If you were able to make changes in the United States education system, what exactly would you do?

Answer 1

First, I would increase the number of school days from the current average of ~180 to ~220 making school virtually year round, with 4 - two week breaks between terms. Second, I would reduce class size. No more than 15 students per teacher, K -6. No more than 20, 7th - 12th grade. I would teach more subjects on life skills, and allow more subject specialization in 9th - 12th grade (to train in specific trades).

Answer 2

I would change the way the education system teaches our children. First of all, every child no matter the race would be able to get the best education at an affordable price. It is hard to make a living in the United States. The prices are ridiculous. I want more affordable housing. Help the low income families instead of always helping the people more that put themselves on drugs. In the United States there are more drug programs then programs that can help low income families like myself.

Answer 3

I would pay teachers more. They are so important in this world, and by not paying enough money to the right people, we get what we pay for. All through out my schooling I've had some really crappy teachers, people I can't believe they even allow in that level of a class, let alone teach the class. I had a humanities teacher in college who couldn't finish a sentence without saying "UM", 10 times! And I'm not even exagerating either which is the sad thing.
My math teacher last semester was new to this country, and she was nice and all, but could barely speak English- no one could understand her!
And not only do we need teachers who know what they're doing, we need passionate teachers who love what they do! Inspiring teachers are so rare, and it's great when you find them, but there needs to be more. I've also seen so many teachers who just seem to hate their job.
And don't you think they would be a little happier with a few extra (deserved) 0's in their paycheck?
I also agree with that guy who mentioned teaching real world skills, that is such an important thing that schools seem to skip. I mean- I can do an algebra problem without thinking, but ask me what 15% of $25 is, or what 82+143 is, I would hesitate a second. It's so important we have those basics and know how to use them as tools.

Answer 4

I would revamp the "No child left behind" program. In my opinion the only thing this ridiculous (and pathetically underfunded) program has done is to dumb down the entire educational system. Now that the effectiveness of a school is measured by test scores, the focus (read: tunnel-vision) is on making sure that the scores are high. What this has done is to make the talented students mediocre and the struggling students appear "normal". Are the teachers really "teaching"? No. Are the exceptional children flourishing? No. Have we managed to make everyone feel good about themselves and maintain their "self-esteem"? Absolutely. Unfortunately it has come at the expense of the students who will most likely be running this country in the future.

Answer 5

I would give teachers the autonomy and the authority to teach more creatively--using rhymes, marching, singing, whatever de-emphasizes memorizing the material and emphasizes the students absorbing it and owning it. So many times in working with students I find they are able to spit back answers to me verbatim from text books and work sheets, but they don't make the connections, they don't understand WHY; for example, student's don't make the connection that while the United States struggled with the Great Depression, Europe and Asia did on their own soil, too, and in different ways; students seem to be aghst that there were factors that evolved into WWII (in my experience) and that the United States entered the war quite late in terms of when it had began (for example, the invasions had begun as early as 1931 on European soil and the U.S. had not become involved until 1941). To me, it is important that the students understand how subjects accross the cirriculm fit together and build on eachother is much more important than what they score on a test.

Answer 6

gotta haves
MAKE IT LONGER! the days where you could get all you needed in 4 years of highschool are over people, get a clue!

We need to rethink the way we do that, in a growing information age, there is just too much to learn without extending grade school, highschool and college. We learn in an outdated structure and system, thats been the same for 100 years.

If we want our society to catch up lets get started and expand the way we think, the way we learn and the time it takes to do that. The best education you can get today, still leaves you lacking, and at some point you have to think about expansion!

Grade school, should be 14 grades with summer school
Jr. High and Highschools everywhere should be at least one year longer befor you get to college.

College degree programs should be at least 1 year longer, even a basic degree, with Internships accross the board, starting in Jr. High, and ongoing untill graduation.

Interns, Interns, Interns, its rediculous to think that any business today expects new hires to just walk in without prior knowlege, its time to kick down with the training and make it available to Older Americans too! If we expand our education, we should expand that accross the board to include, re-entry Adults, and Older Adults, after all, Education is a Lifelong process, it doesnt end when you graduate.

Answer 7

The first thing I would do is to get rid of tenure. I was appalled at the number of teachers we encountered when our children were in public school who should have never, ever become teachers! Even when a certain 4th grade teacher was so awful that almost all the parents complained to the principal we were told nothing could be done. She wasn't new to teaching, but it was her first year in our school district. It was easily the most miserable year of school my son had. Tenure gets in the way of being able to dismiss bad teachers.

I would recognize that students learn in different ways. That a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work.

When a student is suspended they should have to come to school and sit. Period. No out-of-school suspension. Only in-school. Why should they be out running around and having fun when suspension is punishment for wrongdoing?

When awards are given, recognize those students who have worked hard for their grades, even if they aren't As. Perhaps their very best is a B or C. Everyone who works hard deserves a pat on the back.

Answer 8

Let teachers teach--don't make teaching about politics! Children who can't read won't read any better because the building has ice cream sales to raise money to buy new cutesy pictures for the school lobby when the library doesn't have books (or almost none). Use the money to buy books and make them available to the students, allow the kids to read something that they are interested in--don't make it a chore (don't make them log page numbers every day or give a bad grade to students who don't read as fast or don't keep a neat reading log--don't make it work, make it enjoyable--make it fun!!!!
Back the teachers up when the students act up--if a child curses or refuses to stay in the classroom (middle school) or threatens another student (or the teacher)--do something about it and don't back down because it's not politically correct!!!
Quit insisting the only measure of whether a child is learning is the ability to regurgitate word-for-word memorized answers to questions on standardized tests! Let teachers teach children to THINK and UNDERSTAND--not just parrot the "right" answers back without having any understanding of WHY!

Answer 9

I would make the parents become more involved. So many parents leave it to the schools and teachers to raise there kids. I think parents should be a mandatory active role in the academics of the child. I don't mean by just making sure they attend school. I mean involving the parents in the year to year development with their children. Teachers have no way to know how and if the parents are reinforcing what they teach. If parents show there support and interest in the education of their children. I think the children and the schools would at least match their effort.

Answer 10

build more schools, hire more teachers. Work one on one with each student, make learning fun, make schools learn at your own pace, help parents educate the kids by educating themselves. Children who are smart but still need help are at a disadvantage if the parents don't have a clue as to how to help. Get parents more involved, give children a mentor at school and at home if parents are not an option. Provide lunch and uniforms so that kids don't have the chioce of picking junk over nutrition and don't have to stress about having the $95 jeans like their friend who wore them the day before. Take the pressure off kids to compete with one another. Compitition is good but only to a point.