Well the 8th graders will soon be heading off for their class trip to Canada for 2 nights and 3 days...It seems that no matter how good it sounds when you agree to it, as the time draws closer the parental nuerousos begins to kick in ...for those who have kids attending how are you feeling about the trip?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Submit to Quotes         

I remember that the class trip, when I was in eighth grade, was to Pennsylvania. I never went. Instead, I went to Mackinac Island. To the kids heading to Canada, have a blast. What are they going to see there, 'eh?

  Submit to Quotes         

8th Grade class trip? When did this start?

Hope Magoo doesn't read this thread. Squish, did you start this thread just to get him riled up?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
amonestar la yocorazo

  Submit to Quotes         

Don, apparently they have been doing them for quite a while...I swear I didnt make it up just to rile Magoo (but that is an upside isnt it just teasin Mr.Magoo! ) In years past they have done things like Chicago, I think this is the first time doing canada...

  Submit to Quotes         

Puff the kids are going to the Playdium, The ripleys museum, and to see the Tronto Blue Jays play and a theater show just to name a few things on their itenary...I think they will have a great time and my fingers are crossed for a smooth border crossing there and back

  Submit to Quotes         

Hmmmmm. Their MEAP Scores are the lowest in the State, yet we reward them with a class trip.

Anyone else see how screwed up our Priorities are?

Rather than a Class Trip, I would "reward" them by forcing each and everyone of them to take Summer Classes.

I could care less who did well on the test, it would be just like the army, you punish everyone and let peer pressure change attitudes.

A whole summer of learning Math, Reading and Writing just might be what the doctor ordered. The MEAP doctor that is.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Councilman Mario DiSanto, A better man for a better Lincoln Park

  Submit to Quotes         

I sur wished you was my old man Magoo when I grwoed up. Sumers at yo hous musta been alotofun. I don't no nuthin I'd like beter n two be learned on righting rythmatic and reedin!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Todd

Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition. ~Jacques Barzun

  Submit to Quotes         

The purpose of the trip is expose the students to things outside of their daily lives. It used t be that they would visit the Toronto Science Museum and learn a couple of things. It is referred to as "multiculturalism" Mr. Magoo, if you'd like I can define that for you.

Maybe you could benefit from some of the thins these students do today. It might actually open up that narrow thing between your ears.....but probably not.

  Submit to Quotes         

Oh, I am sure they will be "exposed" to things they do not normally see.

Detroit has a Science Center, a Hitorical Museum, an Institute of Arts and an African American Museum all within a block of each other.

The 8th graders could broaden their lives by visiting these locals cultural centers.

But just like the Aquarium at Belle Isle, our local people just refuse to support our local treasures.

  Submit to Quotes         

Yes Detroit has a Science Center, Historical Museum, Institute of Arts and African American History Museum. And, yes, horizons could be broadened by visiting them. You were last there when?

The point is Mr. Magoo, the poor MEAP scores that you hold so close to your heart as being the downfall to today's youth, and the improvement of them is not the real issue. So much of the cirriculum in schools today is geared toward teaching to the test. School has changed a lot since your day, and even mine.

Today, the focus is to teach the material that the students may see on the test. This helps no student be successful, at least not in the real world. Sure, if the school's over all score's are in the, say 85th percentile, or higher, everyone thinks the kids are geniuses and that the teachers in that school are wonderful. While that may be true of the students and of the teachers, remember that there is a heavy focus on the numbers for these tests. Not just here in Michigan, but all over the country. Why? They are a political tool decide what schools get what benefits at a state and federal level.

So, in all honesty, I would rather have a student in my classroom that is learning about the things they need to be successful in life, in whatever way that means for them. Testing them on story problems that have no bearing on thier life, current or future, does not make a positive impact on them, therefore, they will not be as apt to rememeber the lesson, so what is the point?

A good foundation of reading, writing, mathematics is needed, no question about it, but again, these are tools that we use everyday, and because of that, have an impact.

So, the politicians should allow teachers to teach to a successful cirriculum, in an effort to produce a successful member of society, not for a good score on a standardized test that is quite frankly an insult to an average person's intelligence.

I thank you.

  Submit to Quotes