What should our education system be doing?

Question

What should we do away with? What should we focus on?

Forget about the how. First we have to have an idea. We can problem-solve the how later.

Answer 1

The first idea that comes to my mind is they should do away with using the standardized testing in my state to reward and punish schools with money. Basically what happens is the poor (lower socio-economic schools) do not do well on the testing so they punish them by removing money from the schools and the more affluent (higher socio-economic schools) do well on the testing and they get rewarded with extra money. Of course it probably has nothing to do with the teachers or the schools but more to do with the richer kids having more advantages, more books, etc.

Because of this teachers are as stressed about the test as the students. They also retain some students that do poorly as well, adding to the stress level. Because of this they also tend to teach the test, spending a month or two before the exam just teaching the standardized testing exam which is boring, and probably not as effective as teaching regular subjects: reading, writing, math, etc. I don't think standardized testing is inherently that bad but I would like to see it just used as a diagnostic tool, i.e. these are areas that a student needs to improve on or areas where a student is strong, but I don't know if schools can do that so it might be better to do away with them completely.

I think it would also be nice for students have more time to be in charge of their own learning. I have seen this in some classrooms; well one classroom anyway, and I think it worked well, and that is having children have more choices in their own learning. For example, when doing a book report, children should be able to decide if they want to do a group project or individual project and then what kind of project they want to do: a research paper, a diorama, a presentation, a play, a speech, a debate, a TV commercial, etc. You could also give children more choices in what books they are reading for example. Instead of making the children all read one book, why not give 2 or 3 choices instead? There are so many great books written, why limit children to reading only one book choice?

I think another mistake that the education system is making is mainstreaming all children. I agree with mainstreaming the majority of all children, but they also mainstream emotionally disturbed children that are violent and those that are very disruptive. They say that until someone is hospitalized they have to remain in the classroom. I think this is wrong. I think that if a child is hitting others every day they should not be in a regular classroom until they can behave better (i.e. hitting is infrequent and not daily). I saw a 2nd grader in one classroom (not mine) who was hitting other children every day, every time I saw the child. The guidance counselor would merely talk to him every so often about this. I do not agree with this kind of strategy. I believe some of mainstreaming is done to save money, and hinders the learning process to an amazing amount. I do of course agree with mainstreaming LD children, blind children, deaf children, etc. but I do not agree with mainstreaming violent & disruptive children, until they can show that they are willing to improve their behavior. Plus a regular classroom teacher untrained in Special Education (and they do not provide aides in our state) with 30 children or more will definitely have her teaching impacted if she has a violent and/or disruptive child or two (sometimes 3 or 4).

Answer 2

The education system should be preparing students to be well-rounded citizens, capable of independence and original thought. We are producing a generation of regurgitators; they give back only what they are taught, and have a very difficult time producing new thoughts. Listen to all the "It's too difficult"s and "I don't get it"s. The course material has not changed all that much in fifty years, but how it is presented has changed. Teachers are placed under enormous stress to meet standarized test guidelines that they teach to the test, not having enough time to allow free thought and inspection. Students live in a world that is much more faster and easily accessible; if they cannot find/come up with an answer in a short period of time, they give up.

We should be focusing on mastery of subject matter, not quantity. If a student has difficulty with fractions, he/she cannot be expected to succeed at pre-calculus. If a student has difficulty understanding the causes of the Cold War, they may have difficulty understanding the reasons for the space race as well as the Vietnam and Korean Wars. If a student cannot write a letter with correct grammar, they will have difficulty applying for jobs.

At the same time, information overload will short-circuit anyone's brain, so periods of rest must be instituted. Lunch to refuel, gym to burn energy, art and music to feel creative; these should not be cut back so as to dedicate more time to reaching standardized test guidelines.

Answer 3

I suppose all of it is determined by wherein you are living. In the higher towns matters might not be so well however higher in smaller cities. The smaller cities have shrink scholar populations so that you get extra one on one among the trainer and student. And much less crook affect within the smaller cities as good . Then thats to not say they do not have there disorders or percieved disorders. I think that field has long past down hill within the final two decades or so and I might like to look benefit there. The educating approaches have extended although due to the fact I was once in university and that is well. Students do look to do higher on ordinary right here in comparison to the relaxation of the country. It is OK for scholars to wish in the event that they wish and the Pledge of Alligence is alleged day-to-day on the begin of sophistication with the phrases "one country below God" integrated. Students don't seem to be stimulated to be tolerant of unhealthy behaivor and values. Just record it to an grownup is all. I suppose you already know what I imply on that. There has been a large push to hold the children clear of tobacco, alcohol and medicinal drugs for many years now and that's well. The greatest difficulty perhaps underage ingesting however that has been occurring for the final 60 years or so if no longer longer. I recognise I will certainly not overlook my senoir keg. What a night time that was once. I'm no longer looking to say that underage ingesting is OK nevertheless it does occur. Punishment is extreme for individuals who are stuck giving alcohol to those who find themselves underage. This is Montana and it kind of feels to be facet of the tradition. Where I are living now is likely one of the high-quality areas that I have recognized for elevating youngsters and I might handiest be committing a grave mistake through relocating to a higher town and enrolling my youngsters within the public university approaches you uncover there. I suppose that we're simply extra of the "historic university" method. You need to do the paintings in your possess with out using matters like calculators and such however even as very modern day and updated. So I suppose that I will keep in small the city USA. Montana is the final high-quality position.

Answer 4

It should be educating children.
Start by paying your teacher's decent living wages, then the profession will attract a better class of teacher, and then the education will improve.
Lastly, make parents be responsible for making sure their kids do homework and participate in the schooling.

Answer 5

people should be able to focus on their areas of interests. since that will not happen, then there should be as much focus on the arts as there is the maths, sciences, and languages.

Answer 6

educate us