[dr_dshiv]

>K-12 education is terrible for most people. You can get far superior education for your children by simply enrolling them in Khan institute and hiring tutors for subjects you are not great on.

I think that is silly. Really silly. You have no evidence for this. Learning is mostly a matter of motivation. It's like assuming that having an encyclopedia could replace instruction.

K12 education is way better than we think it is. It's just in the interest of k12 public education for people to think it is bad, so that it gets more resources. But it is one of the better functioning institutions in America. Much better and more per-dollar efficient at creating public value than the police, military or medical system.

Consider, would you rather have the bottom half of society skip it? I'd be terrified of a less educated populace.

[lazyguy2]

> Learning is mostly a matter of motivation. It's like assuming that having an encyclopedia could replace instruction.

Or instruction can replace motivation...

[gnusty_gnurc]

K-12 in the US was heavily influenced by Prussian ideology, to turn schools into factories of subordinate, authority-fearing citizens. It’s why schools are filled with abusive, inept tyrants that bore kids to tears and often scar them so much that they’ll never take interest in things like math or literature.

[dr_dshiv]

I find arguments like this difficult to argue with since there are so many unfounded assumptions and so little evidence.

But the author of this article took the time to address the rhetoric systematically. http://hackeducation.com/2015/04/25/factory-model

[gnusty_gnurc]

Germany heavily influenced American government and institutions (schooling, esp. the academy which usually ends up pushing cultural changes and crafting institutions when they become administrators) during the 19th up to early 20th century. I think it's short-sighted to say that (which she does in the article you linked) because schools aren't exact replicas of factories, the Prussian influence idea is completely unfounded history.

[noonespecial]

It can, but the exchange rate is terrible.

“I think the big mistake in schools is trying to teach children anything, and by using fear as the basic motivation. Fear of getting failing grades, fear of not staying with your class, etc. Interest can produce learning on a scale compared to fear as a nuclear explosion to a firecracker.”

--Stanley Kubrick

[dr_dshiv]

That is precisely what instruction is for.