"'"What is there about the educational system in the East that you find
so enticing? Could it be that the students get 'tracked' into a
university or vocational track early on? Would this concept cause
parents to be interested in the educational process? "'"

What impressed me the most was at the universities I visited in some Asian
countries their ability to control the student and obtain respect. Students
there enjoyed going to school all year round, only had October off so there
was much more time spent in the learning environment for the student.
Students were required dress codes or uniforms, and that learning
environment was under the control of the teacher or professor. No first name
basis as with professor/student relationships here, always addressed with
respect.
Your very right about the "dumbing down" the programs here. There they are
forced to learn, if they do not pass their required measurement tests, they
will repeat.
I had a student I helped and was looking over their report card, I had to
mention the number of B or C+ they had. The student laughed at me and stated
that over there they are not given their A's like they are over here. Every
international student I know over here is doing circles around our domestic
student.
Not just the difference in the student is what I admire about their
education system, it is also the difference in the educator's attitude or
mission. There it is more focus on the student. Here the educator is more
focused on themselves today. It is all about the teacher. Especially at the
high school or middle school levels. Its all about money, less work time,
less class time, less activity time and this all harms the student. In
Ontario for example, they have a big crunch of financials trickling
downwards towards everyone and including the teachers, how the school
systems "re-engineered" was to keep their remunerations the same if not add
more, reduce their hours, took away money for new books and trips and after
hour sports. Now the schools are forcing the students to go door to door
after school to sell chocolate bars to raise money. The money these kids
earn selling chocolate bars goes to fund the teachers, not new books and not
trips like they used to.
An entire different focus, there in the East, the focus is genuinely geared
towards the student and the students success, here it is the job of the
teachers that is the focus and the students are going backwards and it is
embarrassing globally. Of course the students there wish to come here to
finish grad degrees because they believe it may lead to a job here in the
west, which would mean better money, but they all laugh and say that the
grad degree here is a joke. Not to mention the difference in costs.










"John H" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Feb 2004 17:37:06 -0500, " Tuuk"
wrote:

No,, my comments are in regards to the unionized teachers in the west who
every single year strike right before exam time and have ruined so many
students education because of their own greed. Teachers here in the west
are
similar to labor unions. So uncompetitive and selfish and failures.
I see it at the university levels. Domestic students are entering the
universities without being able to read or write properly. They have no
learning skills and are forcing the university system to reduce the load
as
to not embarrass the students and universities with the low scores.
The international student who wishes to study in the west simply does
circles around our domestic students. Circles. Many universities now have
to
separate the two students as they are at different levels. I am
constantly
asked to advise students and I say the same thing,,,, finish your degrees
over there. Their education system over there in the East for example is
unbelievably better than ours. The tuition fees are what one of our text
books costs for a term and their text books are about 2 dollars Canadian.
Now,, before you say something stupid. Their text books are written by
the
same publishers as here, yet our university students will pay around 125
U.S. for the exact same text book, from same publisher, looks identical
yet
they will pay about 1.50 U.S. for it. Only difference is the language it
is
written in.
Now, the teachers there are real, they are respected by the students, no
first name basis, no cell phones ringing in class, homework must be done
and
they are not simply given A+ for attendance as they do in the west.

So, the teachers are similar here in the west to the lazy slob union
workers, same mentality and when the teachers cry,,, the students
suffer,,,
forcing the west even further to an uncompetitive position globally.
Teachers in the west make around 50,000 per year, they have summers off,
they have all holidays off, and they work from say 9am to 3pm. Many
spares
during the day also. Don't give me any of your **** like '"marking tests
in
the evening"' give your stupid heads a shake for that one,,, or "" hours
of
preparation time""' ya for smoking or drugs,,, or ""coaching a football
team''"

No,, teachers here in the west have systematically ruined the future for
us
here in the west. We now have to rely on immigration for long term
survival.
Just look at Canada's immigration policy for proof. Canada aims to get
500,000 immigrants every year. Canada needs this. Canada needs imputs of
knowledge, skills, technology,, and especially taxpayers. Last year
Canada
only received 247,000 immigrants and this is a concern.
So at the governmental level, there is a recognition of ignorant labor
here
already, unions and teachers have an effect that is visible so we are
counting on immigration to save our asses. Thanks to all you union
dummies.

Whew! What a rant. You seem to be strictly in a 'blame teacher' mode,
so I'm not about to address your whole post.

Teaching is *not* a 9 to 3 job.

Yes, many domestic students are entering universities without the
required abilities. Why? Why do the universities allow their entry? By
accepting students at the bottom of the heap, the universities must
either ensure the failure of the students or 'dumb down' the courses
so the students pass. Why accept the students in the first place?
Doing so simply removes any incentive for student effort in high
school.

What is there about the educational system in the East that you find
so enticing? Could it be that the students get 'tracked' into a
university or vocational track early on? Would this concept cause
parents to be interested in the educational process?

That's enough for now.

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!