Rallying Point:The Laura Bush School of Education

[Stallion]

I've had to live with uniformed, naive SMU fans for 10 years spout this crap and I've had enough. I outlined every single major change that needed to be made in this program 10 years ago and have caught hell from a lot more informed fans than you because of it. There is not a point on that list of changes that I haven't backed up with hundreds of factual informative posts that support the needed changes. Today for the first time in 20 years we had a Head Coach of a major sport stand up and clearly state that SMU has handicapped this program from competing with its opponents. "Let's not kid ourselves. "Hell he almost used my words. And yet you disagree in your 15th post on Ponyfans-or did you change your name because its obvious you are prejudiced against Phil Bennett.

[PK]

Here you go Stallion...read it yourself if you can dislodge your head from your own hindquarters:

http://www.smu.edu/teacher_education/un ... cation.asp

They even provide a Physical Education major at the post graduate level...imagine that.

[Stallion]

well you can dress a pig up for Christmas but that don't make him Santa Claus. The Emperor Is Not Wearing Any Clothes-you heard it today. Orsini will hear it from Coaching candidates-you might want to look past window dressing.

[PK]

It's there dude...call it what makes you happy. It may have not been there last year, but it is there now. Live with it.

[SMUer]

Again, what I am saying is NOT an opinion. If you or anyone would call SMU and ask about their EDU program...or if you would go to their website, you would find that the program is already in place just as I have stated. Again, it's not an opinion. It's not a wish of mine. It's not a fantasy. It's not my bias against Phil. It is what is already actually there. It's real. I have no idea why Bennett didn't know/ignored talking about it at the press conference. I have no idea why Orsini didn't correct him after he said that. But its there.

[Stallion]

Live with the fact you(PK) have been one of the biggest apologists for this program on this board for years-and today you can't face the fact that 18 years after the DP the same problems which you and your buddies insisted for years didn't exist- in fact still do.

[Stallion]

As pointed out by another poster in another thread:

"At SMU, students do not major in education. Rather, they pursue a program of work which includes an academic major as well as the various other requirements for a degree."

During the press conference, this has been identified as a continuing problem by Bennett and conceded to by Orsini by stating they have timeline for implementation of additional changes.

[SMUer]

It's like the PreMed program at SMU. There is no PreMed major but there is a program, curriculum and staff designed to prepare students for Med School. In fact, it's better than SMU's PreMed program because it has a graduate program connected to it and SMU itself can offer higher degress in EDU if a student desires that (SMU has no graduate Medical program. A EDU major by itself just as good as any other liberal arts major. In all schools, the degree is simply meant to prepare a student for the cert. exams and it is those exams, not the major, that qualifies you as a teacher. It's an excellent program and I don't understand why Orsini and Bennett wouldn't jump at the opportunity to mention whenever a student expresses interest in education.

[jtstang]

Teacher Certification is not a degree program.

[PK]

Live with the fact you(PK) have been one of the biggest apologists for this program on this board for years-and today you can't face the fact that 18 years after the DP the same problems which you and your buddies insisted for years didn't exist- in fact still do.

I admitted a long time ago that many if not most of the SMU fans including me were not aware of the rediculous restrictions placed upon our athletic programs after the DP...especially football and bball. Since becoming aware of the problem, I have rarely disagreed with you on those points.

The fact is that SMU does have a program in place now by which an SMU student athlete who wants to become a teacher in order to be eligible to coach in a school district can do so. It is also a fact that this is a fairly recent program, but it is still interesting that the AD and coaches do not seem to know about it. Regardless, you can scratch that problem off your list and lets work on the remaining real problems such as accepting transfer hours and making our admission policies for athletes in line with other schools we compete against.

[Alaric]

How can you read with your head up your [deleted]?

Jesus christ think you can make a point and then defend it without trying to tear someone to shreds? If you're right, and he's wrong, then put it in a newsletter. Write a book. Publish it. Email someone who cares. Hijack a TV news network and broadcast it on the air. Stop stripping down these "poor insignificant" people because he's trying to make a point.

Say you're wrong, then put a fact after it.

Stallion only has to have one opinion to think everyone else is an idiot

[jtstang]

The fact is that SMU does have a program in place now by which an SMU student athlete who wants to become a teacher in order to be eligible to coach in a school district can do so. It is also a fact that this is a fairly recent program, but it is still interesting that the AD and coaches do not seem to know about it. Regardless, you can scratch that problem off your list and lets work on the remaining real problems such as accepting transfer hours and making our admission policies for athletes in line with other schools we compete against.

Bennett and Orsiini were talking about cirriculum yesterday, an undergraduate degree in education, not a teacher certification program. You can get certified, but if you have to major in nuclear physics to do it a lot of athletes aren't going to be interested.

[mrydel]

Let me ask this just out of curiosity. My first ex-wife is an SMU alum. She obtained a degree in education, and became a teacher. Does anyone know if we had the undergraduate degree available in the past (1968-1972 was our era), and subsequently did away with it, or would she have had to go through the process then as you do now?

If it was available to all in the past I see no reason why the Board should be unwilling to reinstate it the way it was in the past.

[Pony94]

I am convinced Stallion is the only person on here that really knows anything for certain. Everyone else only has the knowledge that is their own perception and since it is their own perception, it cannot be known by any one else, therefore, it cannot be true.

It amazes me, even when you try to present FACTUAL evidence of changes that have been made, Stallion claims it to be false.

Does SMU need to ensure we are on even footing with all other schools we truly wish to compete with, as it comes to attracting student athletes?

Yes, we do.

Has SMU made strides to meet this challenge?

Yes, we have and many have been detailed in various posts, such as the Education Program, lessening of recruiting restrictions, upgrade of facilities, improvement of an already "World Class" Learning Enhancement Center, etc. Any one else with more, please add to this list.

I think many people have agreed with Stallion's statements, but I, as do others, do not feel any other recruiting "disadvantages" have resulted in this years 1-7 record.

Stallion has continued to point to the fact that we can't get the athletes that other schools do, yet, please look at our results

2007
Texas Tech 49-9 - Yes, we were out matched
UNT 45-31 - Thank God we won this one
ARk State 45-31 - We competed and it should have been closer than the score shows
TCU 21-7 - Could have won this one
UTEP 48-45 - Should have won
So Miss 28-7 - Competed, and it should have been closer
Tulane 41-34 - Should have won
Tulsa 29-23 - Should have won


I would go into last year's results, but I think you get the point, we are competing. We are not getting destroyed by "better" athletes. As many close games as we have played in the last two years, I feel it shows our athletes can compete. To be polite, I will refrain from overtly stating my thoughts as to our record, but it is not solely because our "Model" is broken.

Stallion...tone it down, you are not 100% wrong, but changes have already been made to implement some of what you espouse. And I am sure Orsini and Turner will continue to read PF for additional changes that you have suggested.

[PK]

Teacher Certification is not a degree program.

You are correct, but if you read the material I referenced, it states clearly that "No Texas college or university that offers teacher education actually certifies students to teach. Individuals are certified by SBEC by earning a baccalauteate degree and passing two exams." and "Thus, teacher education programs provide courses that both integrate the educator standards specified by SBEC and prepare teacher candidates for the various TExES examinations."

SMU does not have an "Education Major", but does have an education program that leads to the ability to become a teacher. Just go back and read the whole item I linked above.