Geoffery Canada on failing public schools

[Islandman]

Sass, Don1, Karl, Exile, etc when you have 15 mins watch the presentation. He is speaking to US public schools in the inner city but very relevant to some of the discussions we have on education here.

http://www.ted.com/talks/geoffrey_ca...is_enough.html

[Assasin]

thanks man very good. As he said sometimes when kids want to give up they will look for strength within others and that is what we need in our schools and communities.

[MdmeX]

Very good presentation.

[MdmeX]

From all accounts the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta is doing well.

Ron taught in Harlem for a while, and the Academy in ATL was born out of his Harlem experience.

It can be done - inner city kids can excel.

[Islandman]

They certainly can.

There are a few people trying new approaches. The Kipp charter schools have been having some good results as well.

It is hard to get the teachers unions to buy into any change though. If you think the JTA is bad check how some of these public school teachers unions operate in the US. Some are really horrible.

[Assasin]

It is not just about the unions though. Some politicans want the public schools to go away so they cut the funding for public schools and give it to some new charters schools even without results. The politicians themselves can't decide a good mixture and then the issue of school closure which affects many parents come into play. Yes some of the teachers union bad but some states don't have any union and it isn't much easier.

[Islandman]

I do not see charter schools as a final solution, more like a way to experiment with new things without being restricted in the way the operate the way traditional public schools do. The ones that have success should serve as examples for reform in the general system, the ones that fail should simply be shut down.

The problem is clearly not just the teachers unions but the unions are one of the main obstacles preventing change. Charter schools were just an attempt to get around that.

[MdmeX]

Helps if the school has a vibrant PTA.

[Assasin]

The politicians are also a big stumbling block.

[Karl]

Will do!