I want to be Sec. of Education - how to contact Obama???

[JFSinIL]

I mean, why not? I have or have had kids in homeschool, private school, special ed with developmental preschool, inclusion, then public placement in private school, regular ed with regular classes/honors/AP/gifted programs. Myself have gone to private school, public school, community college, state U., private college, state university system, and "Midwest Ivy" non-public University.

 

What more does the man need?

 

I might add - if selected, am willing to move to Washington AND have a 15-yr-old dd who can babysit. Her rates are reasonable. So the Obamas can go to a State dinner w/o any worries.

Edited November 23, 2008 by JFSinILnewme

[Remudamom]

Nah, that's not enough. You're going to need some sort of minority something or other to get you in there. Shall I list possibilities?

[cathmom]

sounds good to me!

[Jumping In Puddles]

:lol:

 

Well... you could start here. ;)

[Perry]

I'd vote for you.

 

If you don't get the job, I'd like to see it go to E.D. Hirsch or Diane Ravitch. But I think Linda Darling Hammond will get it.

:scared::thumbdown:

 

Actually, if you have something to say, here is your chance.

[Jumping In Puddles]

I'd vote for you.

 

If you don't get the job, I'd like to see it go to E.D. Hirsch or Diane Ravitch. But I think Linda Darling Hammond will get it.

:scared::thumbdown:

 

Actually, if you have something to say, here is your chance.

 

Oh my gosh, E.D. Hirsch would be great. I don't know anything about Linda Darling Hammond. I hope she is good.

[Perry]

Oh my gosh, E.D. Hirsch would be great. I don't know anything about Linda Darling Hammond. I hope she is good.

 

She's not. Her solution to everything is more money. She is about as opposite to E.D. Hirsch as you can get.

[mcconnellboys]

Yeah, I vote for Hirsch, too! But I'm not sure he'd be able to handle such a job at this point. I think he's pretty frail, unless I have him mistaken with someone else....

[Jumping In Puddles]

She's not. Her solution to everything is more money. She is about as opposite to E.D. Hirsch as you can get.

 

:banghead: (from a huge Obama supporter and Hirsch fan!)

 

 

Yeah, I vote for Hirsch, too! But I'm not sure he'd be able to handle such a job at this point. I think he's pretty frail, unless I have him mistaken with someone else....

 

I know he is very old but I don't know his condition.

[Perry]

:banghead: (from a huge Obama supporter and Hirsch fan!)

 

Yep. I'm a pretty liberal democrat, but more money isn't the answer.

[Tracey in TX]

:hurray::hurray::hurray:

I like your enthusiasm!

 

The solution is not more money. That's evident in the number of homeschooled children who excel without thousands of dollars spent annually.

[nmoira]

:hurray::hurray::hurray:

I like your enthusiasm!

 

The solution is not more money. That's evident in the number of homeschooled children who excel without thousands of dollars spent annually.

I'm not saying that more money is necessarily the answer, but don't forget when you're doing the cost/benefit of homeschooling that you should generally make some allowance (when appropriate) for the lost wages (and potential Social Security benefits) of the parent who does the bulk of the schooling. I don't think I can speak more to what I think is wrong with the current model of Federal involvement with education without violating the politics ban.

 

Keep in mind too that there are a lot of private schools which charge twice and more the allotment for the average public school student. By and large, these schools do not accepts ESL students or students with special needs. The going rate for private elementary schools in our area is $10-15 thousand per academic year.

[elizabeth]

Please read the sticky regarding the wishes of our host in regard to this query.

[nmoira]

Please read the sticky regarding the wishes of our host in regard to this query.

I don't think the OP meant it in a partisan political context. I thought that was OK? :001_huh:

 

Edited to add:

It saddens me that a single rude, politically charged post could ruin a discussion for everyone else. Is it really that hard to resist?

Edited November 23, 2008 by nmoira

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Nah, that's not enough. You're going to need some sort of minority something or other to get you in there. Shall I list possibilities?

 

:confused:

 

 

:blink:

 

You might want to clarify this one. Because I'm seriously hoping I'm misunderstanding you here.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

I mean, why not? I have or have had kids in homeschool, private school, special ed with developmental preschool, inclusion, then public placement in private school, regular ed with regular classes/honors/AP/gifted programs. Myself have gone to private school, public school, community college, state U., private college, state university system, and "Midwest Ivy" non-public University.

 

What more does the man need?

 

Indeed. I hereby nominate you.

[Wendi]

There is a homeschooling mom here in our area who was running for county school superintendent. For some reason, though, she seems to have dropped out of that race and entered the race for county assessor instead.

 

I found the idea of a homeschooler being school superintendent pretty interesting!:D

 

Wendi

[Peek a Boo]

when you're doing the cost/benefit of homeschooling that you should generally make some allowance (when appropriate) for the lost wages (and potential Social Security benefits) of the parent who does the bulk of the schooling.

--------

Keep in mind too that there are a lot of private schools which charge twice and more the allotment for the average public school student. By and large, these schools do not accepts ESL students or students with special needs. The going rate for private elementary schools in our area is $10-15 thousand per academic year.

 

there are quite a few of us who believe social security benefits to be an oxymoron ;) besides, many of those other 'losses' are typically more than made up for by things parents do around the house to cut costs: cooking from scratch, less driving, casual clothes, etc.

 

most 'general' private schools in our area tend to match the per pupil rate of the public schools, on average anyway. There's always a few of the 'elite' ones that charge a fortune and have a waiting list.

[Peek a Boo]

oh --and JFS: sure!

 

go ahead and apply!

 

I would, but i think he'd find me too clingy ;)

[Alenee]

oh --and JFS: sure!

 

go ahead and apply!

 

I would, but i think he'd find me too clingy ;)

 

:lol::lol:

[SonshineLearner]

Isn't Oregon at $11,000 per student? This doesn't count the bonds that we pay for new buildings and such..... And, while Portland Schools are charging more....There are small schools that charge under $4000. a year and do a great job. There are poor countries with children learning three languages at a time (at an elementary level) that as far as actual education could beat the sox off our kids here. And, they're writing on slates with chalk....The money isn't the problem!

[nmoira]

Isn't Oregon at $11,000 per student?

Only if you actually look up the numbers. :D I must have a mental block about this, because I was reading something about it only last week. The number which gets stuck in my head is the approximately $5400 the district gets per enrolled student (and loses if the student leaves the system).

 

This doesn't count the bonds that we pay for new buildings and such..... And, while Portland Schools are charging more....There are small schools that charge under $4000. a year and do a great job.

I know of one small private school in Portland with tuition in that range, but it relies heavily on parent volunteers. I don't mean to say that this reliance is a bad thing, but the extent of the parental involvement makes comparison of costs to public schools difficult. Do the schools you're talking about take special needs or ESL children?

 

There are poor countries with children learning three languages at a time (at an elementary level) that as far as actual education could beat the sox off our kids here. And, they're writing on slates with chalk....The money isn't the problem!

Would you please provide some links?

 

My intent is not to defend the job public schools are doing; IMHO most students are underserved by public schools. I have my thoughts about where public education in the US is going to end up, but it's not something I can discuss without violating the political ban.

[Kate in Arabia]

I haven't done a comparative study of school systems, but the main differences I've noticed among the countries with which I've had experience is from the side of the students -- more student/parent motivation, less opportunities so more competitiveness for the fewer slots, etc. Those who "had more" (in wealth and/or in opportunities) seemed less driven to succeed academically.

 

Completely my own impressions, not any kind of scientific study, so no links.

[Mama Bear]

I'd be happy to participate in some sort of petitioning or letter-writing process. I think having someone with your variety of experience would be flat-out awesome. :D

 

Maybe some of us could start with op-ed type pieces at the local level? "JFS for Secretary of Ed."

 

Woot!!

[G5052]

I worked in DC for an un-named government agency before children, and frankly I felt sorry for the government appointees. They always came in with huge aspirations and no clue about the existing programs and what it really took to get things done. Their first act was almost always a massive reorganization, and then they got to try to pull things together again. If they got called before Congress in their first few months on the job, everything went into overdrive trying to get them briefed and up to speed so that they didn't look totally out of it. Some of them gave up after a year and went back to what they were doing before the President gave them the "favor" of an appointment.

[Cricket]

Surely there is someone on here who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone? :lol: Didn't we play that game a long time ago?

[Peek a Boo]

I know of one small private school in Portland with tuition in that range, but it relies heavily on parent volunteers. I don't mean to say that this reliance is a bad thing, but the extent of the parental involvement makes comparison of costs to public schools difficult. .

 

 

i dunno... the public schools usually have very active PTA programs.

Parental involvement is actually one area that I've heard most public school teachers say is a huge factor in what's lacking in the public schools.

 

My intent is not to defend the job public schools are doing; IMHO most students are underserved by public schools. I have my thoughts about where public education in the US is going to end up, but it's not something I can discuss without violating the political ban.

 

...and i think this underserved aspect needs to be taken into account when looking at the cost factor too.

 

swb has mentioned that discussing issues is ok as long as we don't get into the partisanship of those issues. I think discussing how we'd LIKE to see education handled while refraining from mentioning ANY partisan names [or how horribly/wonderfully a particular person/organization/party is handling the issue at a gvt level] would be ok.....;)

[Peek a Boo]

Surely there is someone on here who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone? :lol: Didn't we play that game a long time ago?

 

 

my sil is on the staff of a senator in DC :)

[nmoira]

I found this article but it demonstrates how difficult it is to get a real number. In other places I have seen figures from $8,000 to $12,000. I am amazed that it is such a difficult number to pin down.

Thanks for the link.

 

I extensively looked into the cost of private school in Oregon and outside of a few very exclusive schools, mostly in the Portland area, private schools average in the mid $4000's per year not including books and fees.

I've only looked in Portland; any interest I have now is solely out of curiosity, as we are committed homeschoolers. :D I'm curious what the schools you're talking about look like as far as number of students, sacred or secular, staff to student ratio, etc. I would greatly appreciate if you would PM me some links to a couple schools you consider to be representative. I love looking at that stuff.

 

Ironically it costs less to pay for private education than it does to pay for daycare in Oregon.

Isn't that insane? Cream of the crop daycares in Portland run $13,000 per year. Friends of mine got their son into one, but could only afford it because one of their employers provides $400 per month to help with childcare costs.

[Haiku]

I have seen schools in Third World countries that would be considered worse that appalling here that are the pride of the town where they are. My personal opinion about why kids in America don't care about going to school/getting an education while kids in developing/Third World countries do is this:

 

In these third world countries, the kids are taught the absolute basics (reading and elementary math, maybe a bit of science and geography, usually a second language) and graduate at age 12-15. They have to take what they have learned and make it their own in a way that helps them support themselves. They have to use their basic education to learn what they are interested in. Here in America, we tell our kids that if they learn x, y, and z, they are "educated" and a good job will be forthcoming. We come at it backward, imo. Other countries tell kids that they have to use their education to get a job. Here we tell kids that an education will bring them a job. We overstuff them with things that won't, in the long run, be useful to them and keep them in school far too long.

 

My personal opinion is that American kids should go to school through 8th grade and then graduate. We should teach them to read, write, and do math, and then it should be their responsibility to take those skills and apply them to what actually interests them, not be forced to sit in a classroom "learning" about things they don't care about. If you don't care, you don't learn.

 

Tara

[Peek a Boo]

Ironically it costs less to pay for private education than it does to pay for daycare in Oregon.

 

i don't think it's ironic -- working w/older kids is usually easier than working w/ children who are more likely to get sick or injure themselves more easily. ;)

 

usually. :D

[Peek a Boo]

I always find these things so interesting.

 

Here are a few links. The first ones are classical because that is what I was looking for originally. I just goggled for them. [/url]

 

and they're all christian, so they likely have the financial support of a church, unlike a secular option. but then again, public schools have the financial support of the entire populace ;)

 

a friend and i have been tossing around the idea of opening up a small secular cottage school, but i don't see myself committing to that for at least a few years.....

[Peek a Boo]

I find the irony in that you are not simply (as if watching kids is simple :lol: ) caring for the children but a school is suppose to educate those children as well. Also teachers generally need a higher level of education than your typical day care worker.

 

well, I still think it's easier to educate an older child than constantly watch a younger one, but i also don't think the degrees are a necessary part of educating an older child [as they aren't necessary for watching a younger one either].

 

I do think it's ironic that the one entity w/ a legal compelling interest in educating its citizens -- the state-- closes so many doors and puts up so many barriers to real education, both for students and for teachers.

[nmoira]

I always find these things so interesting.

 

Here are a few links. The first ones are classical because that is what I was looking for originally. I just goggled for them.

one

two

three

four

five

Thanks, I'll check them out. :001_smile:

[Jumping In Puddles]

Sorry JFS in IL but the job was given to someone else. :p

 

Arne Duncan from Chicago. Anyone know anything about him?

[Perry]

I don't know much about him, but here are some articles.

 

At least it's not Linda Darling-Hammond.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Perry
forgot the link