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It should come as no surprise to anyone who has spoken with me or read some of the other pieces that I have had the privilege of posting that education is something that I feel extremely passionate about. In fact, I would go so far as to say that education ranks right up there with my passion for writing, service to my country, and love for the Constitution of the United States and everything that it provides. Why exactly would education rank so high up there in things that I value? Simply put, education is the basic foundation for those other things that I have listed. Without a proper education, one is unable to utilize the written word. Without a proper education, one cannot properly serve in any branch of the military or law enforcement (contrary to popular belief). Lastly, and most importantly, without a proper education, one is unable to understand, abide by, and protect the Constitution of the United States; this fact seems ever more evident by the masses of ignorant young people and their radically unhinged and politically motivated leadership.
I previously wrote a piece that really maligned what has so far been my experience at a university. I could go on to elaborate even further about the shortfalls of the college education provided in this country, possibly for eternity, but I would rather take aim at a different aspect of our education system. As previously stated, young people show up ill-prepared for what they should be expected to do once they arrive at college. Why is this? Well, we can point fingers at government regulations (ie “No Child Left Behind”), or ‘teaching to tests’, or funding, and, in all honesty, any one of these could very well be accurately blamed for one negative aspect of our system or another. What about just the people teaching our kids?
We hear all the time about the professors at universities but it is very seldom that we look at the people at the elementary, middle, and high school levels – unless there happens to be a scandal involving sexual misconduct (which is an issue of a whole other kind) – but take a moment to think about these people.
I am going to speak in generalities. Young people these days have little to no discipline, no work ethic, believe that they should receive unearned benefits and or rewards, and seem to have the worst time regulating their emotions (so much so that “trigger warnings” have become common practice in many places). Who can the education system turn to in order to make drastic improvements to these circumstances? Why, the last time that I had an issue with any of these things was prior to my experience in basic training!
Noncommissioned officers, not just drill sergeants, are specially adapted to developing functional and well-adapted youth that are prepared to take on the difficulties associated with the real world. Day in and day out, NCOs across the military are constantly dealing with young men and women ranging in ages starting at 17; who is to say that these professionals could not adapt to perform the same miracles with young people only slightly younger? Counseling, personal and professional development, and teaching (training) are all tools that any NCO worth their salt has at their disposal. In addition, NCOs promote discipline in various ways, understand the need for proper levels of encouragement, and instill values into those under their charge. Are these not the exact qualities that we wish for our young people?
Everyone has heard the saying “those who cannot do teach”. The fact is that this has been the case for far too long. When you have a generation of people who cannot do anything, teaching kids who will in turn not be able to do anything, you end up with a large portion of a generation essentially crippled. We can see this right now. A generation of young adults looking for handouts, free stuff, and government assistance because they have been taught, for ages, by people who could barely do anything for themselves (or at least were so inept that they could do almost nothing of novel value). We have people going into disciplines like “gender studies” in which lies a future of absolutely nothing. Can anyone please tell me exactly what someone with a PhD in gender studies does for society besides teach other people who are going for a degree in that area? Of course you can’t because there is nothing. Perhaps work in some obscure fashion for the ACLU, maybe.
I believe that it is high time that people who can do, and can do many different things, teach those who we expect to do many different things. If we want young people to take up valuable professions, to be pushed towards doing things of value to themselves and society, they must first be provided with the structure that supports them to do so. Noncommissioned officers are often described as being the “backbone” of the military service (or at least in the Army they are). Could these professionals become the kind of “backbone” structure for the education system that we need? I believe so.
I previously wrote a piece that really maligned what has so far been my experience at a university. I could go on to elaborate even further about the shortfalls of the college education provided in this country, possibly for eternity, but I would rather take aim at a different aspect of our education system. As previously stated, young people show up ill-prepared for what they should be expected to do once they arrive at college. Why is this? Well, we can point fingers at government regulations (ie “No Child Left Behind”), or ‘teaching to tests’, or funding, and, in all honesty, any one of these could very well be accurately blamed for one negative aspect of our system or another. What about just the people teaching our kids?
We hear all the time about the professors at universities but it is very seldom that we look at the people at the elementary, middle, and high school levels – unless there happens to be a scandal involving sexual misconduct (which is an issue of a whole other kind) – but take a moment to think about these people.
I am going to speak in generalities. Young people these days have little to no discipline, no work ethic, believe that they should receive unearned benefits and or rewards, and seem to have the worst time regulating their emotions (so much so that “trigger warnings” have become common practice in many places). Who can the education system turn to in order to make drastic improvements to these circumstances? Why, the last time that I had an issue with any of these things was prior to my experience in basic training!
Noncommissioned officers, not just drill sergeants, are specially adapted to developing functional and well-adapted youth that are prepared to take on the difficulties associated with the real world. Day in and day out, NCOs across the military are constantly dealing with young men and women ranging in ages starting at 17; who is to say that these professionals could not adapt to perform the same miracles with young people only slightly younger? Counseling, personal and professional development, and teaching (training) are all tools that any NCO worth their salt has at their disposal. In addition, NCOs promote discipline in various ways, understand the need for proper levels of encouragement, and instill values into those under their charge. Are these not the exact qualities that we wish for our young people?
Everyone has heard the saying “those who cannot do teach”. The fact is that this has been the case for far too long. When you have a generation of people who cannot do anything, teaching kids who will in turn not be able to do anything, you end up with a large portion of a generation essentially crippled. We can see this right now. A generation of young adults looking for handouts, free stuff, and government assistance because they have been taught, for ages, by people who could barely do anything for themselves (or at least were so inept that they could do almost nothing of novel value). We have people going into disciplines like “gender studies” in which lies a future of absolutely nothing. Can anyone please tell me exactly what someone with a PhD in gender studies does for society besides teach other people who are going for a degree in that area? Of course you can’t because there is nothing. Perhaps work in some obscure fashion for the ACLU, maybe.
I believe that it is high time that people who can do, and can do many different things, teach those who we expect to do many different things. If we want young people to take up valuable professions, to be pushed towards doing things of value to themselves and society, they must first be provided with the structure that supports them to do so. Noncommissioned officers are often described as being the “backbone” of the military service (or at least in the Army they are). Could these professionals become the kind of “backbone” structure for the education system that we need? I believe so.
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 73
As a Ph.D educator, I agree NCO’s and Officers can make excellent educators. As to the rest of what you were speaking about, I will go one step further. Along with the current educators I place nearly all the responsibilities on the parents that do not hold the education system they pay for accountable. Vigilance in your child’s education is your (the parents) responsibility. IMHO...
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LCDR (Join to see)
Sgt Bob Sutherland - Amen!
I tell my students "I'm teaching you to think critically. I'm just using South Carolina History to do it."
And, though I know math and science are important (BS degree from Georgia Tech), I tell them that history/literature/economics/gov't/etc. can't be done by a computer; that's why they call them 'humanities'.
Add to that the fact that the state mandates the "essential information" and then mandates the standardized tests to make sure you teach their essential information (at least, I notice this in my state's history courses) and it grates me that I have to teach a "state-sanctioned version" of history and politics.
Did I mention an Amen to all you wrote!
I tell my students "I'm teaching you to think critically. I'm just using South Carolina History to do it."
And, though I know math and science are important (BS degree from Georgia Tech), I tell them that history/literature/economics/gov't/etc. can't be done by a computer; that's why they call them 'humanities'.
Add to that the fact that the state mandates the "essential information" and then mandates the standardized tests to make sure you teach their essential information (at least, I notice this in my state's history courses) and it grates me that I have to teach a "state-sanctioned version" of history and politics.
Did I mention an Amen to all you wrote!
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SFC Melvin Brandenburg
I teach, multiple areas depending on my school's greatest need. Math, science, social studies, tech & engineering. Thank you, Uncle Sam for paying for the majority of it; and for the 2 associate, 2 bachelor, master, and doctorate degrees. Thanks also for the rigorous 20 years of experiences that make me a quality NCO. I absolutely draw on my experience and education, and my students come to value my teaching philosophy. My principal doesn't completely understand my classroom leadership approach, but my students score higher on assessments and very few fail to earn credit. Because I produce results, I'm pretty much left to drive on how I see fit. I appreciate that about my principal. Parents sometimes don't like how "hard" I am on their kids, but I don't really care about my student's friendship but rather their future. I agree whole heartedly quality NCOs have potential to be quality classroom teachers.
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SrA Les Dunaway
Dysfunctional parents failings go beyond not kicking ass at school - they also don't kick ass at home, when the little darlings don't do home work
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SPC Chris Ison
We had a standardized test when i was in school called the California Test of Basic Skills. And depending on how you placed on that exam determined if you were labels gifted, normal, or remedial. Those kids labeled remedial got put in classes where they did not have to perform up to standard. The majority of kids who scored in the remedial range were not actually remedial, they were children of color or spoke English as a second language. The test was not bad, the way the results were used was bad. And a decent union would have fixed that problem.
And the same thing is happening now.
You blame the Administrators and politicians for wanting you to make sure kids pass a test that measure basic fucking skills. The reason you have to buy classroom supplies is because in a fixed system, when one variable goes up (like teachers salaries) the rest of the variables must go down to balance out the equation. Stop asking for more money. NO one wants to raise taxes.
You can blame all you problems on the fact that libertarians are ruining the country with their anti tax bullshit. Taxes are a necessary evil, if you want government to provide services for the people. AND THAT IS THE SOLE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT, TO SERVE THE PEOPLE. The founding fathers were NOT anti tax; They were anti taxation without representation.
How about you take some fucking personal responsibility, and realize YOU are the issue. YOU are not doing the job right. You need to test for basic skills. You do not need to teach to a test, but you sure as hell need to know where the students stand. If standardized tests did not work, then the ACT, SAT, GRE, LSAT. MCAT, ASVAB, etc would all be worthless right?
How about you stop asking for more money and start asking for more flexibility in the way you teach your students.
I am not now, nor Have i ever been, a fan of the teaching profession.
I don't have a story about as teacher who saw something in me, and showed me the light. And that is because every teacher I have ever had has been worthless. With the exception of PROFESSORS at university.
Funny how University professors don't need classes in how to teach.
teachers in public school teach for 6.5 hours a day, 9 months out of the year. And every profession has overtime.
If it was up to me you would teach 8 to 5 pm ~48 weeks out of the year, just like every other profession. You would earn that fucking salary, or you would be fired.
And the same thing is happening now.
You blame the Administrators and politicians for wanting you to make sure kids pass a test that measure basic fucking skills. The reason you have to buy classroom supplies is because in a fixed system, when one variable goes up (like teachers salaries) the rest of the variables must go down to balance out the equation. Stop asking for more money. NO one wants to raise taxes.
You can blame all you problems on the fact that libertarians are ruining the country with their anti tax bullshit. Taxes are a necessary evil, if you want government to provide services for the people. AND THAT IS THE SOLE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT, TO SERVE THE PEOPLE. The founding fathers were NOT anti tax; They were anti taxation without representation.
How about you take some fucking personal responsibility, and realize YOU are the issue. YOU are not doing the job right. You need to test for basic skills. You do not need to teach to a test, but you sure as hell need to know where the students stand. If standardized tests did not work, then the ACT, SAT, GRE, LSAT. MCAT, ASVAB, etc would all be worthless right?
How about you stop asking for more money and start asking for more flexibility in the way you teach your students.
I am not now, nor Have i ever been, a fan of the teaching profession.
I don't have a story about as teacher who saw something in me, and showed me the light. And that is because every teacher I have ever had has been worthless. With the exception of PROFESSORS at university.
Funny how University professors don't need classes in how to teach.
teachers in public school teach for 6.5 hours a day, 9 months out of the year. And every profession has overtime.
If it was up to me you would teach 8 to 5 pm ~48 weeks out of the year, just like every other profession. You would earn that fucking salary, or you would be fired.
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NCOs or officers. Want to save our country? Become a teacher.
LTC Stephen F. SPC Douglas Bolton Maj Marty Hogan SGT Mark Halmrast SP5 Mark Kuzinski MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi Sgt Kelli Mays Maj William W. 'Bill' Price Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen CPT Jack Durish CW5 Jack Cardwell TSgt Joe C. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL LTC (Join to see) MSgt Stephen Council SGT (Join to see)
LTC Stephen F. SPC Douglas Bolton Maj Marty Hogan SGT Mark Halmrast SP5 Mark Kuzinski MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi Sgt Kelli Mays Maj William W. 'Bill' Price Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen CPT Jack Durish CW5 Jack Cardwell TSgt Joe C. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL LTC (Join to see) MSgt Stephen Council SGT (Join to see)
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SFC David Xanten
Being loved by your students is NOT a requirement for a Military Instructor Lt Col Charlie Brown
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Lt Col Charlie Brown
Cpl Glynis Sakowicz I understand completely. I had trouble getting a job as a school counselor. They were afraid an AF retiree would bomb innocent children
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Lt Col Charlie Brown
SFC David Xanten true. While they were in his class they respected him. After they graduated they came back to say they loved him
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A good leader is a teacher. You want things done a certain way? Teach your subordinates. And, a good teacher is a leader. As to your final question: "Could these professionals become the kind of 'backbone' structure for the education system we need?" No. They'd never make it, not in America's schools and colleges. Indoctrination has replaced education there and most of us who serve/served are not welcome among them.
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2LT Gerald Dominy
SSG(P) D. Wright Downs - my favorite exercise of operant conditioning was , EVERYBODY STAND UP ,,, you are all acting out and ACTORS deliver their lines standing on their FEET, take you books with you, start reading at page X , one by one once their feet started to be uncomfortable,, they would ask to sit. I declined their request, only to let someone next to them who had been quiet to sit down, eventually they got the message, we are not here to act out, we are here to study, I only had two punks rebel, refused to obey instructions, they were sent direct to the office AFTER I NOTIFIED THEM THEY WERE COMING AND WHY. To watch the video cameras to see that they arrived. i was working at high school level, i couldn't do this a elementary or Jr High. I also did this as a substitute. I believe this and other techniques was what got me a job as a Teachers aide later in special education classroom, i had been studying mild to moderate placement at masters level under VA Voc Rehab only to have VA VRE violate my contract and put me in a 18 month unfruitful job search, and likely cost me my marriage at the time too, Until we defund and force the Public schools to shape up or ship out via vouchers and OTHER CHOICES they will still spend money like drunken sailors and produce little results until we do, But on a good note, My school went thru restructure for failing to meet annual progress under no child left behind, new principal interviewed everybody, he brought with him a serious ethic ( i was in a inner city school 85% of one race,) but his second in command i i admired,, a USMC retired Drill Sargent, i watched the punks and gang members try and play with him and make threats, he would just get this little smirk hold his cool and work his reality training 101 on their drug fried or unused brains, he gave them the rope to hang themselves by their actions and one by one both him and the principal put them into a alternative school, which was also run by a veteran i believe too, they either shaped up settled down or quit school, alternative was run like a boot camp, The new administration led that school to become a medical magnet school and one of the best in the system from one of the worse. maybe we need to insist equal hiring or insist on a school run by military only to show what we can do., todays kids are soft, hence why snowflakes melt at first conflict,
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CPT Jack Durish
SGT Joseph Gunderson - It's funny how I'm drawn back to a discussion, as when someone stumbles on it months later and votes. Then I notice a comment that interests me, such as yours. The fight to retake our schools and colleges will not be fought in classrooms and on campuses. It will be fought in the governing bodies, school boards and university regents set policy. First we'll have to attack the educational complex that has grown like a cancer in the District of Calamity. The US Dept of Education must be dismantled. Those agencies that provide government backed student loans and scholarships must likewise be trashed. Remember the Golden Rule? He who has the gold makes the rules. Then, We the People must replace the progressives at the local levels. Only then can the battles be won.
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SGT Joseph Gunderson
CPT Jack Durish - I don't necessarily disagree with you but I do believe that there must be a growth in the amount of of people in the professoriate - something like a 'critical mass' - that will start the change. If the entire faculty is against the board or the regents it will be a hard battle to change anything; get just enough in there that are wishing for the change and it will tip it just the right amount.
I agree wholeheartedly with your opinion of the Dept of Education. Too many idiots getting paid too much money to do nothing of real value. Education should be taken up by the states (at most) and the government as a whole should be as far removed as possible.
I agree wholeheartedly with your opinion of the Dept of Education. Too many idiots getting paid too much money to do nothing of real value. Education should be taken up by the states (at most) and the government as a whole should be as far removed as possible.
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SSG Norbert Johnson
I am an NCO. I was a Teacher as well as College Lecturer, Researcher in Reading and Language Development, and what I learned in the Field (practical experience) was that TEACHING in Public Schools has been relegated to the controls of politics and social engineering specialists and Socialists agenda has been pushed throughout the process to DUMB DOWN rather than RAISE UP the intellectual capacities of the students. Henceforth, the indoctrination of our youth to what the Government wants for the purpose of social control. Well that is a no brainier.. Our youth is out of control socially, morally, ethically and the system is what bankrupted the process of education.
I had an education too and according to the new standards is not only archaic but expired within 5 years of completion. Enter the concept of life long learning... and I ask WHY? If you taught the Student to LEARN TO LEARN rather than recite what I tell you and to study for multiple choice exams, where is the learning process in studying for an exam??? If you had learned the subject, there would be no need to study as it would be second nature. I never studied for an exam. I also never read a book from the 8th grade until I graduated with my first Bachelors degree.I researched everything they were allegedly teaching me and from multiple sources. Note research is not a traditional form of reading. On more than 50 occasions the Teacher was upset with my answers because they did not conform to the book I was supposed to read, but did conform to fact. Therefore I was bumping on the bottom until my Graduation from High School where I made the grade at 83 out of 84 graduates in my class. Then came the Army... the only thing the School Counselor could recommend for me due to my "Grades" and lack of intellectual capacity.
After my first tour in the Army, I learned self discipline and self reliance, and entered college without requirement to take the SAT/ ACT simply because my AFQT was 97 and my lowest standard score was 120 for my Army entry exam. Forgot... The VA funded my first 2 years so the College was really interested in that I could pay for the education. Now back to the subject area...
NCOs and Officers who want to become teachers will find it difficult to fit in a role that is governed by Social Engineers and people with political agendas desiring to rewrite history to suit their personal agenda regardless if it is fact-less. Their focus being a Fantasy world of what could be fails to provide the understanding of what is. Therefore I will close with being a teacher and an NCO or Officer in the Public Educational System is a waste of good teachers. However in the private sector, they would excel and truly be an asset to the educational process as well as the student. Example of point.. Today's College students for the most part see Abraham Lincoln as the one who free'd the slaves. And the 13th Amendment states this. They were not informed that there was an exception in the 13th Amendment that allowed for Slavery and involuntary servitude to continue to exist and that was under the guise of punishment for a crime.. where as if you commit a crime, it is your ticket to voluntary servitude and slavery! Many College students I have talked to believe that the Democrats are the ones to free the slaves (I live across the street from a Major Public College and sample the intellect pool daily). So I say Teach them how to Learn so they can do it by themselves and not rely on indoctrination rather than education.
I had an education too and according to the new standards is not only archaic but expired within 5 years of completion. Enter the concept of life long learning... and I ask WHY? If you taught the Student to LEARN TO LEARN rather than recite what I tell you and to study for multiple choice exams, where is the learning process in studying for an exam??? If you had learned the subject, there would be no need to study as it would be second nature. I never studied for an exam. I also never read a book from the 8th grade until I graduated with my first Bachelors degree.I researched everything they were allegedly teaching me and from multiple sources. Note research is not a traditional form of reading. On more than 50 occasions the Teacher was upset with my answers because they did not conform to the book I was supposed to read, but did conform to fact. Therefore I was bumping on the bottom until my Graduation from High School where I made the grade at 83 out of 84 graduates in my class. Then came the Army... the only thing the School Counselor could recommend for me due to my "Grades" and lack of intellectual capacity.
After my first tour in the Army, I learned self discipline and self reliance, and entered college without requirement to take the SAT/ ACT simply because my AFQT was 97 and my lowest standard score was 120 for my Army entry exam. Forgot... The VA funded my first 2 years so the College was really interested in that I could pay for the education. Now back to the subject area...
NCOs and Officers who want to become teachers will find it difficult to fit in a role that is governed by Social Engineers and people with political agendas desiring to rewrite history to suit their personal agenda regardless if it is fact-less. Their focus being a Fantasy world of what could be fails to provide the understanding of what is. Therefore I will close with being a teacher and an NCO or Officer in the Public Educational System is a waste of good teachers. However in the private sector, they would excel and truly be an asset to the educational process as well as the student. Example of point.. Today's College students for the most part see Abraham Lincoln as the one who free'd the slaves. And the 13th Amendment states this. They were not informed that there was an exception in the 13th Amendment that allowed for Slavery and involuntary servitude to continue to exist and that was under the guise of punishment for a crime.. where as if you commit a crime, it is your ticket to voluntary servitude and slavery! Many College students I have talked to believe that the Democrats are the ones to free the slaves (I live across the street from a Major Public College and sample the intellect pool daily). So I say Teach them how to Learn so they can do it by themselves and not rely on indoctrination rather than education.
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