Teachers: Typical!

[NotNoNever]

So this kid reads something far more advanced than biology in his biology class and his teacher takes it away from him. The thing is - he's dreaming up ways to save lives and proving to be very good at it.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19291258

[Mikelaing74]

Yeah I saw this and thought the same. I work with teachers ( I'm not one ) and I've never met a more thick group of people in my life.

 

I now believe the truth in the saying "Those who can do, those who can't teach. "

Edited August 22, 2012 by Mikelaing74

[Andy78]

As someone who works with cancer on a daily basis, I'm the first to applaud his efforts. However, when you are in a classroom, you are THERE TO LEARN.

 

No matter how smart you are, no matter what other interests you have, you still have to do the assigned classwork. After all, how far is this kid going to get, if he ends up failing his exams because he was more interested in reading about cancer genes than something that will actually be on his exams.

 

When I was in school, I used to find a lot of my classwork boring and too easy, but would never dream of reading something in class that wasn't to do with the assigned work. After all, there was a lot of stuff that came up in my exams that I wouldn't have known if I hadn't paid attention in class.

[Houdinii]

Hehe, shush Andy... I bet you've doodled in your notebook in class before... Actually that article/video was friggin awesome. I bet that kid goes really far. I've been told a million times that it's the youth of the nation that are taking us places, but this kid takes the cake....

[danno106]

Yeah I saw this and thought the same. I work with teachers ( I'm not one ) and I've never met a more thick group of people in my life.

 

I now believe the truth in the saying "Those who can do, those who can't teach. "

 

Oi! I would like to see you give teaching a go! Everyone judges teachers so harshly, you do not understand what we have to endure on a daily basis. It's a hard enough job withouth the c&@p and the judgement of the public all of which believe they know best.

[JamesSavik]

If British teachers are anything like American teachers, the only learning that gets accomplished is in spite of the damned school- not because of it.

 

The teachers I had were almost without exception were scum-buckets that I wouldn't have hired to bag groceries. But- this is Mississippi.

 

Any government jobs are considered welfare for the useless inbred relatives of politicians.

Edited August 22, 2012 by jamessavik

[NotNoNever]

Oi! I would like to see you give teaching a go! Everyone judges teachers so harshly, you do not understand what we have to endure on a daily basis. It's a hard enough job withouth the c&@p and the judgement of the public all of which believe they know best.

 

Oh, Danno, hissy fits are not going to help. lol. Though I can see your point, right enough. But, actually, I have done quite a lot of teaching in my time and know the hard headwork it is. However, when some kid in a biology class is reading about carbon nanotubes and cancer cell genetics, some credit needs to be given - oh and a lot of encouragement and support. Hauling the learned paper (i.e. a paper many years advanced from this learning stage) sounds more like didactic fascism, and insecurity that the teacher never got the child that far ahead (or themselves, for that matter). It also sounds like plain stupidity. After all, that could have been a paper of great importance that could have helped save many lives. Oh, no! Wait. It was.

 

Andy ... what is it makes you think the kid was not learning? It was a biology class. He was dealing with a subject closely related. One could actually take your argument and use it to support the boy. He could have sat there bored titless and learned nothing, cos he'd quite obviously learned it already. Or, he could have done what Oh wait! He WAS already doing it. Learning, that is. Now he is at an internationally respected university, having earned the place, a large sum of prize money, now grant funded, and about to make diagnostics a whole lot easier, cheaper, and better, in order to save the lives of grumbling jobsworths who can't see past the end of their own laser pointer and red correction pen.

 

You ask how far he is going to get if he doesn't get his exam results. HUUUULLLLLLLLLLO. He doesn't have the exam results and he's still in university, not just learning with the other drones, but working with the ... ehm, oth er droney things - but he's getting paid for it. Just think of the money he will earn on the patents. The Euromillions will look like seedcorn! Honestly, the British preoccupation with bloody exams - exasperating!

 

It takes only one bad boy with dreadful behaviour such as this to help save or extend literally millions of lives by applying naughtiness in a quiet corner where he was doing no harm. Or it takes one egomaniac fascist with a superiority complex and pockets full of chalkdust to leave things as they are and maintain a system of premature death and decay. Not sure I really recognise the choice to be honest.

 

'mon e boy!

Edited August 22, 2012 by NotNoNever

[Cia]

As an adult, I do see the point of having kids pay teachers the respect to pay attention in class. The question comes down to IF the kid was learning his coursework or not. How would the teacher know that if he had an assignment to be writing an essay and wasn't doing so? This wasn't after he came up with the idea completely and that was known, this was when he FIRST got the idea in his head, acccording to that video, and it wasn't during a lecture on material he already 'knew' and was bored listening to. Maybe writing that esssay gave him a bit more understanding of the cells he needed to further that idea.

 

As a teenager, I had the same attitude as the kid. I'd rather have been reading anything else when I had already read the subject matter the teacher was lecturing about AND understood it. It was like getting beaten over the head with a boring stick. So, if I could listen and read, I'd do that. They didn't often let me get away with it though, so I ended up doing a lot of doodling and writing instead. I still didn't pay attention to the lecture, though, so their reasoning was faulty.

 

The problem isn't just with the teachers, or with the students, the problem lies imo with the school system that isn't adequately recognizing the minds of students that need to be challenged and either providing that challenge or encouraging the student to enter a program that will do so. He did it on his own though, so good for him.

[Zombie]

The problem isn't just with the teachers, or with the students, the problem lies imo with the school system that isn't adequately recognizing the minds of students that need to be challenged and either providing that challenge or encouraging the student to enter a program that will do so. He did it on his own though, so good for him.

 

Bang on the money Cia.

 

For those that didn't click the link and watch the vid here's what it said

"Fifteen-year-old high school student Jack Andraka likes to kayak and watch the US television show Glee. And when time permits, he also likes to do advanced research in one of the most respected cancer laboratories in the world. Jack Andraka has created a pancreatic cancer test that is 168 times faster and considerably cheaper than the gold standard in the field. He has applied for a patent for his test and is now carrying out further research at Johns Hopkins University in the US city of Baltimore. And he did it by using Google. The Maryland native, who won $75,000 at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in May for his creation, cites search engines and free online science papers as the tools that allowed him to create the test."

 

Jack's clearly highly intelligent and self-motivated to learn all by himself. He's now pursuing original research that could be of huge benefit to mankind. Has he done anything wrong? Absolutely not. Should he be applauded for what he's done? Absolutely yes. The fault is not with Jack, nor with his teacher. The fault is with an education system that has no process in place to spot potential geniuses like Jack and pluck them out of their class if necessary and provide bespoke education tailored to their needs and talents.

 

Education is not just and only about passing exams [remember Einstein failed his entrance exam] it is about spotting the potential in every child - whatever that is - and nurturing and developing exceptional talent. The challenge is how to deliver such a process.

 

But won't this cost more? Of course it will. So who will benefit? We all will - by having brilliant people like Jack being enabled to maximise their talent and to drive forward our knowledge-based economy.

Edited August 22, 2012 by Zombie

[joann414]

In my small opinion, I think there is not really a happy medium here. My dad always said, " Parents teach moral behavior, teachers teach knowledgeable behavior." That being said, the student was not really giving the teacher the respect the teacher deserved as far as participating in his classwork, but on the other hand, he was using his knowledge that was instilled in him, and putting it to good use. So, that being said, it is really a no win situation.

 

As far as the teacher, I know I have had some great educational guidance, so I am not going to slam a profession because of a few bad teachers. JMO

[Zombie]

Teachers are primarily tasked to deliver a syllabus. The issue here, as Cia pointed out, is that the education system has no mechanism for responding to potential geniuses like Jack*.

 

So the question that needs to be addressed is not apportioning blame, but how best to address the educational needs of those like Jack so that their potentially incredible talent can be maximized for all our benefit. As long as the education system does not put such a mechanism in place then it is letting all of us down - Jack and his kind, and you and me.

[joann414]

Teachers are primarily tasked to deliver a syllabus. The issue here, as Cia pointed out, is that the education system has no mechanism for responding to potential geniuses like Jack*.

 

So the question that needs to be addressed is not apportioning blame, but how best to address the educational needs of those like Jack so that their potentially incredible talent can be maximized for all our benefit. As long as the education system does not put such a mechanism in place then it is letting all of us down - Jack and his kind, and you and me.

 

 

 

 

 

Now that, is how it should have been said to begin with. Thanks for great input!

[NotNoNever]

The problem isn't just with the teachers, or with the students, the problem lies imo with the school system that isn't adequately recognizing the minds of students that need to be challenged and either providing that challenge or encouraging the student to enter a program that will do so. He did it on his own though, so good for him.

 

Rock on, Cia. Exactly.

 

Here in UKland we have a ridiculous system that beats teachers over the heads if they're not meeting key stage 99.9768 at hour 14329 in the child's curriculum. Letting teachers think for themselves has become a thing of the past. That said, it's oyr fault for whipping up stupid furores which have encouraged politicians to be frightened all the time. And teachers did nothing to help themselves in the late seventies early eighties when they went on endless strikes for more money and pissed the whole blooming world off.

 

I think for me, and it's the reason I used the tag I did, I just love the boy for his iconoclasism. If he recognises a problem and sticks a finger up @ the systemos in order to further his solution and his own outcomes, yay for the boy.

 

I do appreciate your comments as an adult wishing for respect for rules. However, one of the things that is not taught in schools is learning how to learn. This boy has clearly got that cracked and needs little teaching supervsion. UKland's insistence on facts facts facts, and never mind the principles principles principles would defeat this boy all too often. Once you know how to learn, learning anything is a dawdle. If all you ever learn is how to memorise, you're stuffed. Learning facilitates connection and thus development. Memorising facilitates storage and thus stasis. Respecting the rules would be to give up on learning to learn, I fear.

[wildone]

Wow!

 

A lot of people jumping on teachers based on one sentence in the whole video

 

I believe he said that he was reading an advance journal in biology and the teacher basically confiscated it.

 

Where is the abuse by the teacher? Where is the education system failing him? He dismissed the whole incident as if it was a joke!

 

I respect teachers and what they do. Let's face it, if the teacher stopped his/her lesson with all the other students to 'help facilitate' this genius, then the other 20-30 students parents would be in an uproar over their kid not getting the proper attention. I would never want to be a teacher because there is one fact, every parent has their opinion (and only their opinion) on what the teacher should do. My hats off to the teachers that do teach because it is a thankless profession as proven in this thread by people jumping on the profession for one line out of a interview.

 

Some questions come up, how is his English marks, his social marks, his any other classes marks? Kind of left out of the equation. So I applaud the fact that he has researched and come up with a testing device for cancer which has amazed the scientific and general world, but how is his biology mark?

 

You make it sound like he should skip High School and jump right into University. Well, does he know anything besides identifying cancer cells? Sounds like he would have maybe one class a semester in University then.

 

Personally without any more information, like did the teacher talk to him after class and set out expectations and offer to help him outside of class with his special interest? If he/she did, I bet it would make you all think a whole lot different then what you do without all the information.

 

[/rant]

[Cia]

If you watch the video, it clearly states that he is still going to school. He goes to the lab 'after school' instead of say, a club or a sport. He's good in this one area, he's created a lovely innovation that will really help with the assistance of the lab time he's been allowed. He's still studying regular high school curriculum as far as I could tell. I'm sure it's going to look spectacular on his college applications when he's older though.

[Zombie]

Where is the education system failing him? He dismissed the whole incident as if it was a joke!

 

He found a solution, but that seems to have been down to him and his resourcefulness not the education system.

 

I respect teachers and what they do. Let's face it, if the teacher stopped his/her lesson with all the other students to 'help facilitate' this genius, then the other 20-30 students parents would be in an uproar over their kid not getting the proper attention. I would never want to be a teacher because there is one fact, every parent has their opinion (and only their opinion) on what the teacher should do. My hats off to the teachers that do teach because it is a thankless profession as proven in this thread by people jumping on the profession for one line out of a interview.

 

That's why it was suggested that the education system needs a mechanism to provide for the special needs of exceptional pupils like this, the extra costs bringing future rewards in terms of the contribution he and others like him can make to the knowledge based economy. We know such mechanisms are not in place or, if they do exist, then it is on a piecemeal basis i.e. the luck of the drawer which school you attend / which teacher you have. That is just not acceptable.

 

Some questions come up, how is his English marks, his social marks, his any other classes marks? Kind of left out of the equation. So I applaud the fact that he has researched and come up with a testing device for cancer which has amazed the scientific and general world, but how is his biology mark?

 

Does it matter? Exceptional talent tends to be in one area. The trick is to find it and nurture it. Einstein was a dunce - he failed most of his exams. Did it matter? No because he was a genius at maths and physics.

 

[/rant]

 

Hmm, have to agree

[W_L]

Zombie, are you copying my points from two weeks ago in the Soapbox?

 

I already said my part about education reform and the need for specialized track education, which do not exist by in large around the world.

 

In addition, this kid is like the Mozart of Oncology, why not give him a helping hand? Einstein was great at math and science, but sucked in language and other studies.

 

The only real generalist genius in recorded history without a tint of the religious iconic figure (unless your Dan Brown) was Leonardo Da Vinci and we haven't seen another generalist like him in centuries.

[Y_B]

I now believe the truth in the saying "Those who can do, those who can't teach. "

 

Remember also, those who can't teach, teach gym.

[Gene Splicer PHD]

And those who can't teach gym teach politics

[Zombie]

Zombie, are you copying my points from two weeks ago in the Soapbox?

I already said my part about education reform and the need for specialized track education, which do not exist by in large around the world.

 

Don't get yourself too inflated or you might not fit through the door on your way to the fridge. And no, I've not read your posts. Life's just too short.

[wildone]

Zombie, are you copying my points from two weeks ago in the Soapbox?

 

I already said my part about education reform and the need for specialized track education, which do not exist by in large around the world.

 

In addition, this kid is like the Mozart of Oncology, why not give him a helping hand? Einstein was great at math and science, but sucked in language and other studies.

 

The only real generalist genius in recorded history without a tint of the religious iconic figure (unless your Dan Brown) was Leonardo Da Vinci and we haven't seen another generalist like him in centuries.

 

He found a solution, but that seems to have been down to him and his resourcefulness not the education system.

 

 

 

That's why it was suggested that the education system needs a mechanism to provide for the special needs of exceptional pupils like this, the extra costs bringing future rewards in terms of the contribution he and others like him can make to the knowledge based economy. We know such mechanisms are not in place or, if they do exist, then it is on a piecemeal basis i.e. the luck of the drawer which school you attend / which teacher you have. That is just not acceptable.

 

 

 

Does it matter? Exceptional talent tends to be in one area. The trick is to find it and nurture it. Einstein was a dunce - he failed most of his exams. Did it matter? No because he was a genius at maths and physics.

 

 

 

Hmm, have to agree

 

So him having the choice to go work in a lab after school on weekends, getting scholarships, grants, media attention, and you focus on the teacher that we know absolutely nothing about other than an off the cuff remark by a 15 y/o?

 

I don't see him as a victim here. I don't see the teacher as a bad person here. Why do we have to focus on the teacher and not JUST focus on the amazing discovery he made for oncology?

Edited August 23, 2012 by wildone

[Zombie]

So him having the choice to go work in a lab after school on weekends, getting scholarships, grants, media attention, and you focus on the teacher that we know absolutely nothing about other than an off the cuff remark by a 15 y/o?

 

I don't see him as a victim here. I don't see the teacher as a bad person here. Why do we have to focus on the teacher and not JUST focus on the amazing discovery he made for oncology?

 

Where did I focus on the teacher?

Where did I say the teacher was bad person?

Where did I say he was a victim?

The only issue here is the lack of a process in the education system to identify students like Jack and proactively become involved in developing their exceptional potential instead of just leaving it to chance

[joann414]

Guys, you are beating a dead horse to death here. Quit focusing on the teacher, give the student his due, and be glad that we have young people that are contributing such great things. Get over it. Slap my hands, rant at me, whatever. A teacher is a teacher. A young person with great knowledge is a gift to all of us. Quit swatting at each other.

[W_L]

I hate to say this, but I agree with Zombie, where did I focus on the teacher?

 

I focused on the kid and then I focused on the education system. I come from a family of teachers, who were working under even worse condition during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, so Wildone, I think you misunderstand my point.

[Cia]

Little bees need to agree before this gets moved to the Soapbox. Keep the discourse civil folks. No ranting necessary over this, please.