as for what's missing from our education system?
things i hear.............some history, they seem to have dumbed down math, then the advanced math, gym, drivers ed(which i'm on the fence about, as i'd want to teach my own kid to drive...so i know that he can really handle the car)......i'll call my brother tomorrow if i get home before my neice goes to bed, and ask her what all they teach her. that'll give me more insight.
Education is done by the states for the most part of course so I can't speak for things in New Jersey, only for what goes on across the Delaware, though I can't imagine it's that much different. Just some things I noticed in your posts. Another thing is that I go to a public school (which I am told scores in the bottom 5% of schools in Pennsylvania) so I can't speak for private schools.
first, she tells me that their taking a collection at her school to help kids in haiti. all well and fine.....good to help others......but i very nicely asked her "if you want to help some kids, why not help some kids right here. you know there's kids here in your own hometown that've needed help for longer than them?" she looked at me like i had 2 heads, so i told her it was very nice, and changed the channel.
The whole time I've been going to school we've had canned food drives, pennies for patients, etc. intermittently throughout the year. She probably has the same kinds of programs in her own school and just didn't understand you. I can't imagine a school not having those kinds of programs.
then she starts talking to me in spanish......it turns out that spanish is required learning in her school?? other languages used to be elective. teaching our kids another language is a fantastic waste of time that could be used to teach them something they really need.
Does she go to a private school, or a public one?
At all of the Catholic/'exclusive' schools around here, from what I gather from my friends who attend them, foreign language starts in elementary school, is mandatory, and is Spanish. I know that this continues through 8th grade and I think all of the private High Schools around here only offer Spanish, I don't know if it's mandatory at that level, though.
In the public schools, in 7th grade (provided you don't have to take remedial reading, so only about half of the class
) you take a 'survey' of all of the offered languages (French, Spanish, German, and Latin), each for one quarter and then from 8th grade forward you are allowed to take any of these languages as electives (and more than one if your schedule allows).
negative on that.
Taking German for three years so far actually has helped me understand the way that English works in a technical manner better. I would imagine it's the scientific (rather than natural like when you learn a language as a child) approach to teaching the new language that does this than any kind of relation to your native tongue.