Education

[darkhorse85]

Do you that grew up in a small town of rural community/school feel that you had a better education/preperation going into college? Did you feel ahead of your peers in your lower level classes when you were a freshman? I can't answer this question for myself because I was a non-traditional student. When I first started college I often wondered how some of my classmates remembered to breathe everyday.

[Junior]

Do you that grew up in a small town of rural community/school feel that you had a better education/preperation going into college? Did you feel ahead of your peers in your lower level classes when you were a freshman? I can't answer this question for myself because I was a non-traditional student. When I first started college I often wondered how some of my classmates remembered to breathe everyday.

 

No. I was definitely not as prepared as students from larger towns.

[NUance]

 

Do you that grew up in a small town of rural community/school feel that you had a better education/preperation going into college? Did you feel ahead of your peers in your lower level classes when you were a freshman? I can't answer this question for myself because I was a non-traditional student. When I first started college I often wondered how some of my classmates remembered to breathe everyday.

 

No. I was definitely not as prepared as students from larger towns.

 

 

Yeah, I came from a small school too. I was far, far behind the kids from Omaha and Lincoln schools. Except in drinking. I was way ahead in that category.

[Junior]

 

 

Do you that grew up in a small town of rural community/school feel that you had a better education/preperation going into college? Did you feel ahead of your peers in your lower level classes when you were a freshman? I can't answer this question for myself because I was a non-traditional student. When I first started college I often wondered how some of my classmates remembered to breathe everyday.

 

No. I was definitely not as prepared as students from larger towns.

 

 

Yeah, I came from a small school too. I was far, far behind the kids from Omaha and Lincoln schools. Except in drinking. I was way ahead in that category.

 

 

A couple of years ago I was asked by the school board president via my dad to come and talk at a school board meeting as a successful scientist and graduate of our high school. I was to talk about the high quality education I got in high school and how they should do something to help keep the school district solvent. My words were "I'd be happy to come back and talk to the school board and town. You're probably not going to like what I have to say, though."

[BigRedBuster]

I guess I'm the opposite. I came from a small class B school and felt perfectly fine prepared for college when I got to Lincoln. Now, my school to this day has a very strong science and math department so maybe that is the difference.

 

I don't believe school size has anything to do with it. I think it has to do with the ability of certain schools to attract good teachers. AND....the willingness of the public in those towns to support efforts to get those teachers.

[Junior]

I guess I'm the opposite. I came from a small class B school and felt perfectly fine prepared for college when I got to Lincoln. Now, my school to this day has a very strong science and math department so maybe that is the difference.

 

I don't believe school size has anything to do with it. I think it has to do with the ability of certain schools to attract good teachers. AND....the willingness of the public in those towns to support efforts to get those teachers.

 

Sure. School size isn't inherently the key difference. But I went to a small class C2 school, I think they are D1 now. You aren't attracting a lot of single, young graduates there. And if you do, they aren't staying long.

[NUance]

 

 

 

Do you that grew up in a small town of rural community/school feel that you had a better education/preperation going into college? Did you feel ahead of your peers in your lower level classes when you were a freshman? I can't answer this question for myself because I was a non-traditional student. When I first started college I often wondered how some of my classmates remembered to breathe everyday.

 

No. I was definitely not as prepared as students from larger towns.

 

 

Yeah, I came from a small school too. I was far, far behind the kids from Omaha and Lincoln schools. Except in drinking. I was way ahead in that category.

 

 

A couple of years ago I was asked by the school board president via my dad to come and talk at a school board meeting as a successful scientist and graduate of our high school. I was to talk about the high quality education I got in high school and how they should do something to help keep the school district solvent. My words were "I'd be happy to come back and talk to the school board and town. You're probably not going to like what I have to say, though."

 

 

I feel much the same way. Out of my graduating class of 52 students, we obtained only 7 or 8 college degrees that are worth a crap. I hold three of them. And I wasted the better part of a year as an undergrad BSEE student at UNL playing catch-up thanks to my crappy small town high school.

 

I know there are some small towns with fine high schools. But there are a LOT that just aren't up to par. Because a lot of HS teachers and administrators just go through the motions.

[BigRedBuster]

At least with these rankings, I don't see a trend in school size.

 

LINK

 

PS....yes, above I argued that you can't use test scores to determine educational quality. However, that is on the international level. I think the more local you get (such as the state level) the more meaningful they can become. Still not perfect though.

[EbylHusker]

There are certainly some serious issues within our education system. However the root of the problem is the majority of "parents." I put it in quotes because most people trying to raise children do not meet any sane definition of parents except for the fact that they combined gametes to create a child. Sadly, most people's contributions as decent parents stop right there because they're f'ing morons.

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

I feel much the same way. Out of my graduating class of 52 students, we obtained only 7 or 8 college degrees that are worth a crap. I hold three of them. And I wasted the better part of a year as an undergrad BSEE student at UNL playing catch-up thanks to my crappy small town high school.

 

I know there are some small towns with fine high schools. But there are a LOT that just aren't up to par. Because a lot of HS teachers and administrators just go through the motions.

 

That is absolutely pathetic.

 

I graduated with 67 kids and I bet the vast majority of them went to some type of higher education with well over 50% gaining a degree that led to a career. I know of two doctors, three engineers, probably 5-6 teachers, I think we have maybe 2-3 nurses...etc. I think I have 4 who went on to have successful military careers. I say that because all 4 were I would say in the top 25 percent of the class so they would have easily been able to gain a college education.

[strigori]

I think its a combination of the education system, and the parents. There is a level of parental apathy, but there is also parents who look at what and how the schools are trying to teach kids and saying "You're joking right?" Or they talk to the teacher, and can't help but think "This teacher is a moron" Which then feeds into apathy in many cases.

 

There is also a failure to teach kids how to think creatively, and critically. Everyone must stay in the lines, everyone must be the same, do not think outside the box. Be a good little drone, and go off to school for your business degree. And become a good drone in a cubicle somewhere.

 

We need to to a better job of not just angling everyone to college. I remember the attitude from the schools always seemed to be that every kid going into a tradeskill was a failure. I wish those would have been presented as options for me when I was in school.

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

There is also a failure to teach kids how to think creatively, and critically. Everyone must stay in the lines, everyone must be the same, do not think outside the box. Be a good little drone, and go off to school for your business degree. And become a good drone in a cubicle somewhere.

 

 

You think US is bad at that? I have read a lot claiming that is an area we are better at than countries like China and South Korea.

[strigori]

 

 

 

There is also a failure to teach kids how to think creatively, and critically. Everyone must stay in the lines, everyone must be the same, do not think outside the box. Be a good little drone, and go off to school for your business degree. And become a good drone in a cubicle somewhere.

 

 

You think US is bad at that? I have read a lot claiming that is an area we are better at than countries like China and South Korea.

 

That is really only something you should be comparing in Western cultures, or inside our own. Asian cultures tend to lean to 'be a good little drone' Individuality has not been something that has been valued historically in the East. To the level where the family name generally precedes the individual's name.

 

And for some reason we have been trying to emulate their school systems. To the point of drugging little boys so they stop behaving like little boys.

[Hooked on Huskers]

Face it, most college guys searching for the perfect wives or vice-verse .... really, who cares about real learning? Bonus: party times !! Or else too lazy to work after high school (my son). Most 4-years college degrees are worthless. Valuable aspects are engineers, doctors, BSN nurses, teachers, business, physics/chemistry, computer science ...... that's about it.

 

And mandatory military service after high school and before college (males only). Most civilized countries are required.

[teachercd]

Don't get me started on the meds...wow...an 8th grade boy pushes another boy and they have to put one on meds and the other needs to see a counselor