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Are YOU Asking These Questions to Your Local or Federal Officials??? If NOT, WHY NOT??????

When my daughter came home today and told me to look at this on YouTube I originally shrugged it off... Her English teacher showed the class at the end of the period and most of the students were amazed.

There is a very silent revolution going on. Are you aware of it? or is it passing you by??

Here's a site that really makes you think of the future of the shifting economies and education systems currently being done around the world. We as Americans, Canadians or Europeans need to think about how to keep an edge and remember there are countries that are starting to surpass our education system and our financial stabilities.

We need to answer some of these questions, so we stay "On Top" for our kid's sake, if not their kid's sake or our future grandchildren. Let's really ask our education system these questions, our federal politicians, our local politicians and make changes that are conducive to staying ahead of the global game.

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U"

With the U.S and now Canadian economy getting hit pretty hard, due to the "lack of insight" that our politicians didn't see coming, we as the citizens of these Great countries, need to pay attention to what's really going on throughout other countries and how they are becoming much more GLOBAL, then we are....

We need to make sure we aren't left behind.....

1) What do you think of this video?

2) What should we be doing?

3) What are you doing about it?

Posted by Ann-Marie Clements Luxury Homes Realtor Saint John, Quispamsis, & Grand Bay on 01/15/2009 08:19 PM

Comments (16)

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16 Comments on Are YOU Asking These Questions to Your Local or Federal Officials??? If NOT, WHY NOT??????

JAN

Anne Marie~ Our public education system is fast becoming a joke, we are raising an undisciplined society. The great socialists always new the way to control a society is by brainwashing their youth and we are seeing that more and more.

Hi Hugh,

That's why I'm trying to create some thought processes on this. We as a society need to get our act together and change, so we are ahead instead of behind the game of life!!! As long as we accept the "status quo" nothing changes... Many politicians "talk the talk" but nothing changes. We have to start demanding changes (here comes the "teacher in me") or our kids, their children, our great grandkids, etc. will fall so far behind, that we will no longer be a nation that is strategically ahead, but one that falls way, way, way behind.

Like Cher would have said it: "We need to snap out of it!"

;>)

Ann-Marie, why is it people confuse socialism with communism? Or mayhaps they intentionally confuse them because it makes their comments sound scarier. From what I know of socialist countries they have very good education available, including college, all paid for. It seems that maybe the democratic societies are the ones that are failing. The Florida legislature just finished the state budget, and the programs that got hit the hardest were the schools and the healtcare system. Good post!

Hi Terry,

I lived in Florida during the early 1980's and moved back in the early 1990's for a few more years. I was a teacher in Citrus County, Crystal River to be exact. Schools always got hit first, especially with the "older" community not willing to pay for the kids there. I would always say to them: "these are the future citizens that will eventually take care of you in your retirement homes. Don't you want them to have the best education?" Most couldn't or wouldn't answer me....

;>)

JAN

Terry Actually I was refering to Hitler, who by the way would have fit into the current democratic party of this country perfectly.

Hi Hugh,

I taught in the U.S. and I saw many teachers around me with the same planners they had used for the last 5-20 years. Innovation is crucial to changing. China, India and many other countries are so far ahead of us now, it will take years to catch up. Bush had his program "No Child Left Behind", but no monies were ever used for the program, except for testing. We can't only teach our kids to test well. They have to have the ability to become innovative and think for themselves. This is where the Republican party went so wrong...

We have to have children within our nation, who become the adults who can think on their feet, have the confidence to lead and have the drive to be innovative for the future!

;>)

Ann-Marie, That's a powerful and scary post. I know we are behind in many other countries but I didn't know how far behind. Education is the first thing that gets cuts here as well....and I agree, these children are our future and th countries future. Maybe collectively we can do something---

Ann-Marie - First of all here is the updated version of the clip and the numbers are only worst:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpEnFwiqdx8&feature=related

The basic problem with our educational system in this country is there is no competition in our government schools. As adults we choose what grocery store, what gas station, or department store we are going to spend our money. This choice is based on the price, the quality, and convenience of the stores. But, when is comes to our children the government holds a gun to our head and take our money, then tell us that we can only send our children to this school. If we want to send our children to a better school (Private) we still have our money taken from us for the government schools.

Now I can not think of anything that government does well. But, we will turn our children over to them for most of the day to what: E-d-u-c-a-t-e them. It is not in the best interest of government to educate our children only to indoctrinate them.

The only chance I see to lift our schools out of the pit they are in is to bring in competition back to our schools and the best way to do that is with the privation and a voucher program to give parents a choice where they send their children.

JAN

Hi Carol,

I believe we are in for a complete turnaround for our country. I hope Education does take one of the priorities for the future of our country's direction. ;>)

Hi Brian,

I AGREE WITH YOU!!! We should have clear competition within ALL the schools. Revamping the school systems will help our country progress. With only government schools on a bandwagon, it restricts ALL COMPETITION and creates a "status quo" with many teachers believing once they're past the "probationary" time, they can start "slacking" and creates a system that "lacks motivation and creativity".

;>)

The biggest obstacle for this country's educational system is teacher's unions (I am not talking about teachers). Organizations like the National Education Association are no longer interested in education; but, are now only concerned about maintaining power and control.

JAN

Hi Brian,

I'm a former teacher and I STRONGLY AGREE WITH YOU!! The years I taught in the U.S. I saw many teachers who should have left 10-20 years, still in the system due to the Strong local NEA. These same teachers would use their teacher's plan from many years ago, with no changes. I used to be very frustrated, since I was the outgoing dedicated educator, who believed in exposing all my students to maximum information. I always had the philosophy of "the more information they were exposed to, the better they learned down the road, since it would be reinforced.

I believe in competitive education, where teacher's get paid on the performance of their students, it's crucial for those students to really achieve. Also, the students see that the teacher is giving her/him the best education possible and the students will perform based on the expectations of their teachers.

The "status quo" of teachers and the NEA need to disappear, so students will perform better and our country will be 1st again.

;>)

JAN

I knew we were behind Ann-Marie - thanks for sharing the video link. I think if you read the book-Fall of the Roman Empire you will see that many things are getting in the way of families losing focus on priorities of what it means to raise children.... (self interest, addictions, divorce, decline of morality, crime, and other things mentioned in that book are happening to the US as we speak).

As a child of IMMIGRANT's who barely finished grammar school and had technical training and GED schooling as adults here in the US - education was always a MAIN priority in our home.

As a result of this priority set by our non formally educated parents AT HOME, my brother & I both excelled and finished college with science degrees.

My girls had the same priorities set for them AT HOME ( I did not BLAME any school system, but was involved very much so in school ( Jeff & I were both room parents throughout all of the important middle school years) - The outcome - because we felt that the responsibility for education and enrichment beyond what school teaches begins at home, our oldest just completed her doctorate last May, the youngest working on her masters just announced over the holidays she would like to pursue a doctorate someday as well:)

Habits are formed at home - school is not responsible for instilling the quest for learning or a supportive environment - the Parents are the example - even if they can't read or write english themselves - they know how to get to and from the library and bring their kids home books and set the priorities straight and turn off the TV and encourage and motivate like my Immigrant parents did - bless their souls :)

Sincerely,

Grace

JAN

Hi Jeff & Grace,

I agree it begins at home, but many other families need help outside of home. I too came from Immigrant parents; Italy & France and they each had only an Associates degree. Both my brother and I finished university, my brother with a BA and myself with a BS & MS. They too pushed school as a priority, and made sure we got the best education possible, at the time, we both went to Catholic school.

I still believe that we have to pay attention to the schools' administration and make sure they follow through on their end of their responsiblity. As long as no one complains, they will continue the "status quo" and never really advance to the next level. If we as American taxpayers or Canadian taxpayers pay out to a system which isn't progressing, then it's our obligation to "speak up".

;>)

MAR

Ann-Marie,

Great presentation, I am aware of the disparity of education between India, China, and the US. I don't know, if they took into account the foreign students going to our Universities in the study.

I really don't think we have a handle on the whole system, in education and other growth areas on the globe.

We need a new look and a new directive for childred, our schools and colleges.

DEC

Hi Ann-Marie,

I find your comments and viewpoints very refreshing; it is nice to see an educator look beyond politics and be pragmatic in offering solutions to better our education system. It is a loss when dedicated teachers such as yourself leave the profession early.

ps-Where did you find that information about the Christian angels monuments? That was very interesting.

DEC

Hi Bruce,

I found it by googling it..."gold angel sculptures" What we would do without the internet, it gives us so much information at our fingertips!

;>))

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