Bad News Thread

[watfly]

Teaching to the lowest common denominator never works for the self-motivated and is partly why our country is in the position it is now. Playing to the lowest common denominator got us here.

In the Name of Equity, California Will Discourage Students Who Are Gifted at Math

California's Department of Education is working on a new framework for K-12 mathematics that discourages gifted students from enrolling in accelerated

reason.com

 

[dad4]

In the Name of Equity, California Will Discourage Students Who Are Gifted at Math

California's Department of Education is working on a new framework for K-12 mathematics that discourages gifted students from enrolling in accelerated

reason.com

That one makes me especially sad.

Bright kids in lower grades spend so much time waiting for everyone else to learn basic concepts. But at least you eventually reached high school and could be placed in a class of nice people who tried hard.

Now they want to take that away and dumb down the honors classes to save the self esteem of the kids who never bothered to work before.

After all, why bother training engineers? It’s very hard work, and Bangalore does a much better job of it.

 

[espola]

In the Name of Equity, California Will Discourage Students Who Are Gifted at Math

California's Department of Education is working on a new framework for K-12 mathematics that discourages gifted students from enrolling in accelerated

reason.com

From the FAQ --

Does the draft Mathematics Framework prohibit local education agencies from serving “gifted” students?
No. Since the development of the 2013 Mathematics Framework, new research has emerged that can be used to inform local conversations about how to best serve high achieving students. The draft Mathematics Framework discusses the most recent research that concludes that students can achieve high levels of math competency if they have access to effective mathematics teaching and learning, which also fosters a growth mindset. However, just as with other student groups, high achieving students can be underserved or marginalized.

To provide a more inclusive approach, the draft Mathematics Framework encourages the use of open, authentic, multi-dimensional tasks. This includes but is not limited to, learning mathematical ideas not only through numbers, but also through words, visuals, models, algorithms, multiple representations, tables, and graphs; from moving and touching; and from other representations. Studies show that when learning reflects the use of two or more of these means, the learning experience improves.

 

[espola]

That one makes me especially sad.

Bright kids in lower grades spend so much time waiting for everyone else to learn basic concepts. But at least you eventually reached high school and could be placed in a class of nice people who tried hard.

Now they want to take that away and dumb down the honors classes to save the self esteem of the kids who never bothered to work before.

After all, why bother training engineers? It’s very hard work, and Bangalore does a much better job of it.

Bright kids will mature into adults that understand that publications like reason.com have an agenda to sell.

 

[Grace T.]

From the FAQ --

Does the draft Mathematics Framework prohibit local education agencies from serving “gifted” students?
No. Since the development of the 2013 Mathematics Framework, new research has emerged that can be used to inform local conversations about how to best serve high achieving students. The draft Mathematics Framework discusses the most recent research that concludes that students can achieve high levels of math competency if they have access to effective mathematics teaching and learning, which also fosters a growth mindset. However, just as with other student groups, high achieving students can be underserved or marginalized.

To provide a more inclusive approach, the draft Mathematics Framework encourages the use of open, authentic, multi-dimensional tasks. This includes but is not limited to, learning mathematical ideas not only through numbers, but also through words, visuals, models, algorithms, multiple representations, tables, and graphs; from moving and touching; and from other representations. Studies show that when learning reflects the use of two or more of these means, the learning experience improves.

I read a lot of jargon in my work. The jardon from the pharma companies during the pandemic was especially jarring. But this...wow.

The issue with teaching kids in the same classwork and differentiating them through the work is that the higher performing kids will be short changed, because the teachers spend their time focused on the more difficult or struggling students. My son's former girlfriend is in that boat. Was only one of 2 kids to go out of 5th grade into public school. She was the class valedictorian. All the rest of the kids did private. Her parents wanted her public because they believe its important she get to know regular folks (but sheltered her in private elementary early on). She basically spent the last year bored in math class, everything was review, she was discouraged by the many kids that didn't show up for zoom lessons, and basically got thrown a lot of busy work. The experience carried over when they went back to part time in person. She's gone from being one of the brightest stars in mathematics in private school to hating math. Her older sister did the same route, so no doubt her folks thought it would be o.k. But her older sister was a self-starter that would do calculus in algebra class by herself or was content to take a nap in algebra class and do calculus on her own. The younger one is not such a self-starter and is more of an unfocused explorer (her dad's teaching her tort law, for example, this summer) and has grown very bored with school as a result. My younger son is similar and has a tendency to act up if he's not challenged.

 

[watfly]

Bright kids will mature into adults that understand that publications like reason.com have an agenda to sell.

I will just be happy if young adults stop getting their news from The Daily Show.

 

[dad4]

From the FAQ --

Does the draft Mathematics Framework prohibit local education agencies from serving “gifted” students?
No. Since the development of the 2013 Mathematics Framework, new research has emerged that can be used to inform local conversations about how to best serve high achieving students. The draft Mathematics Framework discusses the most recent research that concludes that students can achieve high levels of math competency if they have access to effective mathematics teaching and learning, which also fosters a growth mindset. However, just as with other student groups, high achieving students can be underserved or marginalized.

To provide a more inclusive approach, the draft Mathematics Framework encourages the use of open, authentic, multi-dimensional tasks. This includes but is not limited to, learning mathematical ideas not only through numbers, but also through words, visuals, models, algorithms, multiple representations, tables, and graphs; from moving and touching; and from other representations. Studies show that when learning reflects the use of two or more of these means, the learning experience improves.

I’ve read enough from Jo Boaler to see past the jargon.

Boaler is actively opposed to the whole notion of giftedness. She rarely uses the word without putting it in quotes. As above. You don’t put your “words” in quotes unless you want to express doubt about the concept they express.

Can you imagine sending your kid to a “soccer“ coach who refuses to talk about ball skills without using quotes to undermine the concept?

We aren’t really going to focus on “ball skills” at New Age Soccer Academy. All that juggling is just Drill and Kill. Instead, we are going to divide ourselves into focus groups that work on developing a growth mindset to visualize the ball going into the goal. Once our young athletes have adopted a multi-dimensional whole athlete self empowerment approach, I am sure they will do quite well. Please do not bring a ball. Balls are not necessary for our program.

 

[espola]

I read a lot of jargon in my work. The jardon from the pharma companies during the pandemic was especially jarring. But this...wow.

The issue with teaching kids in the same classwork and differentiating them through the work is that the higher performing kids will be short changed, because the teachers spend their time focused on the more difficult or struggling students. My son's former girlfriend is in that boat. Was only one of 2 kids to go out of 5th grade into public school. She was the class valedictorian. All the rest of the kids did private. Her parents wanted her public because they believe its important she get to know regular folks (but sheltered her in private elementary early on). She basically spent the last year bored in math class, everything was review, she was discouraged by the many kids that didn't show up for zoom lessons, and basically got thrown a lot of busy work. The experience carried over when they went back to part time in person. She's gone from being one of the brightest stars in mathematics in private school to hating math. Her older sister did the same route, so no doubt her folks thought it would be o.k. But her older sister was a self-starter that would do calculus in algebra class by herself or was content to take a nap in algebra class and do calculus on her own. The younger one is not such a self-starter and is more of an unfocused explorer (her dad's teaching her tort law, for example, this summer) and has grown very bored with school as a result. My younger son is similar and has a tendency to act up if he's not challenged.

I am frequently amazed to read how terrible many posters' childrens' schools are. They are nothing like the schools my kids attended. I guess you deserve my sympathy?

 

[espola]

I’ve read enough from Jo Boaler to see past the jargon.

Boaler is actively opposed to the whole notion of giftedness. She rarely uses the word without putting it in quotes. As above. You don’t put your “words” in quotes unless you want to express doubt about the concept they express.

Can you imagine sending your kid to a “soccer“ coach who refuses to talk about ball skills without using quotes to undermine the concept?

We aren’t really going to focus on “ball skills” at New Age Soccer Academy. All that juggling is just Drill and Kill. Instead, we are going to divide ourselves into focus groups that work on developing a growth mindset to visualize the ball going into the goal. Once our young athletes have adopted a multi-dimensional whole athlete self empowerment approach, I am sure they will do quite well. Please do not bring a ball. Balls are not necessary for our program.

"No" is not jargon.

 

[Grace T.]

I am frequently amazed to read how terrible many posters' childrens' schools are. They are nothing like the schools my kids attended. I guess you deserve my sympathy?

a. I went to a working class parochial school
b. the nuns kept everyone in order by whacking them with rulers
c. the one nun I remember the most was the one who wouldn't put up with my excuse bs or the class is too easy bs and put my nose to the grindstone and forced me to accept responsibility for my actions
d. school aren't like that today
e. it was my son's girlfriend's school I was writing about. my kids do private.
f. schools have changed so much I elected to not send my kids to my own parochial high school alma matter. it's that different now.
g. I offer you my most enthusiastic contrafibularities at your usual prasmiotic way of looking at things. I'm very compunctious of having received your pericombobulous sympathies.

 

[dad4]

"No" is not jargon.

“No“ is not jargon. But “growth mindset” is.

And, as long as schools think that “growth mindset” counts as a replacement for “getting the right answer”, we will be importing our engineers from places which do value getting the right answer, with no quotes necessary.

“Buzz”

 

[espola]

a. I went to a working class parochial school
b. the nuns kept everyone in order by whacking them with rulers
c. the one nun I remember the most was the one who wouldn't put up with my excuse bs or the class is too easy bs and put my nose to the grindstone and forced me to accept responsibility for my actions
d. school aren't like that today
e. it was my son's girlfriend's school I was writing about. my kids do private.
f. schools have changed so much I elected to not send my kids to my own parochial high school alma matter. it's that different now.
g. I offer you my most enthusiastic contrafibularities at your usual prasmiotic way of looking at things. I'm very compunctious of having received your pericombobulous sympathies.

In the flavor of SAT verbal test, you are going to have to give me 4 or more choices of definitions for some of those words (including none of the above, I guess, for a couple).

Sample --

contrafibularities is to prasmiotic as _____ is to pericombobulous

Back to reality - you are criticizing public schools with no direct experience.

Please continue.

 

[Grace T.]

In the flavor of SAT verbal test, you are going to have to give me 4 or more choices of definitions for some of those words (including none of the above, I guess, for a couple).

Sample --

contrafibularities is to prasmiotic as _____ is to pericombobulous

Back to reality - you are criticizing public schools with no direct experience.

Please continue.

Not a Black Adder fan I see.

 

[espola]

“No“ is not jargon. But “growth mindset” is.

And, as long as schools think that “growth mindset” counts as a replacement for “getting the right answer”, we will be importing our engineers from places which do value getting the right answer, with no quotes necessary.

“Buzz”

Professionals often have precisely defined language so there is little doubt about what they mean. I remember the first grade teacher-parent conference when the teacher used the term "rubric". I wasn't going to let on that I was going to have to look up the word when I got home "Ummm -- OK".

Engineers I have known have used words like "moment of inertia", "bypass capacitors", and "memory refresh cycle" with the faith that other engineers will understand precisely what those words mean. We didn't care if the MBAs on the design review board didn't.

(they could always go look it up)

 

[crush]

 

[dad4]

Professionals often have precisely defined language so there is little doubt about what they mean. I remember the first grade teacher-parent conference when the teacher used the term "rubric". I wasn't going to let on that I was going to have to look up the word when I got home "Ummm -- OK".

Engineers I have known have used words like "moment of inertia", "bypass capacitors", and "memory refresh cycle" with the faith that other engineers will understand precisely what those words mean. We didn't care if the MBAs on the design review board didn't.

(they could always go look it up)

Yes. There is a place for well defined neutral terms.

”Growth Mindset” fails the neutrality test. Use of that term necessarily implies that competing educational philosophies must somehow be opposed to growth.

Why would you choose a term which denigrates the related concepts? Simple. You choose loaded language when you are engaged in advocacy: Welfare Queens v/s Families with dependent children. Dreamer v/s Illegals. Voter suppression v/s election security.

When you are engaged in research, you choose neutral language- like “rubric”, or “bypass capacitor”.

To judge them by their current choice of language, schools of education are engaged in advocacy, not research.

 

[Bruddah IZ]

I’ve read enough from Jo Boaler to see past the jargon.

Please do not bring a ball. Balls are not necessary for our program.

I've read enough of Dad4 to see past the jargon.

Please do not bring the last 50 years of virus history. It is not necessary for NPI policy implementation.

 

[espola]

Yes. There is a place for well defined neutral terms.

”Growth Mindset” fails the neutrality test. Use of that term necessarily implies that competing educational philosophies must somehow be opposed to growth.

Why would you choose a term which denigrates the related concepts? Simple. You choose loaded language when you are engaged in advocacy: Welfare Queens v/s Families with dependent children. Dreamer v/s Illegals. Voter suppression v/s election security.

When you are engaged in research, you choose neutral language- like “rubric”, or “bypass capacitor”.

To judge them by their current choice of language, schools of education are engaged in advocacy, not research.

"..necessarily implies..."? I'm not sure I agree with you a hundred percent on your police work there, Lou.

 

[crush]

Data suggests 'likely' link between COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, rare heart issues in teens, CDC panel says
Of the 484 preliminary reports of myocarditis and pericarditis among vaccinated people under 30, 323 met the CDC’s case definition

 

[Grace T.]

Data suggests 'likely' link between COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, rare heart issues in teens, CDC panel says
Of the 484 preliminary reports of myocarditis and pericarditis among vaccinated people under 30, 323 met the CDC’s case definition

Looks like they are slapping a warning on it instead of pausing it. Will still hurt the vaccination drive for the under 18 and will now cause problems for those colleges requiring it as part of a return to in person learning. What really the public needs for guidance is what the incidence of myocarditis is with the Rona for those under 30 v. the vaccine. BUT, if La County follows suit to LAUSD and requires even vaccinated kids in private schools to get tested and wear masks, there's no point in me having the kids vaccinated.

FDA to add warning about rare heart inflammation to Pfizer, Moderna vaccines

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday it plans to move quickly to add a warning about rare cases of heart inflammation in adolescents and young adults to fact sheets for the Pfizer/BioNTech (PFE.N), and Moderna (MRNA.O) COVID-19 vaccines.

www.reuters.com