Why Is Our Education System Failing Us?

[onasilverbike]

I’m sure I’m not the only one around here who thinks that over time the standards of the British education system have been falling to new depths.

A couple of examples from the media:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7967600.stm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2544868/Sats-results-Thousands-fail-to-hit-english-maths-and-science-standards.html

So, lets grind the axe on the English language first:

Why is it that this has been allowed to happen? Should ‘text speak’ be allowed in English papers? Is it just an evolution of the language that should be rejoiced in rather than rejected. Does it really matter that there is a difference in the meanings of flower and flour, or site and sight, or no and know? Is the capitalisation of sentences and proper nouns important? Why punctuate? What is an apostrophe, a colon or a hyphen anyway?

The rise of the internet and forums upon it have given people of lower educational achievement the chance to air their views. Something that previously they would possibly have only had a chance to have done in the pub over a pint, whilst, previously only the educated elite would have had the chance to have their views published in print. This I believe is not a bad thing, giving a more rounded opinion on matters.

However, in many cases, even on this forum, many of the offending posters whose internet scribblings are riddled with poor grammar, homophones, greengrocers apostrophes, a lack of capitalisation and punctuation, profess to be receiving, or even to have completed, a university education. How can this be?

Why has our education system allowed this state of affairs? Is it the over application of politically correct liberalism? A decline in the standard of teaching staff? Governmental statistical obsession covering up failings?

Discuss:

 

[TEKLOFTY]

Personally I am a bit of a grammar Nazi when it comes to spelling however, people using text speak or making spelling mistakes rarely gets to me. In - terms of computers and mobile communication devices I see it as just a result of our technological evolution - people crying out against are simply proving the old adage that the populace at large is afraid of change.

That said, i did hear someone actually use 'lol' in speech the other day and it made me rage to be perfectly honest, I am of the opinion that ultimately in 50 - 100 years time our language will have evolved to a point where people can't remember what it was like NOT to use 'text speak'. Whether or not you think that is a good or bad thing is naturally up to you but practically speaking I can't see the disadvantages of it - it is just annoying, not really damaging in any way.

 

[Bon]

One word.

Laziness.

As for the education system, these bullsh*t laws brought in to protect the children have left it in a point where teachers have no power or controll if a child so wishes to start spouting off in a lesson. The teacher can not forcably remove them from the classroom.


Detention? If a child got it for not doing work, they can just not go and what can the school do? Legally, nothing. (if the student is disrupting others they can be expelled / excluded, but if they just arn't doing work then, tough ****).


Put simply, the power of schools has gone the way of the prison system, the power isn't available to those who need it.

 

[Kem]

Put simply, the power of schools has gone the way of the prison system, the power isn't available to those who need it.

its all them damn hippies i tells yea.

there are far too many goodie goodie political correct people in the world who refuse to look at the big picture.

Smacking a child is wrong, true.

But not punishing children and letting them think they can get/do anything they want without effort or or consiquence, making them grow into stupid COUNCIL HOUSE ACCOMEDATED VERMIN aka CHAV's, then thats even worse

 

[onasilverbike]

My question is, why are students passing with much lower abilities than in the past and, why are they then going on to university without a decent grasp of the English language?

OK, I can understand that if you are a mathematical genius, but genuinely dyslexic, then there might be a good case for university entrance (for instance).

But most of the piss poor use of our language stems from plain laziness. University graduates are supposed to have better job prospects, I for one would bin any application where the applicant couldn't even use basic English correctly. A failure to communicate clearly would, in my mind, be a huge failing for any graduate applicant.

Why are we paying taxes for these people to 'study' for 3 years, when, in my opinion, they haven't even achieved a standard that they should have in the first place?

 

[Robbo]

How is it, we get guys on here pleading for the welfare of people who can't even be bothered to use Spellcheck and their spelling/grammar rivals that of an anvil's?

Why is it, some of us are feeling it more important to focus on sympathising and making excuses for these lazy bastids than focusing on the real problem, that of their laziness or the way they have prioritised their own education?

It is just insane when we reward ignorance instead of chastising it.

 

[snax]

In january i had my english and science GCSE's, and no text speak was in any of the exam papers, mocks. And i got D's in both but coursework did bump that up to a C, but im still resiting my english but yeah. I dont think you realise how much pressure they have put on my year. We had mocks on thursday and wednesday we had a revision day bla bla etc etc, and in that assembly this girl, sitting a row in front of me, she had a panick attack, and a trahcer was telling us that she stays after school day after day, then going home and doing more, yeah she may of done subjects with a high amount of c/w but the facts still stand, anyway she had no times to revise for these mocks, and was worried about he grades etc. One of my best mates had a panick attack and it took im a year to be able to come back to school, and worked his *** of to get the grades he has today.

Some people do "cruise" through both year 10 and 11, but to give those people exams one month, mocks 3 weeks later in other subjects, and last month more, and last week 4 more. Whilst doing c.w on top of that, Whilst for some having p.e pratica exams, for the rest of the week, whilst revising for these mocks. Do you think its fair for a 15/16 to do all that whilst trying to have a social life, hobbys, clubs etc. I believe you will find the answer is NO.

At my school if your late 3 times you have a after school, i have stayed behind 2/3 times so far this year, and believe me its not as easy as it sounds, i had a objective to finish of and i was not allowed to go until i showed the teacher what i have done this lesson, and what i have learnt from it, and it doesnt meet her standards then you have to stay for longer and work harder.

Growing up into chav's, well thats not a very fair is it. people can go in the wrong way for so many differant reasonss, it doesnt all happen at school, the things around it does. i go to a public school and i live in the "chavy housing estate" and there is no one going around with a knife or giving it "all that" at school. They have their bit and we have our bit. Not "ok you do bad at school your now a chav"

I may have read this in the wrong way but i assure you im only explaining how i see it, threw my eyes. (16 year old in the "rough" patch of gcse period"

 

[Sid Sidgwick]

My few points as beer and bed are calling.

1. Schools are not focused on educating they are instead focused on achieving a high % of A*-C grades. Remeber tis is what schools are judged on (Not Value added teaching-which looks at students final grades compared to starting grades)

2. Schools do not fail pupils now. They spoonfeed eductation to the masses rather than seperating the wheat from the chaff and giving big fat Fails to those who deserve it.

3. Familes and support are to blame in part, they family unit has been abolished and schools recieve very little if any support by many parents/carers.

4. Teachers have too much work and too little time to do a high standard of teaching and all the bits and bobs that go with it (yes hols are great but we work for them )

I have loads to add but need beer

 

[Dskize]

And apparently all the teachers are pi$$ed ^^^

 

[chuckwood]