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Re: [SLUG] operating systems and schools
As a teacher who was trained as an educator not as a unix guru (but who is
doing his best to learn more about Linux- have set up one as the web server
at school here in Bathurst) I have never posted to slug previously (thought
about it though when people tried to claim the least amount of knowledge).
Having watched this debate with interest I feel compelled to reply to the
drivel below
The SMH (August) ran sample Q&A
> for the HSC IT exam prepared by the senior marker and 2 of the solutions
> were incorrect (The blind leading the blind). No wonder so many university
> students fail programming 1 at Uni level.
Maybe a senior marker did make a mistake but:
1) Up until this year (2000) there has not been an IT course as such.
2) The Computing Studies course had no programming as part of the course.
If so many uni students fail programming why blame the poor old teacher. The
fault either lies with the unis or with the students which is the point that
Terry was talking about.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Terry Collins <terryc@nospam.woa.com.au>
> To: SLUG Mailing List <slug@nospam.slug.org.au>
> Cc: Jon Biddell <jon@nospam.fl.net.au>; Dean Hamstead
<zort@nospam.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 10:18 PM
> Subject: Re: [SLUG] operating systems and schools
>
>
> > Jon Biddell wrote:
> >
> > > >its just insane, no one can tell me that a base install of your
glossy
> > > >linux distros are hard to use. Whats wrong with teaching c? or how
> > > >abotu using glade? (i think thats he right one)
> > > >spend a bit more money on a few good unix teachers, and still make a
> > > >saving, whilst teaching established standards
> > >
> > > My point exactly (and DON'T get me started on striking teachers -
that's
> > > what I feel like doing to some of them !!)...
> > >
> >
> > Hmm, so once again, teachers get blamed for the effects of changes
> > made by interferring parents and politicians. We now have a system
> > where you have to "look good", so is it any wonder that teachers teach
> > for the imposed external tests, rather than teaching standards.
> > "Teaching standards"? Did you know that there are not any now. There
> > are no curriculum defined the NSW dept. Each school is supposed to
> > develop their own.
> >
> > Where else do you have to buy from your employer a book that tells you
> > what you are supposed to be doing? The Dept no longer actually prints
> > and distributes enough subject information booklets for all teachers
> > who need them. Rather, it gets as many printed as the amount of
> > commercial sponsorship allows.
> >
> > Sorry, folks, but two things happened in this household. My wife, a
> > teacher, is no longer allowed to work more hours in the year than the
> > equivalent of a 40 hour per week job. So now she stops work of an
> > evening at 9pm instead of the 11pm+ that she previously did.
> >
> > Second was I saw the cost of the stationery that the dept fails to
> > provide for her to do the reports they require and to do work in the
> > classroom. It gets claimed off tax, but it is still a large deduction
> > from her pay packet. I've stopped helping with anything to do with the
> > school.
> >
> > As I continually remind my wife "You can not save children from their
> > parents" Not just the ones that spend their money on drugs (tobacco,
> > alchohol and the illegals), or abuse their children in various ways,
> > or buy them junk food, toys, nintendo, tun on the Tv at 5am and
> > totally ignore their children, but also the ones who totally expect
> > the schools to educate their child in every way. It is a miracle any
> > child learns anything at school with all the special programs they
> > have to run to make up for parents who really don't give a toss about
> > taking responsibility.
> >
> > How much money did you spend on toys as presents for kids last year?
> > How much did you spend on books as presents for kids last year?
> > Every child that my wife has had to do special intervention reading
> > course with has come from a home where there are NO books. Even
> > suppossedly good homes are almost book free zones.
> >
> > Put your own house in order and accept responsibility for educating
> > your children, nieces and nephews and other kids before you start
> > blaming teachers, who are being asked to do more and more for less and
> > less.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Terry Collins {:-)}}} Ph(02) 4627 2186 Fax(02) 4628 7861
> > email: terryc@nospam.woa.com.au www: http://www.woa.com.au
> > WOA Computer Services <lan/wan, linux/unix, novell>
> > snail: PO Box 1047, Campbelltown, NSW 2560.
> >
> > "People without trees are like fish without clean water"
> > --
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