Educate the uneducated?

[Heatwave]

Someone please tell me I'm wrong (never thought I'd be saying that), although I think I've got most of the info correct.  On the local news (Halifax), the students and parents are in an uproar.  They want to bring back the Absentee Incentive????  If you're in the same position as myself, you're wondering what the bleep is that?

Allow me to explain...I may not have every detail exact, but I know I've got most of it correct (although I'm still shaking my head).  Because the student absentee rate was so high at the local High Schools, an incentive was initiated.  This incentive permitted the student to skip an exam of their choice, as long as their attendance records indicated they were there for a certain percentage of the year.  Yes, you heard that right...skip an exam...of their choice. 

Now, the students and parents are in an uproar because this incentive was taken away, and they want it back.  The school board may re-instill it, with the stipulation that it can't be an exam for an â Å“important subject, like math or Englishâ ? (their words, not mine). 

My question is, â Å“Since when did students require an extra incentive to attend school?â ?  Are they so uneducated that they don't realize they require an education? (Aahhh, sweet irony).  I thought that the concept of failing and not completing your education was incentive enough.  That, and my father's size nine boot up my a**  (sure, it was a small foot, but he was the regional shotput and discus champ, so there was a lot of leg attached to that small foot â “ but discipline style nowadays would be a whole different thread).  Not to mention, I've attended many classes in which I wasn't really there :boring:  "Attending" does not mean learning or participating.

Again, someone please tell me I'm wrong on this, and have some proof.  Have I been out of the loop for that long?  Is this something that's been going on for a long time?...across Canada?  Granted, I don't have any children, but am I being old fashioned in thinking this is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard of.  Yes, I too was a student that screwed around at times (and kick myself now), but even then I knew the value of an education.  As well, when did subjects other than math or English lose importance?  I'm not questioning the value of those subjects, but more so the terminology the Educational Institute Representative chose to use.  Do I have a right to be sickened with this? 

Chimo!

 

[Guardian]

Skipping exams because of attendance? You mean that a kid could sit in class picking his nose or rolling marijuana into joints, not do any work, and then be allowed to skip the exam if he was in that classroom converting oxygen to carbojn dioxide for 60% of the time (or whatever the standard is?) That's disgusting.

The "incentive" for attendance should be the education these children are getting, as you said.

As soldeirs, we are paid by the taxpayers to go to work and do our jobs. Well, we as taxpayers are footing the bill for education, right? It should be treated with the respect it deserves. Why on earth are PARENTS complaining? Don't they care about their kids' education?

Of course, as we are now in an age when performance doesn't matter, where "effort" is often more important than actual performance when determining marks, when kids aren't encouraged to take responsibility for their actions, and when teachers resist standardized testing across the board that would allow us to determine how well our kids are being taught - this is just a natural next step.

 

[Heatwave]

You mean that a kid could sit in class picking his nose or rolling marijuana into joints, not do any work, and then be allowed to skip the exam if he was in that classroom converting oxygen to carbojn dioxide for 60% of the time (or whatever the standard is?) That's disgusting.

Sad, but you hit the nail on the head.

Well, we as taxpayers are footing the bill for education, right?

Thank you, as this is another point that I forgot during my rant.  My brother is a teacher in the Ottawa area and last year he told me that he was having a problem with some students (nothing unusual there).  He said that their most common argument was that, "We're not getting paid to do this, so we shouldn't have to be here."  I, in turn, told him that they were in fact getting paid, and they were on my payroll!  I feel that, especially having no children, the fact that I'm paying for their education through my taxes (and I receive an annual tax assessment that proves it - as do all homeowners), makes them employees of myself.  So, they are indeed getting paid!

I'll look forward to hearing replies from some people that are familiar with this Attendance Incentive Program (apparently, they aren't in school).

Chimo!

 

[armyrules]

Incentive to go to class ??? That is the most stoopidiest thing that I have ever heard!!! I'm in my last year of highschool and I totally disagree with this "solution" if that's what the education institute considers it. The people that actually go along with this joke wil be the ones complaining when they get out into the real world and get a job. Big surprise you don't have incentive to got to work. It's either u go to work or live on the streets and become a panhandler for the rest of your life. Then they will be  :crybaby: and want handouts from ppl that actually get up in the morning and go to work to earn an honest living. Skipping an exam ??? I would never skip an exam. Don't these kids want a future? And thse partents that are outraged about this incentive being cancelled I guess u can see where thew kids get it from eh? well I agree with you heatwave and I think oter ppl will to

 

[Lance Wiebe]

They have the same incentive at my daughters school, with one fairly major caveat.

Miss less than five days per semester AND achieve an average in all classes of a minimum of 70%, then you can skip an exam in one subject that you have already achieved at least 80% in.

So, it is a reward for students that attend classes and achieve reasonably high marks.  The incentive of course, is one less class to study for, thus allowing more time to study in your other, theoretically weaker, subjects.

I have no problem with the way my daughters school does this.  However, allowing them to skip any exam at all, with no marks factored in, seems to be off the mark.