolmandthttp://adgitadiaries.blog-city.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-24725098595493618142010-12-09T10:13:32.350-08:002010-12-09T10:13:32.350-08:00I'm with you, Rain, on this post. I agree wit...I'm with you, Rain, on this post. I agree with everything you said. Good insight.Darlenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18373134676852496647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-14373879895255078702010-12-09T07:43:54.970-08:002010-12-09T07:43:54.970-08:00It would be interesting to see a comparison as to ...It would be interesting to see a comparison as to why private schools can often offer more, some might be paying lower salaries to their staff? and not have such an expensive retirement system? I am not experienced in this area though and don't really know. I do know public schools are being squeezed for money and having larger and larger class sizes which never helps. The no-child-left-behind debacle is no help either as teachers are forced to spend time teaching how to take tests instead of teaching how to learn. I don't know if private schools have to deal with that. Your point though, Fran, is a good one. Only people with more money can really afford to send their children to schools like that.<br /><br />There is a video out, which I have not seen, that makes a point that charter schools far out excel public but then others have been bringing different facts to the table where they point out some is the districts where they are and charter schools do not uniformly outproduce public schools. <br /><br />It is a big concern though because the goal should be to see all children receive quality educations. When I was in teacher ed classes 40 years ago, we spent part of our time in schools across Portland, the schools chosen to show the difference wealth made on the schools. Now these were all in the same district for taxes but the neighborhoods varied from lower income, to middle income, to well off. That many years ago it was not uniform for the education kids got which I understand when it's different towns but within the same city, that just seemed wrong.Rain Trueaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-33260604029141687712010-12-08T21:21:01.444-08:002010-12-08T21:21:01.444-08:00Extremely thought provoking post, Rain. The whole ...Extremely thought provoking post, Rain. The whole public school thing is disturbing, but some of your commenters make very good points pro and con. I am a product of public education through an M.A. degree and I'm no rocket scientist, but I think I did OK. <br /><br />But--I work for an esteemed private school and there is no comparison between it and most area public schools. The sad part is that private schools are not financially accessible to most people, even with a financial aid package. <br /><br />I love the poem Annie posted. By the way, is the little girl at the top of the post little Rain?Fran aka Redondowriterhttp://redondowriter.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-26018271292587849432010-12-08T16:57:39.515-08:002010-12-08T16:57:39.515-08:00How we measure time has changed during history. Th...How we measure time has changed during history. The first accurate mechanical clocks were invented during the Middle Ages. Thus Westerners developed uniform measures of time. Jews, as in ages before Western clocks, measure a day from sunset to sunset with 12 hours of night and 12 hours of day. Of course Jewish hours are not a fixed length of time. In winter night hours are longer and the day hours are shorter. On December 21st the shortest hours can be around just 44.23 minutes in Oregon.<br />Knowing this point of history is important in my own view of creation. Taking the Bible literally by today's Western measure of time is clearly a mistake.Diane Widler Wenzelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05270246393901276648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-37709917807554716442010-12-08T15:43:18.183-08:002010-12-08T15:43:18.183-08:00Don't worry Robert we are graduating way more ...Don't worry Robert we are graduating way more lawyers than China and India combined. So we will sue the pants off of all of them when they sell us defective crap. Slightly tongue in cheek there.Ingineer66https://www.blogger.com/profile/01319022726561229313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-71095889283598283952010-12-08T14:52:05.952-08:002010-12-08T14:52:05.952-08:00I have to chuckle when I see comment's like Pa...I have to chuckle when I see comment's like Paul's about rewarding teacher merit based on performance... how many teachers do you think want to be penalized for teaching in low-income and poverty-level school districts; you know, the ones were they don't have a middle-class stay-at-home mom to support their child at home with learning?<br /><br />I am at a point now where I want to give up fighting the ignorance in this country. China and India certainly don't teach creationism to their students. They are building universities at breakneck speed. It is estimated that there are more graduate students in China today then TOTAL students in the US.<br /><br />We think we can remain a world power based on our past reputation as innovators and thinkers. Sorry, reputation alone will not sustain us or move us forward. We seem to be fated to learn things the hard way.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-69306718260901106312010-12-08T12:32:12.223-08:002010-12-08T12:32:12.223-08:00I do not think it was a new life form, but a "...I do not think it was a new life form, but a "newly discovered" life form. It has been around, we just didn't know about it yet. <br /><br />Kind of like when we thought an atom was the smallest form of matter and then we split one open and bunch of other crap came out.<br /><br />So no I do not think it means anything about whether God exists or not. It just proves that we do not know everything that there is to know.Ingineer66https://www.blogger.com/profile/01319022726561229313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-43171548350113071192010-12-08T10:15:42.893-08:002010-12-08T10:15:42.893-08:00Two points of view from a former teacher:
##"...Two points of view from a former teacher:<br /><br />##"Education is one of the chief obstacles to intelligence and freedom of thought.<br /> Bertrand A. Russell (1872-1970) <br /><br />##The only real education comes from what goes counter to you.<br /> Andre Gide (1869-1951) <br />peace, mmandthttp://adgitadiaries.blog-city.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-36339023528507509062010-12-08T09:31:29.100-08:002010-12-08T09:31:29.100-08:00My older daughter is pursuing a teaching credentia...My older daughter is pursuing a teaching credential, and she wants to teach at the junior high school level - bless her. Teachers are this nation's unsung heroes, and very poorly compensated. It is a calling.<br /><br />An ignorant citizenry is just what big corps want -- easier for them to get their way and steam roll over a supposed democracy. I'm going nuts about this stuff. Your posts tell it like it is. Keep it up!Taradharmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17665801586196931603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-18981880297197715682010-12-08T07:14:32.247-08:002010-12-08T07:14:32.247-08:00I like that poem, Annie, and I think it is quite a...I like that poem, Annie, and I think it is quite apropos. I had read it before but it's a great reminder about life and the lessons in it.<br /><br />The quote you added is good also, Julie. Actually everybody who added quotes on science and thinking added a lot to that whole discussion.<br /><br />That is what I see these all as-- discussions where I start it but it is picked up by others who might agree or disagree.Rain Trueaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-115581821711387352010-12-08T06:42:07.827-08:002010-12-08T06:42:07.827-08:00JULIE said:
Enjoying this series of posts. Stretc...JULIE said:<br /><br />Enjoying this series of posts. Stretching my mind a little. I appreciate the the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Men love to wonder and that is the seed of science".<br /><br />BTW, that is a darling picture of you from your school days.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-22629082552262153522010-12-08T06:01:19.947-08:002010-12-08T06:01:19.947-08:00Rain I am all for education that actually educates...Rain I am all for education that actually educates the student - not for rewarding teachers who are poor or incompetent or have seniority yet cannot teach. And yes, there are many fine educators out there. Reward them and find more like them. And parents take part in your child's education. Don't expect the school and the teachers to do it all.Paulhttp://ShadowofDiogenes.blogs.com/shadow/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22918248.post-16731172300084754392010-12-08T05:17:01.838-08:002010-12-08T05:17:01.838-08:00Hi Rain, this isn't exactly on topic but I jus...Hi Rain, this isn't exactly on topic but I just ran across this poem on the Whiskey River blog (http://whiskeyriver.blogspot.com - worth a read!) and thought you might like it. According to the blog, author is unknown.<br /><br />You learn.<br />After a while you learn the subtle difference<br />between holding a hand and chaining a soul,<br />and you learn that love doesn't mean leaning<br />and company doesn't mean security.<br />And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts<br />and presents aren't promises,<br />and you begin to accept your defeats<br />with your head up and your eyes open<br />with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,<br />and you learn to build all your roads on today<br />because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans<br />and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.<br />After a while you learn<br />that even sunshine burns if you get too much.<br />So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul,<br />instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.<br />And you learn that you really can endure.<br />That you really are strong.<br />And you really do have worth.<br />And you learn. And learn.<br />With every good-bye you learn.<br /><br />- http://whiskeyriver.blogspot.com/2010/12/you-learn-you-learn.htmlAnniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03787701515460812026noreply@blogger.com