Outsourcing of math tutoring decried

[question everything]

Outsourcing of math tutoring decried

NEWHOUSE NEWS SERVICE

March 28, 2005

The failure of some American students to master math is adding up to big bucks for tutoring companies in India.

A little-known provision in the federal No Child Left Behind law allows federal taxpayer dollars to flow to online tutoring services several time zones away in places such as New Delhi and Calcutta. Those services typically contract with U.S. tutoring companies, which provide them the computer software and set the lesson plan.

Few would begrudge using public money to give struggling students extra help. But some U.S. teachers decry the offering of instruction to Indian firms that pay full-time, college-educated tutors as little as $230 a month. They also complain that while the law requires teachers to be fully certified, private tutors have no such requirement.

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Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050328/news_1n28tutors.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Good find!

Another little known clause in NCLB says tutoring MUST be offered to kids who score low on proficiency tests in schools that don't meet AYP (proficiency standards). BUT no teachers from schools that don't meet AYP may be hired to tutor. In a large high school, that creates lots of problems.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. I seriously doubt that the method of on line tutoring has much merit

It sounds bogus to me.

[Maple]

4. Most universities

are online. It's been available for years.

It works, and it's popular.

Same with elementary and secondary schools.

[Democrats_win]

3. My under-employed math-major friend would be happy to hear this

His tax dollars, going to pay for this garbage while his job taxes him physically. If he was working in his field, he could've avoided the physical problems.

Raygun-bush-'Merica sux.

[Robert Oak]

5. bogus, about cheap labor

ya know we have people w/ BS and MS in mathematics who can't qualify
to teach...

it's insane. They want that bogus certification/MS in education...

So, all of those out of work computer engineers and techies..
guess what, they couldn't just walk over and get a job teaching math
and science in US schools...when clearly they are the ones who really
"can" because they actually understand their subject matter.

there is no comparison to a BS MA or MS MA degree in terms of actually
knowing "how to do" math versus an "education major" who has a minor
in math.


It's totally ridiculous...they could easily set up online tutoring
with university US mathematics majors if they would only pay
them a decent wage.

Not only that, I have no idea where this idea that someone
with a very thick accent and a different culture is so magically
superior to Americans in mathematics and all Americans "Suck".

It just isn't true..think about who actually built up the US technology revolution only to be paid back by being fired and having their job shipped overseas...
and dream on thinking an Indian is going to be able
to speak any Spanish, never mind just making it through the
accent laden English half a world away.

[Daphne08]

6. I am so damned sick of outsourcing, I could scream!!