TED Community » Daniel Sobajian

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• A reply on Conversation: Would US schools be better off adopting the educational systems of our contenders?

  Apr 6 2011: I understand your point. The problem with our capitalistic society is that it is very cyclical. Improving issue A affects issue B which affects issue C. I don't know how America should improve upon making sure everyone is satisfied in this money-making process. The problem is that the government can't be to active or to passive. I think everyone needs to come together and think about an option where everyone is going to successful. As you said in your response, many of your high school friends would be satisfied living on welfare. Who's pocket is welfare coming out of? The government can only tax hard-working individuals so much (and I consider myself more liberal on most issues). Taking money away from taxpayers is only going to hurt the American people more. I am not advocating the abolishment of welfare. However, capitalism relies on a perfect balance that allows company A, B, and C to flourish ( as well as the government). In our system the government is basically just a major company that acts as the middleman. Opening up more trade schools would hurt the middleman which would hurt companies fighting for business.

• A comment on Conversation: Teachers are called not hired.

  Apr 5 2011: As a High School student, I believe teachers are undervalued and harangued by much of society. The majority of my teachers work hard and are very bright individuals who bring a sense of optimism into the classroom. Teachers are constantly bombarded with complaints from parents and are inundated with problems from students and teachers alike. Unfortunately, teachers don't control state requirements and can't change the curriculum to fit each individuals needs. I think society as a whole should have more respect for the effort most teachers put in on a daily basis. Teachers work for decades and receive pensions once they put in 30+ years of teaching. I understand that most people don't receive pensions once they retire. However, more generous teacher pensions were created to attract more intelligent individuals. Shouldn't intelligent individuals who go into an undervalued career get a satisfactory pension? Teachers are rewarded by the government for making the difference in the lives of hundreds of kids. The problem is not the pension. The problem (particularly in California) is that states are taking away millions of dollars from education. As a result, many young and enthusiastic teachers are being fired. I feel like many of the younger teachers are more personable and technologically adept. This year, 15 of my teachers were pink slipped. Many of them won't be coming back next year. Collective bargaining is truly a shame. The most talented teachers in the classroom should get to keep their jobs regardless of their stature. To see many of the intellectually stimulating teachers leave is a shame. The public education system is falling apart. I told my parents that in 20 years public education will be a thing of the past.

• A comment on Conversation: Would US schools be better off adopting the educational systems of our contenders?

  Apr 5 2011: On a side note: Where do you want to go to college? I have considered going to UT Austin. It looks like a school with stellar departments and there seem to be job growth in Austin? Am I right. I don't live in Texas so I have no clue. But, I have read Businessweek articles that give UT Austin and the city itself high marks.

• A reply on Conversation: Would US schools be better off adopting the educational systems of our contenders?

  Apr 5 2011: My trade school theory is below.

• A reply on Conversation: Would US schools be better off adopting the educational systems of our contenders?

  Apr 5 2011: I have a feeling America is going to go green pretty soon. Therefore, your friends who are going to work in oil refineries will need to have more skills. For the time being, working for the oil refineries is a fine job. However, I already see the U.S. turning green. You should read Thomas L. Friedman's The World is Flat, Hot, and Crowded. Friedman talks about the future of the green economy and how it will shape infrastructure. Being a native of Texas, I am sure many of your classmates desire to work for the oil refineries. However, at least in my humble opinion, the Middle East is so unstable the U.S. is going to turn away from oil and become energy dependent. I know the U.S. has plenty of oil. However, as my AP U.S. teacher was telling me, the U.S. wants to be the last country on the planet with oil so they control the global market. The reason the U.S. isn't energy dependent already is because the U.S. is rich in petroleum.

• A comment on Conversation: Would US schools be better off adopting the educational systems of our contenders?

  Apr 5 2011: Re-opening trade schools is a great idea in theory. However, economically it would kill Universities and change the global marketplace. Universities make thousands of dollars off students each year. With this money, they pay thousands of faculty members and employees. Losing thousands of kids to trade schools each year would not only kill Universities revenue (which is used to pay not only faculty and employees, but also to fund athletic teams) but would also destroy test evaluation and tutoring businesses who make millions of dollars off apprehensive High School students. The College Board would be put out of business and test preparation centers would be abolished. Teachers who oversee or proctor these tests would lose money and Universities would lose not only tuition money, but also application money. Universities, would miss the 50-100 dollars they charge to read applications. Trade schools would allow more kids to go straight into the workforce. However, at least in America, the work force is really diminished. Most jobs have been moved overseas. Cheap labor overseas is much more economically affordable for entrepreneurs looking to grow their business. Why pay an American minimum wage when you can pay someone overseas a dollar a day. As a result, re-opening more trade schools is not the answer. The future job market for Americans is going to be based around the Technological Revolution and social media boom. Many Americans will be working for companies such as Apple and Facebook. The positions they will need to fill will include marketing, design, filming, and broadcasting. Basically, kids will be either engineers or social media junkies. That is why I believe we need to offer classes that revolve around social media. Many High School students will end up working for sites such as TED as bloggers and organizers. What do you want to do in the future? Medicine and engineering will always be lucrative careers. However, careers in social media are booming.

• A reply on Conversation: Would US schools be better off adopting the educational systems of our contenders?

  Apr 5 2011: I am a frustrated High School Junior who realizes the material we are learning is useless. Through student, parent, and teacher feedback I have come to realize that no one approves of the current system in use. I have read an abundance of articles by scholarly faculty as well as renowned authors and entrepreneurs. Through my readings and observations I have come to realize that discipline problems are common, diversity in students is ignored, and grades are assigned based on test performance rather than knowledge displayed or improvement made. Doesn't this sound irrational? Do employers assign grades to workers? Are workers completely ignored by employers? Is diversity in the global marketplace ignored? Is collaboration with fellow employees discouraged? The current school system is in dire need of remodeling and only active students and teachers can lead the charge. Students are responsible and adept enough to create their own curriculums. I have researched several experimental schools that have implemented many 21st century ideals and concepts into its curriculum. Additionally, I have read about Private schools offering digital media enhancement classes and TED talk evaluations. Have you heard of such? Where do you go to school? What are your thoughts? I suggest reading Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers and listening to Ken Robinson's TED talks. Outliers (also known as successful people) differentiate themselves from the rest of the world. Outliers are creative, passionate, personable, and divergent thinkers. Does school teach you how to be creative? Has Ancient Roman history taught you how to be passionate? Has your math teacher taught you how to be personable? Has your principal taught you how to be a divergent thinker? Have you tried coming up with a 100 ways to use a paper clip lately?
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  A comment on Conversation: Would US schools be better off adopting the educational systems of our contenders?

  Apr 5 2011: A new curriculum based around the Technological Revolution would be a dramatic change from the industrialized model that is currently in use. A new technological curriculum would abandon the current textbook-driven, teacher-centered, paper and pencil curriculum that has proven to be unsuccessful and inadequate in preparing students to solve 21st century problems. Experts agree almost unanimously that young people aren't receiving the necessary skills to flourish in the 21st century marketplace. As Robert F. Duvall, President and CEO of the Council for Economic Education says, "We teach things, subject matter, but we don't teach how to think, that is, to analyze and synthesize novelty." Education will continue to fall apart if students, teachers, and parents don't stand up and take action. Taking action is leadership and thinking outside of the box is divergent thinking. Psychologists have proven that divergent thinking is more crucial than useless learned knowledge. Students can't be taught how to think. Rather, students need to think how to learn. Schools have an archaic curriculum that focuses on memorizing facts and forgetting them instead of learning. We need to get rid of the rigid rules, restrictions, and requirements that are discouraging creativity and allow students to create their own curriculum. Every individual thinks differently and should learn meaningful information in a way that is easy for them to comprehend and attain. Technology is the future and should be utilized in the classroom. Additionally, course titles need to be changed to fit today's global marketplace. Students don't need to learn about the history of feudal Europe in 3rd grade, 7th grade, and 10th grade. The problem with the current curriculum is that information is constantly repeated (and most of it is useless anyways). Learning how to create a product that utilizes technology through the sharing of ideas is far more important. I suggest reading Outliers and The World is Flat.

• A reply on Conversation: How can we empower kids to reshape the education system? *A TEDActive Education Project Question*

  Apr 5 2011: In the U.S. people make money based on how hard they are to replace. It is much easier to replace Middle School and High School teachers than reality T.V. stars and C.E.O's. America doesn't value education due to the fact that being more educated doesn't mean nearly as much. All of my High School teachers can be replaced in a matter of seconds.

• A reply on Conversation: How can we empower kids to reshape the education system? *A TEDActive Education Project Question*

  Apr 5 2011: If you look at the faculty at elite Private High schools in affluent areas you will laugh. Many of them are P.H.D's and 90 % of them went to an Ivy League school.