Lean Production: Inside the war on public education

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46. The number 200 was arbitrarily chosen.

If I were conducting an experiment; that is where I would start. Perhaps your experience (as well as the experience of the other persons commenting on this) would recommend a smaller number if such a project were to be undertaken. The goal should be to determine the maximum size without inhibiting learning. We have college students sit in labs and lecture halls that large all the time. It is merely my suggestion for one way to reduce class sizes (a normal response when people complain about a problem is to try and solve that problem).

If you have a large number of students that can work self paced, obviously the students that were not involved in that program could have a higher ratio of teachers per students. Assuming a fixed number of teachers and students.

There is nothing 'laughable' or 'comical' about trying something that other people don't believe will work. There are people who thrive on those kinds of challenges.

Perhaps my brothers friend would have been worse; that's why I've said (several times now) that a database (or observation) could be used to track those individuals in need of a more restrictive environment. I don't doubt that you are a genius if you achieved a high score on an IQ test. My wife is very good at tests also and actually had a difficult time in school because frequently she was learning beyond where they were teaching. Perhaps that's why I conclude that my brothers friend was having trouble. I'm not a genius, have never tested well and can only guess at what kind of problems would arise if I were overly intelligent.

You are correct about my not having spent a lot of time in the classroom. However, if you read my other posts on this thread; you will see that I have been in classrooms - in front of classes in the last few years and I am confident in the abilities of children that age.

You are also correct in your assertion that my children are not 'all children'. I am basing my negative opinions of the school system's performance on a variety of experiences.

First of all I have 3 autistic children (and a 24 year old typically developing son), my youngest is 18; severely autistic, self-injurious, and non-verbal. She should be in school now, but they can't manage her at school so I have to stay at home with her.

The school has people trained in speech, health, special education, and occupational therapy. Yet, they can't handle her so either my wife (an attorney) or I (an engineer) have to stay at home with her. So, while I believe it is possible that you are a genius, it's also possible that the group that I deal with are morons. They aren't morons; they're actually trying pretty hard, but they aren't equipped to deal with this situation.

The problem that I 'pretend' to know about is demonstrated by your response.

Educators complain about teacher to student ratio and an outsider makes a recommendation; the educators circle the wagons and call the suggestion: comical, laughable, idiotic etc.

An outsider points out that they saw a video where a different approach was taken; the educators circle the wagons and talk about how 'bad' that program is compared to their own.

Here's the problem as I see it. Everything you say about your local education program could be true (and probably is). That doesn't prevent my local program from being awful. There isn't a higher authority with teeth to keep local educators from being lousy teachers.

When you compare that to the industry that I work in (when I'm not having to stay at home with my daughter). There is the DOT, there is the AHTD, and there is typically a city engineer, a county engineer and all manner of other engineers that make certain that when you design a road, a bridge, a sewer line etc; it will meet safety standards. We aren't allowed to design city streets without the city engineer approving it. Also, if people show up at a city council meeting with a complaint (even if all other requirements have been met): if there are enough folks complaining, or even one individual with a legitimate stake; they can shut a huge project down.

Now, I can't get a free and appropriate public education for my daughter. Tell me what government agency can I take my case to? Sure, we can take it through the court system and win (remember my wife is an attorney and has extensive knowledge of special education law). There aren't any winners in that situation IMHO. We might get a settlement or cost the school district in some other way, but we just want to be able to send her to school until the law says we are allowed to. There is no existing administrative entity to appeal to if educators are in violation of special education law.

Another issue that I have with educators is the education that they receive. When I started college; I started with a guy that I was going through Officer Candidate School (in the national guard) with. He went one semester and found the engineering workload to be too much; so he switched to education and is now a successful middle school teacher.

There is no doubt in my mind that there are dedicated educators and I expect that you are one of them. Unfortunately, there is a failure progression for starting engineering students: engineering, construction science, business and finally education. While it isn't educator's fault that the program isn't as difficult as other curriculums on campus; the fact is that it is not as difficult. So, as a result, there are a lot of under-achievers standing in front of our children who believe that they have an education comparable to higher paid professionals, and that is not the case.

While I don't claim to be more intelligent than the educators that I deal with; I know that my wife and I have both endured a more rigorous education program and yet, we've gotten the same basic 'educator-speak' from every education group that we've come across in 3 states and elementary, middle and high school. Despite all the bluster what we end up with is an inability to do their job.

That's my experience.