Job Discussion Forums

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 6:50 am Post subject: Teaching global perspectives

Yesterday in a discussion session one of my students brought up the topic of the swearing in of the new president dear Mr Obama. He was curious about how a non-white person was elected to the highest office in the land which has a history of racial discrimination. He also said he was optomistic about the democratic system and wishes more ethnic groups could aspire to a similar status in his society.
So my question is, have any of your students noticed the changes taking place in America on TTuesday?

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:22 am Post subject:

In a recent Daily Telegraph article I read that young people are coming out of the English school system who are functionally and numerically illiterate. This may come as no surprise to some of us, however these people are actually in possession of GSCE'S, not one or two but several. Is this not further proof that despite our best efforts a definite dumbing down of academic standards is taking place?

jdl · Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Posts: 632 Location: cyberspace

Al Jazeera pictures President Obama wearing a yamulka. What do you think students make of that?

Greg 09 · Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 169

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:19 am Post subject:

Another example of this dumbing down, again I use the U.K to illustrate the point, is the high incidence of teenage mothers. Despite the fact that sex education is and has been part of the school teaching programme for decades the highest rate of young unmarried mothers ( mostly while still at school age) is in the United Kingdom.
Only last week I read about a boy of 12, yes just 12 years old who had fathered a child with a 15 year old girl. Amazingly the parents allowed the child to be brought into the world knowing full well they did not have the resources to cope with the financial burden as the whole family are on benefit.
I believe the youngest mother in England was just 12 years old when the child was concieved. So much for education.

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:22 am Post subject:

Another example of this dumbing down, again I use the U.K to illustrate the point, is the high incidence of teenage mothers. Despite the fact that sex education is and has been part of the school syllabus for decades the highest rate of young unmarried mothers ( mostly while still at school age) is in the United Kingdom.
Only last week I read about a boy of 12, yes just 12 years old who had fathered a child with a 15 year old girl. Amazingly the parents allowed the child to be brought into the world knowing full well they did not have the resources to cope with the financial burden as the whole family are on benefit.
I believe the youngest mother in England was just 12 years old when the child was concieved. So much for education.

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:25 am Post subject: more dumbing down

Another example of this dumbing down, again I use the U.K to illustrate the point, is the high incidence of teenage mothers. Despite the fact that sex education is and has been part of the school syllabus for decades the highest rate of young unmarried mothers ( mostly while still at school age) is in the United Kingdom.
Only last week I read about a boy of 12, yes just 12 years old who had fathered a child with a 15 year old girl. Amazingly the parents allowed the child to be brought into the world knowing full well they did not have the resources to cope with the financial burden as the whole family are on benefit.
I believe the youngest mother in England was just 12 years old when the child was concieved. So much for education.

Chancellor · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:38 pm Post subject: