What's wrong in America education....

I once as very concerned about education, having started being bored with school about my sophomore year, having decided I wasn't going to get into West Point or Annapolis -- I was looking to drop out and get into the military and get on with my life. It didn't happen, I found Metallurgy and work and a beat up old Harley-Davidson flat head (as old as I was), I would like you to believe that I found a wonderful girl friend (which I did, but she grew from Betty to Elizabeth and I would be stuck being just Earl). I graduated high school with high test scores and modest grades, went to college but focused on all the wrong stuff and decided to go into the Army, doing what I thought was important.

Education doesn't stop when you get into the military, schools and training are almost constant. I read a lot of Jesse Jackson on education in the Stars and Stripes, he wrote well about education how it should be, and then sent his children to private schools. I didn't know that then, and it doesn't matter, what he was writing was true enough for me. Recently, President Obama, has decided to send lots of money to improving schools -- I do hope it goes to the right places, the correct folks get to run the schools well, that the students get a quality education and preparation for adulthood. Really I do, but I don't think it will happen.

In America, by law our children can't drink until they reach maturity - but the whole system seems to be keeping them children as long as possible. They start having sexual experiences younger than I ever did, but are not held responsible for the life they create - Sex education isn't really about becoming a parent, it is about how not to judge others and not to get STD, how to have SAFE SEX. There are fourteen year old girls that could become fine mothers and wives, there are fourteen year old boys that are ready to become fathers and providers. Age has little to do with it. They will all be better by having a good moral foundation, complete eighth grade education and solid family relations and values - and the opportunity to contribute to the community as they continue to grow up getting a high school and maybe college education. For sure they need to work outside their age groups with older people.

All I know about education is that there must be an objective to learn, a presentation and practical demonstration, practical experience and then evaluation of learning (for the students and the instructors). Like playing a sport, you start to play up to the level of your toughest opponent - only by having skilled opponents, if it is too easy you don't really engage all your ability in the competition. The same holds true for education, make it challenging, interesting and difficult but not impossible. Give the students little victories, and smaller defeats along the way, they don't need scars and hospitalization, but they do need to sweat and work all their capabilities. They never need to be taught the test, don't need the stomping foot for facts found on the test, they need to learn enough that if they have to invent a way to get the answer on the test they can. Real life is like that, they may have to invent their way to success. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs come to my mind immediately.

I got all wound up this morning from watching the TODAY show on ABC after morning gruel. They had General and Mrs Powell talking about education, and both said the same thing (differently) adults engaging children and students will make a big difference in the student's education and life. Their message - get out there and interact with our youth and help them grow up well. Of course there was a website to link to, so you could get on board with the efforts. Grad Nation is the current program of the government, I use the Revolutionary War Veterans Association and the National Rifle Association for programs that I can help young people along, and church just a bit, too.

But if you are like most, sitting at the new laptop just writing for the few, what effect does it have on the many? Education by television isn't a good thing - they shoot way too many people on television and do it so badly. The sex is bordering on stupid or silly, the Love is artificial and everyone should win at the local Casino for smiles and use pills to cure ills and aches. Not a very real reflection of life on Earth.

What is wrong with education in America? We think it belongs to the professionals, that more money will make it all better, we don't face the fact that education is a constant effort of a being to survive and if you live in the gang infested drug areas, you will learn the lessons there too well. If you live in a world where drugs are entertainment and nothing to fear - you can lose the battle for survival. That is why they call it dope...

I have confidence that education will be great for many of our youth, Home Schooling is still growing and out performing the public education system, private schools seem to do well, but most of all when concerned adults challenge youth to better performance the youth often exceed the expectations. Become a concerned adult and get to challenging our future... it doesn't have to be dark anywhere except in Hollywood Horrors.