Post AimOWmsPyxfuu9ihNI by futurebird@sauropods.win
(DIR) More posts by futurebird@sauropods.win
(DIR) Post #AimNsKeBWI51ljluzY by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T08:48:48Z
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Zoe has been making some important content about PragerU's effort to creep into public schools. Her main point is an important one: It's not just that this content comes from an extremist right wing group with extreme views: it's also just not very good. It's all videos and multiple choice questions-- none of it very thoughtful. But what would you expect? These people don't really like education or think it's important. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLKMW1LII7c
(DIR) Post #AimOGfkkhSxGB5RyEK by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T08:53:12Z
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If I had to design an economics course despite being a pretty left leaning person, I'd feel an obligation to include everything you might find in a "Econ 101" courses at high schools or colleges. I'd want primary sources, interesting experts, questions that illustrate the central questions.I'd insist that the students do something creative with what they learn to gain ownership of the material.I don't consider myself qualified to design an economics course but I could easily do a better job.
(DIR) Post #AimOWmsPyxfuu9ihNI by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T08:56:05Z
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But I take education and course design pretty darn seriously. And I think education and well designed courses are valuable. The work from PragerU shows that they do not share this essential value common to educators. They even use garbage AI graphics in the economics course that's just a bunch of emails. To me that's just a benchmark of not really caring. But the other issue here is just how much of a course can you have without a teacher anyway?Can a book be a course?
(DIR) Post #AimOlDtmJPYYlYEvFg by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T08:58:43Z
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The most important thing I do as a teacher is decide what my students should encounter next based on where they are. I've had lessons I've spent days developing... only to throw them in the trash when I see what the students might really need. I try to reuse material every year, but every year I write new lessons and skip others because every class is different. I just don't think ANY canned program can offer all that much. Sorry.
(DIR) Post #AimOySaL1GpW50SUQy by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T09:01:04Z
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@uastronomer Totally. Though I think it's important that if a course has a common name "Algebra I" it contains most of the same things everyone expects it to contain. That's just living up to the course catalog.That said I have no interest in teaching anything other than math and CS because they "aren't political" (lol yes they are-- but most people don't think they are so I don't need to deal with people who want to tell me what to teach)
(DIR) Post #AimP2LnoBBnqCZc9OC by benroyce@mastodon.social
2024-06-10T09:01:31Z
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@futurebird You said PragerU and my eyes glazed over. These rat poison sellers are going to push Mises Institute style libertarian wish fulfillment fantasy (if you don't know what Mises Institute is, consider yourself lucky) that only serves plutocrats.And don't get me started on their defilement of Black American history:https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/animated-frederick-douglass-calls-slavery-compromise-prageru-video-rcna99246
(DIR) Post #AimPD0Y3XexPT8KP6e by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T09:03:43Z
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@benroyce They are currently peddling very boring, nearly content free busy work that isn't obviously political. This is obviously so they can become respected enough to take over more charged areas such as teaching US History. They should have their foot in the door. I will never forgive them for what they did to Fredrick Douglas. That hurt my SOUL. It's disgusting.
(DIR) Post #AimPF3unzjcEUSwrhI by BashStKid@mastodon.online
2024-06-10T09:04:07Z
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@futurebird Can a handful of sand and clay be a brick, let alone a building?As you say, these folks are keener to present a book of boredom to just about technically meet minimum standards on their shitty home ignorance plans. That, or they read ‘How Children Fail’ as a manual, not a warning.
(DIR) Post #AimQSd0ourAj3onK0u by skyblaze@thevipvipers.space
2024-06-10T09:17:42Z
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@futurebird because to these chumps 'education' is not about actually providing information and life skills, its about propaganda and correctly programming more little fascists.
(DIR) Post #AimQj6LhbtXIgFPuoS by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T09:20:44Z
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@skyblaze At a deeper level they don't really think most people need to be educated at all. "All they need is to learn to read and go to church." Though when they realize the Bible is in audiobook form maybe they will decide even the reading isn't needed for everyone.
(DIR) Post #AimRPKf2myZrEMbKQi by skyblaze@thevipvipers.space
2024-06-10T09:28:22Z
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@futurebird its really frightening the amount of power people like that have, when they willfully embrace ignorance.
(DIR) Post #AimRex3eJRQaezYeAq by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T09:31:08Z
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@daisy Not even good vibes.
(DIR) Post #AimRtwFpaAASVnOzdg by lienrag@mastodon.tedomum.net
2024-06-10T09:33:52Z
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@futurebird You're surprised that fascists do not share the essential values of educators ?
(DIR) Post #AimSLXB2PdyoqPJpDM by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T09:38:47Z
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@KarlHeinzHasliP Creating excellent schools isn't mysterious. Excellent k-12 schools exist, there are many of them, generally at least one in most major cities if not many more. We simply need to copy what those schools do. The "problem" is when you look you find what those schools are doing costs more money. * Smaller classes* Teachers with more higher degrees (all k-12 educators should have a masters at least 1/3 should have a PhD)* Sufficient materials* Extra curricular programs
(DIR) Post #AimSb3zIhnmywsEY7M by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T09:41:39Z
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@KarlHeinzHasliP Much of "education innovation" and the content of any news segment on "a remarkable schools that is succeeding despite the odds." revolves around people who claim to have made an excellent school without hiring more teachers, investing in quality educational spaces/materials or anything that costs money. When you look closer at these schools you tend to find one of two things:1. Teachers and parents making massive sacrifices to make it work.2. It's fake.
(DIR) Post #AimSrmh4G2N6Ecg8Aa by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T09:44:44Z
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@KarlHeinzHasliP There is a tacit expectation that teachers make huge sacrifices for our students. And, when it's working this happens naturally, it doesn't even feel like a sacrifice. -- when things are working this is just a joy.But, when you are in a place where they are trying to bleed you for your passion, it's not so cute anymore. Yeah I could teach an overload.But why don't ya'll hire some more people huh?
(DIR) Post #AimSzcRyE74GmXLw6y by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T09:46:06Z
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@KarlHeinzHasliP I was responding more to your correct observation that PragerU gets away with this, in part, because too many schools are using low quality content. I was speaking to what that might be.
(DIR) Post #AimT56Z9gSpxdHKTVw by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T09:47:07Z
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@KarlHeinzHasliP They very badly want to take over the schools in FL and if they have their way they will inhale the education budget of that state and high school will just be a bunch of video links of right wing propaganda. The Governor is all for it.
(DIR) Post #AimTHBeiaPKUtQgzfk by Haste@mastodon.social
2024-06-10T09:49:16Z
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@futurebird Oh sweet, a new Zoe Bee video! Love her work
(DIR) Post #AimTTkjG0ipR95o7Oq by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T09:51:35Z
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@lienrag I don't think I said I was surprised. LOL. Since one of their wedges in this debate is "our critics are biased. they just hate us without cause" (Particularly about their "inoffensive" content) it's important to precisely describe what they are doing even if it's predictable & obvious. Some parents have been fooled: They see a harmless message about keeping track of your expenses and wonder why we are calling them "fascists" over it?
(DIR) Post #AimTpoIzOWesbm2SNk by martin_piper@mastodon.social
2024-06-10T09:55:19Z
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@futurebird @lienrag amongst other things their YouTube content was removed because of transphobia. There's quite a lot of hate evidence links on the Wikipedia page.
(DIR) Post #AimTuMr6sZVkvGAgiW by shqippy@deacon.social
2024-06-10T09:56:22Z
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@futurebird @KarlHeinzHasliP See also this seminal article that has since been applied to other professions https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2018/vocational-awe/
(DIR) Post #AimTw5CNUxVUjuwAaG by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T09:56:35Z
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@martin_piper @lienrag Do you know how transphobic something has to be for YouTube to care about it? Damn.I mean you probably do know, but still.
(DIR) Post #AimdryJQ9v01lUuTT6 by ergifruit@mas.to
2024-06-10T11:48:00Z
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@futurebird wow, bet this also has nothing to do with the wild pressure for everyone to bend over backwards for charter "schools" or anything, and the severe underfunding and abuse of both teachers/service workers and students that may incidentally push them in that direction. 😐
(DIR) Post #Aimh7Sb48xdpthExIO by GinevraCat@toot.community
2024-06-10T12:24:22Z
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@futurebird @uastronomer Example of a non-political subject: I had to teach the binary number system to my year 8s this morning.I did not use gender as a non-example, but I should have.
(DIR) Post #Aimljnj2R5XaFOVUxM by cpm@spore.social
2024-06-10T13:16:06Z
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@futurebirdwatched abt 60% of a PU presentation abt 10-12 yrs ago on recco of some of my nuttier friends (with whom, I have since lost touch)even if one sets aside the ideologyeven if one ignores the inherently broken premisesthe conclusions aren't even supported by arguments made in any loose sense of basic 2+2=4 logiceven internally to the presentationI gave upthis stuff is brain-o, brain drain-ojust trying to untangle it is poor cognitive hygiene'not even wrong'@isotope239
(DIR) Post #AimpUsSMxljqOSqjmC by log@mastodon.sdf.org
2024-06-10T13:58:05Z
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@futurebird If they take the design principles of mandatory corporate employee training courses, and apply them to public schools, we will all be dead within a single generation.They think they can actually teach anything with program-once, play-anywhere software. The stupid little multiple choice questions aren't testing comprehension, but tracking engagement. They're all the same question.Are you paying attention?A. No.B. No.C. Yes.D. Yes, but I'm neurodivergent.
(DIR) Post #AimpxkpeODwp91VbZw by RufusJCooter@mstdn.social
2024-06-10T14:03:27Z
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@futurebird @benroyce All of this! And!The part that makes my blood run cold is, what's going to happen when this war on education comes to fruition? (My guess is that it looks an awful lot like what happens if someone needs to see an OB/GYN right now in TX/FL/ID/etc., only, for, well... everything?)
(DIR) Post #AinH5kC1LbyYF10T3Y by benroyce@mastodon.social
2024-06-10T18:40:28Z
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@RufusJCooter @futurebird nothing in their viewthey, those who function on privilege and entitlement, always viewed you as a disposable peasant. to them, the public school system should get way less funding than prisons, and function as little more than a prison day care center as well. the problem as they see it is that they are "wasting" so much money on people who don't "need" educationthe way the country should be according to them is a sea of ignorant poor and a few multibillionaires
(DIR) Post #AinH5lAdiEStH1MsXg by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-06-10T19:07:20Z
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@benroyce @RufusJCooter Ok and I’m just trying to really understand this mentality which I know to be real from experience— but don’t they, welll… wonder what they are missing? all the technological & creative output of masses? all the cool things they might discover like medicine to save you or fashion to make you look fly? from a totally selfish perspective were I some wealthy poobah I’d want thousands of people making and inventing cool stuff for me to play with.
(DIR) Post #AinHQvaCCATVeDPoWm by drmambobob@ecoevo.social
2024-06-10T19:11:17Z
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@futurebird @benroyce @RufusJCooter I don’t think those people are very bright. They can’t think.
(DIR) Post #AinHypthq73LrQi4lk by GeePawHill@mastodon.social
2024-06-10T19:17:26Z
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@futurebird One of the bests classes I took in high school was an intro to economics. We read a lot of short classic essays, and talked about everything going on around us.The teacher had that "contrarian" shtick down to a tee, and drove us by making outrageous assertions and getting us to push back on them.
(DIR) Post #AinIJhtQnLhn7IX7zc by benroyce@mastodon.social
2024-06-10T19:21:01Z
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@futurebird @RufusJCooter the words you are articulating has a presupposition in it: that they even consider the health of societyyou're talking about people that would be happier as millionaires in a country of grinding poverty, as long as their power was absolute, than billionaires in a country with a strong middle class, because then someone might be able to talk back to themi mean look at putin and what he is doing to russia. this is what they want for america
(DIR) Post #AinIjkoeYAUJi9icGO by foolishowl@social.coop
2024-06-10T19:25:53Z
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@futurebird @benroyce @RufusJCooter I think the techbro side of it pushes FUN that long ago lost any real joy, and the christofascists earnestly believe that parenting and teaching mean inflicting misery.
(DIR) Post #AinMLklJUxp6PWy3CC by cherold@zirk.us
2024-06-10T20:06:23Z
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@futurebird @benroyce @RufusJCooter I don't think they believe the masses create things - they think "great men" create things. For them, you don't need the masses, you need Edison. This is the nature of an elitist world view. The elites think they and a few others are responsible for all good in the world. And the authoritarian masses looking for a big daddy believe them.
(DIR) Post #AinMRsJ6ML2tY4gsym by janisf@mstdn.social
2024-06-10T20:07:28Z
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@futurebird I was just talking with my kid about teachers who watch for head-bobbing, for students who come up for air out of their notebooks.I genuinely don't think AI will every be able to synthesize e.g. something a student said at the beginning of the school year with recent social events to interpret a new, odd-for-that-student hesitancy. Teachers see this kind of thing, and aggregate it with the whole class for the classroom experience, couching that response in years of experience.
(DIR) Post #AinXbPqY82NLfh5V9k by RufusJCooter@mstdn.social
2024-06-10T22:12:27Z
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@futurebird @benroyce Well, sure, that, too!But on a more basic level - rich people like health care (for themselves); which requires doctors, nurses, nurses' assistants, orderlies, a payroll department to pay all the above, etc.Rich people like legal representation (for themselves), which requires lawyers, paralegals, secretaries, a payroll department, etc...Which is to say, one can't lead a modern rich lifestyle w/o a middle class providing the services to which they are accustomed!
(DIR) Post #AingzoXwqTpeoZ60qe by cshlan@dawdling.net
2024-06-10T23:57:39Z
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@futurebirdThey don't believe the masses are capable of being creative. @benroyce @RufusJCooter
(DIR) Post #AioCokkRpBQGNjiCsi by justafrog@mstdn.social
2024-06-11T05:54:14Z
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@futurebird I've actually had teachers who used the exact same material each year.And nobody thought well of them, or felt their class was anything other than painfully dull."This is good enough effort for the likes of you." was the vibe I got from that.It's truly an awful way to teach.
(DIR) Post #AiobpaL9tARveTCQYi by sewblue@sfba.social
2024-06-11T10:34:34Z
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@futurebird @KarlHeinzHasliP My daughter is severely dyslexic and goes to a specialized private school for it. Expense as hell but at 13 she is finally reading. As a parent, the difference was amazing - a curriculum designed for her and her disability. For every kid there. They can toggle reading levels so each kid can engage in the same topic but not be forced to work through their disability. History isn't a reading lesson in disguise. Same with math.I've seen what carefully crafted education can do. How transformative it is. And how modern schools are designed for the easy to teach. Kids like my daughter are almost intentionally pushed out. I must be a bad parent who didn't read to my kid enough. It is ok if they fail, learn to fake it, to cheat because they weren't taught to read. Because they were harder to teach and it cost too much.Public education hasn't served my daughter. Still, it saddens me for the single standard deviation kids that their education may be as awful as it was for her.
(DIR) Post #AipNI9ThXKLOaFJpFw by norgralin@hachyderm.io
2024-06-11T19:26:22Z
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@futurebird @benroyce @RufusJCooter people tend to think in stories rather than with logic. So if you have a bunch of entitled brats bragging about their stuff and complaining about the poor, this is what you get. The bad stories overpower sensibility.