Education in DR vs. US

[Randall Bell]

People seem to forget that some of the great geniuses of the past 500 years excelled outside of a formal school setting. I'm reminded of the story of Bertrand Russel, who was educated at home by a series of different tutors.

If you're worried about your child missing out on 'social' skills by being in the DR and away from school in America, trust me (and I'm sure everyone here can vouch for this), after a few years here playing with neighbors kids and other kids around the block and integrating with DR culture for a few years, your kid will be more social and less shy than being hustled from one antiseptic scheduled playdate to another in America.

If you decide to live in a more 'rural' setting here, it will be even more enjoyable...

 

[DRob]

People seem to forget that some of the great geniuses of the past 500 years excelled outside of a formal school setting. I'm reminded of the story of Bertrand Russel, who was educated at home by a series of different tutors.

If you're worried about your child missing out on 'social' skills by being in the DR and away from school in America, trust me (and I'm sure everyone here can vouch for this), after a few years here playing with neighbors kids and other kids around the block and integrating with DR culture for a few years, your kid will be more social and less shy than being hustled from one antiseptic scheduled playdate to another in America.

If you decide to live in a more 'rural' setting here, it will be even more enjoyable...

I've often noted, with a mixture of amusement and concern, how the people who say you can't throw money at education are invariably the ones who overpay for the privilege of living in a neighborhood with a "good" school, and enroll their kids in expensive private schools and tutoring facilities. What they're really saying is "you can't throw MY money at other kids' educations."

@ Randall - Bertrand Russell was the son of wealthy aristocrats, who could afford highly educated, world-class tutors. That's a bit different from an average Joe or Jane contemplating home schooling. You can't even begin to realistically compare the two. Even if you could, Russell stated on numerous occasions how depressed he was from his isolationism (sorry, I'm trying to remember studying the guy several decades ago, but that was the jist of it.)

Back on topic: I don't think people who only know carpentry should teach cardiology (or vice-versa), or experts in Manchurian automatically know much about auto mechanics. Effective teaching is a skill that goes beyond "read this chapter, then tell me what you think about it." Most of my public school teachers had advanced degrees and/or were constantly updating their understanding or skills. That's what dedicated professionals (versus the stereotypes we read too much about) do.

Homeschooling also runs the danger of how to handle it when a student reaches the limits of their parent's knowledge (which happens faster than most people's egos are willing to accept.) For example, I have substantial understanding about history, politics, and law, but am at a complete loss when it comes to trigonometry. Do I focus on what I know, and hope Junior "figures out the rest," if there's no engineer with time, patience and interest to put him on the right track?

Properly educating a child is a substantial undertaking. It requires several successive teams of dedicated professional teachers, fully engaged parents, and more than a little bit of life experience. Any short cuts come to the detriment of the child, who will shortly find him-or-herself competing against children from around the world who have been meticulously educated.

Advice to the OP - find the finest school you can afford, and be prepared to heavily supplement with your own efforts. The Pythagorean Theorem is exactly what it was back in Jr. High.

 

[bob saunders]

Have you met ANYONE in the DR who is aware of the idea of using a capital letter at the beginning of a sentence and a period at the end?
Der Fish

Yes, many. Perhaps you need to hang with a better crowd!

 

[Criss Colon]

But,I KNOW,that you have never met a Dominican who knows when to use a "V",and when to use a "B"!
They are not interchangeable.
They also leave off the "H" in words like "-otel",and "Yo -e echo'!
And I'm talking teachers!
Just making a point,they can dance really well!
I can't spell,or dance!
CC

 

[pi2]

I've often noted, with a mixture of amusement and concern, how the people who say you can't throw money at education are invariably the ones who overpay for the privilege of living in a neighborhood with a "good" school, and enroll their kids in expensive private schools and tutoring facilities. What they're really saying is "you can't throw MY money at other kids' educations."

@ Randall - Bertrand Russell was the son of wealthy aristocrats, who could afford highly educated, world-class tutors. That's a bit different from an average Joe or Jane contemplating home schooling. You can't even begin to realistically compare the two. Even if you could, Russell stated on numerous occasions how depressed he was from his isolationism (sorry, I'm trying to remember studying the guy several decades ago, but that was the jist of it.)

Back on topic: I don't think people who only know carpentry should teach cardiology (or vice-versa), or experts in Manchurian automatically know much about auto mechanics. Effective teaching is a skill that goes beyond "read this chapter, then tell me what you think about it." Most of my public school teachers had advanced degrees and/or were constantly updating their understanding or skills. That's what dedicated professionals (versus the stereotypes we read too much about) do.

Homeschooling also runs the danger of how to handle it when a student reaches the limits of their parent's knowledge (which happens faster than most people's egos are willing to accept.) For example, I have substantial understanding about history, politics, and law, but am at a complete loss when it comes to trigonometry. Do I focus on what I know, and hope Junior "figures out the rest," if there's no engineer with time, patience and interest to put him on the right track?

Properly educating a child is a substantial undertaking. It requires several successive teams of dedicated professional teachers, fully engaged parents, and more than a little bit of life experience. Any short cuts come to the detriment of the child, who will shortly find him-or-herself competing against children from around the world who have been meticulously educated.

Advice to the OP - find the finest school you can afford, and be prepared to heavily supplement with your own efforts. The Pythagorean Theorem is exactly what it was back in Jr. High.

Crazy post : many people were educacated in GB in the last century in Board Schools. Senior pupils educated the junior ones. Classes like at my primary and secondary school were 50-100.

In the last but one century great engineers, doctors etc. were educated. Mostly at home :

My parents could not be bothered with education. That was the function of libraries: now the internet.

Highly educated people? it is proven supposedly educated people from Harvard etc. ruin the planet. What education did the Wright brothers have? People educated in universities etc. just want to wage wars and hold back humanity!

pi2


pi2

 

[Criss Colon]

The bar must have opened early today!
CC

 

[london777]

My parents could not be bothered with education.

You surprise me!

 

[Criss Colon]

Isn't it obvious???
CC

 

[Reasonable Man]

I'm in my senior year of college, and have been double majoring in Political Science, and Economics. I go to a well known university in New York City. When I visit cousins, and friends in Santo Domingo, and see the work they're doing in their college courses at whatever private or public school they attend, it amazes me. In my opinion the quantity of work giving in Dominican Universities far outweighs anything I've done in my four years of college, but the quality of work is that of a fourth grade level. From what I've seen it's basically a boat load, of easy minimal task. It's shocking that they are giving work that requires about 3 seconds of thought to determine the answer, the amount of work is a bit overkill from what I've seen, but the actual difficult level is laughable.

 

[Criss Colon]

Almost all schools and universities in the DR are "For Profit".
That means,almost everyone gets "IN",and then you are promoted,as long as you continue to pay!
The "Degree" is nothing but a piece of paper,that in no way indicates that you are qualified nto do anything.
It doesn't really matter,because in the DR,it's,"Who You Know",not What You Know",that gets you a job!
But they really love calling each other "Licenciado"!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

 

[DRob]

Crazy post : many people were educacated in GB in the last century in Board Schools. Senior pupils educated the junior ones. Classes like at my primary and secondary school were 50-100.

Sounds like the general plots of Oliver Twist and Lord of the Flies.

In the last but one century great engineers, doctors etc. were educated. Mostly at home :

Those professors at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Princeton must have been awfully bored. Public school education was popularized in the last century and a half, to compensate for the fact that it takes an intelligent mind to operate equipment in a post-industrial revolution world. But home-schooling in the sense you're referring to (no highly educated parents or tutors) is often a recipe for utter disaster in the real, modern world.

My parents could not be bothered with education.

NO?! Seriously? What a shocker!

That was the function of libraries: now the internet.

Locating snippets on the internet is not the same as thorough research generated from a thought-provoking premise or theorem. If you just google stuff, you get disparate, often incoherent bits of unverified or otherwise-useless tripe masquerading as information. For an example, look at most of your postings.

Highly educated people? it is proven supposedly educated people from Harvard etc. ruin the planet. What education did the Wright brothers have? People educated in universities etc. just want to wage wars and hold back humanity!

That is, I believe, exactly what the Unabomber said. aranoid:aranoid:aranoid:

Many people without degrees have provided significant contributions to society, but it says something that the majority of people on the planet understand that education is key to improving both themselves and society in general.

True, some have abused their educational gifts, but you're in the wrong place if you think you're going to get away with a notion that formal education = universal suffering. It is one of the most powerful tools for furthering and bettering humanity.

I so appreciate the sense of "balance" you provide this site....

pi2


pi2[/QUOTE]

 

[nyc dad]

Ok then,long shot here,so...there's no enrichment or gifted programs in THE DR??? or the only enrichment is for the school's bank account and my money a gift to them????