US teaching styles?

[Sand Dancer]

I’ve also noticed. It’s purely aesthetic though.
The US seems to break up maths into specific categories. We just it math and teach it all at the same time

Oh yeah. You have pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, Calculus. My head hurts just thinking about it. I think there was also Business Math, but maybe that came along later.

 

[Sand Dancer]

In PE class in middle school, you were supposed to be failed if you wouldn't dress for gym. We had a pool at the school, and I went into the pool... to have someone break into my locker and steal my pants. I had to roam around in my swimming suit, waiting for my dad to bring me a new pair of pants. I never dressed for gym again. She was supposed to flunk me, but I think she understood where I was coming from, so she always passed me with the lowest possible grade that was still passing...

So many horror stories in PE class. Glad to hear you passed. Our teacher had to check to make sure we showered and were naked. She checked to see if our hair was wet. We stuck our heads under the water for one second, then folded our bra straps underneath the towel so she would think we were naked. Seems a little weird to me to check that.

 

[JustGeorge]

So many horror stories in PE class. Glad to hear you passed. Our teacher had to check to make sure we showered and were naked. We folded our bra straps underneath the towel so she would think we were naked. Seems a little weird to me to check that.

Our gym teacher would have never done that... She would go into her office when people would change. I don't think anyone used the showers except for when the pool was in use.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Our gym teacher would have never done that... She would go into her office when people would change. I don't think anyone used the showers except for when the pool was in use.

Well, Florida is hot and humid, so I guess it was important. I think most teachers would have sat in the office but not her. I had band in the morning too, and got way more sweaty from that than I did from PE.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It would be nice to see PE an elective and not compulsary, as it's just a another excuse to see people who are not adept or proficient bullied and brutalized each time the class assembles.

Physical activity and fitness is a must for mental health and fitness. Yes, some struggle. But you'd have to get rid of school entirely if you do away with one part because of bullying.
It's better to use the moment to teach we all have strengths and weaknesses. And keep it. It's far greater to restructure it to teach and emphasize physical activity and fitness over performances and numbers than having kids be even more sedentary and not teaching them how important it is to be physically active.

 

[Augustus]

That and cut sports from schools entirely; it detracts funds, attention, and priority away from actual education.

That's a very myopic approach.

You can learn a lot from playing sports, education isn't simply book knowledge. Sports provide real benefits for many people in terms of confidence, fitness, experience, friendship, etc.

And just saying "well they can join a sports club" doesn't work as participation would be lower and many kids don't have people to drive them around etc.

The US has a strange fixation on HS sports though, according to TV anyway Building some massive stadium might not be the best use of limited funds.

In Europe they don't take funding away, almost everything we used was self-provided, donated or borrowed from PE departments. Coaches were volunteers, etc.

 

[Koldo]

Physical activity and fitness is a must for mental health and fitness. Yes, some struggle. But you'd have to get rid of school entirely if you do away with one part because of bullying.
It's better to use the moment to teach we all have strengths and weaknesses. And keep it. It's far greater to restructure it to teach and emphasize physical activity and fitness over performances and numbers than having kids be even more sedentary and not teaching them how important it is to be physically active.

We all know it is important to be physically active. That's the easy part. The missed opporturnity here is presenting at least one activity that can be fun to each person. Let's be honest: Knowing it is important to be physically active is not sufficient to get many (maybe most?) people to actually become physically active. The fun factor has a huge impact on engaging in a physical activity.

 

[SomeRandom]

So many horror stories in PE class. Glad to hear you passed. Our teacher had to check to make sure we showered and were naked. She checked to see if our hair was wet. We stuck our heads under the water for one second, then folded our bra straps underneath the towel so she would think we were naked. Seems a little weird to me to check that.

I’m sorry she checked to see if you were naked??

Despite the horribly hot conditions here, I’m kind of increasingly glad we never actually showered for “gym” like the States seemingly do.
Closest was if we used the public pool or swimming carnivals. But even then most people just washed in their swimsuits.
To be quite honest, the depictions of the showers of US based school systems creeps me out. Whenever we had showers it was always in a private stall with a lockable door

Truth be told,I remember being quite freaked out by the public restrooms in California, when I visited family. Because the stall doors were way higher than what I’m used to. There’s like no privacy in the States!

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I used to, back when I was a teenager, play RPG and MTG with my friends during PE classes. Most teachers didn't care.

When I was in high school, it was the nerds playing stuff like that who absolutely dominated in dodgeball (capture the flag). Even very heavily outnumbered to the point we thought it was doomed to fail and impossible because it was a few of us against the rest of the class we kept at our normal thing (which was slipping in unnoticed and then getting back as unnoticed as possible and sprinting at the first sign of trouble) and we still managed to win.
I also got my nose broken once. I was running back to grab a flag and got noticed way sooner than anticipated and by someone who's actually athletic. So I gave it my all, but still got tagged. But it wasn't a tag but a shove that put me off balance so I ran even harder to get my feet in front me so I didn't hit the floor and skid across it. I regained my balance and looked up just in time to see the ventilation grate thingy right in front of me. I tried to spin around to take it between my shoulders but I just didn't have enough and took it mostly to my face. I staggered backwards a couple steps, and I thought it killed at first because I felt no pain. None, and this seemed a few seconds. I was Christian then and I remember thanking god for a painless and quick death. And then I collapsed and all the pain hit, as did the fact I was drenched in my own blood.
This dummy doctor, being able to see the ridge in my nose from it, grabbed my noise between his fingers, moved his hand around and asked "does this hurt?"

 

[Shadow Wolf]

The US has a strange fixation on HS sports though, according to TV anyway Building some massive stadium might not be the best use of limited funds.

Most just have a field and rows of benches for an audience, and usually a concession stand.
And while lots of money is poured into it and wasted, there's a world's different between Texas and the other 49 states when it comes to HS football.

 

[JDMS]

We all know it is important to be physically active. That's the easy part. The missed opporturnity here is presenting at least one activity that can be fun to each person. Let's be honest: Knowing it is important to be physically active is not sufficient to get many (maybe most?) people to actually become physically active. The fun factor has a huge impact on engaging in a physical activity.

This is very true; it's much easier to get me to engage in physical activity if I'm allowed to run or bike (for real or in place on a treadmill/stationary bike) by myself with a podcast and headphones.

As someone who was known to have autism early on, I actually received a note from my doctor to give to my school, which allowed me to earn PE credits individually because I was so clumsy that group PE sports or competitions were horrendously humiliating for me. I was treated ruthlessly any time I "messed up" the team by being clumsy, and it made PE miserable. Mind you, this was a private institution, so I'm not sure if this would be possible at a public school.

I can imagine many less-athletically inclined people experience the same. It's not to say that one can avoid bullying completely, but if someone has miserable experience for 12 years of his life doing a specific activity, he will learn to resent that activity and avoid it at all costs... He will never want to exercise again.

I'm not sure I have a solution but I'm sure there's a middle ground somewhere.

 

[Sand Dancer]

I’m sorry she checked to see if you were naked??

Despite the horribly hot conditions here, I’m kind of increasingly glad we never actually showered for “gym” like the States seemingly do.
Closest was if we used the public pool or swimming carnivals. But even then most people just washed in their swimsuits.
To be quite honest, the depictions of the showers of US based school systems creeps me out. Whenever we had showers it was always in a private stall with a lockable door

Truth be told,I remember being quite freaked out by the public restrooms in California, when I visited family. Because the stall doors were way higher than what I’m used to. There’s like no privacy in the States!

The girls' showers were separate "rooms" with curtain doors. The boys' may have been one big room, but not sure. In basic training the showers were all one room. I didn't like that.

 

[Sand Dancer]

This is very true; it's much easier to get me to engage in physical activity if I'm allowed to run or bike (for real or in place on a treadmill/stationary bike) by myself with a podcast and headphones.

As someone who was known to have autism early on, I actually received a note from my doctor to give to my school, which allowed me to earn PE credits individually because I was so clumsy that group PE sports or competitions were horrendously humiliating for me. I was treated ruthlessly any time I "messed up" the team by being clumsy, and it made PE miserable. Mind you, this was a private institution, so I'm not sure if this would be possible at a public school.

I can imagine many less-athletically inclined people experience the same. It's not to say that one can avoid bullying completely, but if someone has miserable experience for 12 years of his life doing a specific activity, he will learn to resent that activity and avoid it at all costs... He will never want to exercise again.

I'm not sure I have a solution but I'm sure there's a middle ground somewhere.

It's horrible for those who are not athletic or competitive. I was small and not competitive, so I got picked last. Although I waswasmgraceful and fast, those things don't tend to matter for team sports. I rocked fitness class in college though.

 

[Father Heathen]

The US has a strange fixation on HS sports though, according to TV anyway Building some massive stadium might not be the best use of limited funds.

Yeah, that's what I take issue with. Kids get lauded for chasing balls around moreso than accomplishments that are actually meaningful.

There was a news story years ago, where some HS basketball "stars" were accused of gang rape, and that town's citizens harassed and threatened the victim because she "ruined" the team's season.

 

[Secret Chief]

Well except for math but to be fair what devils advocate question can you ask in that lol

You could ask if zero exists.

 

[Father Heathen]

I’m sorry she checked to see if you were naked??

Despite the horribly hot conditions here, I’m kind of increasingly glad we never actually showered for “gym” like the States seemingly do.
Closest was if we used the public pool or swimming carnivals. But even then most people just washed in their swimsuits.
To be quite honest, the depictions of the showers of US based school systems creeps me out. Whenever we had showers it was always in a private stall with a lockable door

Truth be told,I remember being quite freaked out by the public restrooms in California, when I visited family. Because the stall doors were way higher than what I’m used to. There’s like no privacy in the States!

When I was in high school, showering (unclothed) was mandatory, and being immature kids in a small rural town back in the 90's, homophobia was prevalent. So the all boys quickly got undressed and into the showers (no dividers or curtains) for a few seconds, keeping our heads down and eyes on the floor. Nobody wanted to be accused of "cock scoping".

 

[Augustus]

Yeah, that's what I take issue with. Kids get lauded for chasing balls around moreso than accomplishments that are actually meaningful.

There was a news story years ago, where some HS basketball "stars" were accused of gang rape, and that town's citizens harassed and threatened the victim because she "ruined" the team's season.

Why are sporting achievements less meaningful than being good at maths, art, music or writing poetry?

But I agree that sports team fan cultures can become ridiculously tribal.

If someone reanimated Hitler and he made a team successful then a fair number of the fans would start dressing as Nazis and talking about his successes in railway punctuality and combined arms warfare.

 

[Father Heathen]

Why are sporting achievements less meaningful than being good at maths, art, music or writing poetry?

I suppose there might be a factory somewhere whose manufacturing process includes placing a spherical object through an elevated hoop.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Yeah, that's what I take issue with. Kids get lauded for chasing balls around moreso than accomplishments that are actually meaningful.

There was a news story years ago, where some HS basketball "stars" were accused of gang rape, and that town's citizens harassed and threatened the victim because she "ruined" the team's season.

Yes, jocks and cheerleaders are heroes but studious kids are nerds. I don't get that at all. Our priorities are totally messed up.

 

[Nakosis]

So, I actually grew up around a family consisting of mainly teachers (and yeah it’s as annoying and alcohol soaked as you can imagine that being lol.)

Something that kind of piqued my curiosity over the years was their complaints and sometimes praises of the US teaching styles vs ours. Since one of their mates actually was originally from the States.
For instance, Australia is apparently far more strict about teaching qualifications across the board. Regardless of subject and age range taught, all teachers must, by law, have a Masters Degree. The only thing that differs between them is their specific style of teaching.
Ie how strict they are, how much they engage with the class etc
Whereas that’s apparently not the case in the US? Is that correct? By that I mean the qualifications differ state to state and can be quite lenient in some areas. Is that true?

Another thing that I noticed, just as an observation. My family will often ask me “Devil’s advocate” questions about whatever subject we are discussing. Always have. This is apparently quite the common teaching tactic and indeed I experienced that a lot during my school days. Didn’t matter the subject or age level. Even my science teachers did that from time to time. Well except for math but to be fair what devils advocate question can you ask in that lol
I guess the idea being that a student should be able to think on their feet and answer complex questions in order to facilitate critical thinking skills???
Their US friend was far less inclined to do that. I don’t know if that’s due to the subject he taught (Physics) or it simply wasn’t his thing? I don’t wish to make assumptions.

The work schedule is apparently also quite different. Australia (big shock) is a bit more relaxed, with less homework (even being phased out experimentally currently) with a more balance between STEM and the arts. Very rarely does a school not offer music, for example. There’s seemingly a lot more flexibility, with students with more options in regard to their elective subjects (Math and English being the only compulsory ones.)

But what are your thoughts? Criticisms? Praises? Ways to improve?

Like I said, I don’t want to make any assumptions. Merely curious

IMO. schools, instead of teaching you what to think, they ought to be teaching you how to think.
Maybe in college they start teaching philosophy but I think they can start much earlier than that.
Our public school system in the US to my recollection had little interest in teaching you how to think.