If you could reform the education system?

Question

What would you like to see done?

Other than make 16-year olds stay on another 2 years. (what's the point anyway if so many can't do basic maths or spelling by the time they leave now, what good will 2 more years do?
PS. I would like to see school and church seperated and follow the Belgian model from there :-)
Answers on an oversized postcard please :-)

More here on the Belgian system:
http://www.euroeducation.net/prof/belco.htm

One thing not mentioned in the above link is that children get 3 full years of nursery education before they start primary school. Education is compulsory from 3-18. Home-shooling is accepted.

Answer 1

From a parent's perspective, I would like to see grade 6-12 teachers prepare and distribute a syllabus for the course each marking period. It would include key dates and deadlines, scoring rubrics for assignments as well reading assignments. In other words, what college teachers are expected to do for their students.

From an educator's point of view, I would like to see smaller classes in all grade levels, perhaps even as small as 12 students.

Answer 2

These are my top 3 proposaly ideas:

1. make it so that only children who have reached a required standard (top ninety procentiles) in at least three subjects pass each and every year from beginning to end; if you do not pass the year, you do not progress on to the next

2. subjects taught - less emphasis on history & art & music and more on general knowledge (including shopping, debt, the benefits & prison systems, conners & sales tactics, the EU, pregnancy, elections, traffic rules, what different depts of companies do, ... )

3. schools that need help (the bottom 10% in the rankings) get partnered up one-to-one with schools from the top 10% - the pay of the management of the top 10% schools will depend (up to + & - 40%) on how much they can improve their partner-school

Answer 3

There are two major things I would like to see change:

* I think there should be more emphasis on the importance and implementation of proper Language skills & Grammar use. I think students today need to study the history of language and word origins in order to appreciate language, to understand the importance of it, and to value the skill of speaking and writing well.

* Bullying, swearing and negative behaviour should absolutely not be acceptable in schools and this rule should be reinforced by parents out of school.

* Maths. is a highly inportant subject and the curriculum for this should be designed in a way that will motivate students.

I went to a primary school run by nuns as it belonged to the Church. Every morning on entering school the nuns would be in the cloak rooms with their hands behind their backs and in a respectable manner greet each student 'good morning' as they entered and students were expected to reply in the same way. We had to hang our bags and coats, then with a watchful eye on us all, we had to brush our teeth ( just in case one of use "forgot") and wash our hands ( this was done after all meals and snacks too). We then proceed to the main hall for morning assembly. Also, there was even always someone to supervise you walking down the hall way to the lunchroom. I found it a wonderful school. Another three words were alway very important too, please, thank you and excuse me.

For this reason and experience I have to disagree with you on your PS remarks.

I have been able to observe schools in different countries and there is always room for improvements.

Answer 4

I would like to see it get much easier to kick a child out of school who does not want to be there. Schools are full of kids who do not care about anything and have nothing to lose by being disruptive. All it takes is a few in a class to fundamentally change the ability to teach the children who want to be there. If a child has demonstrated by his behavior that he does not value education, immediately get him out of the regular classroom and send him to an alternative school. And if that doesn't work, hand him a broom or shovel and put him to work.

I realize this sounds barbaric, but it breaks my heart to see children who want to learn just sitting there while the teacher spends most of the time with the discipline of a few incorrigibles.

Answer 5

Can't be done until America gets rid of the teachers' union.

Then, let's track students. Steer some toward vocational schooling, others to academic and professional training.

Not all students in America are college material even though we try for 100% enrollment in college after graduation. What a waste of time and innate talent.

Answer 6

There is a gross shortage of male teachers in Primary education. This is particularly disadvantages for boys, because they have no role models. This problem is made more acute if the child comes from a single parent (female) family. Moreover, the problem for boys is further aggravated by the presence of left wing feminist teachers who pursue their own agenda. The detrimental effects of this are underlined by the relatively poor performance of boys in recent years. Clearly, course work and the feminisation of the syllabus, including the removal of competitive sport and competition are major contributing factors.

Prior to the introduction of multiculturalism, Christian values automatically informed the moral values/ethos of the school without the need to be over doctrinal in teaching these values. Multiculturalism doesn't work, and is simply confusing children regarding their own culture.

Answer 7

I would allow kids that were less academic to opt to do vocational training instead of GCSE's - ie start training in plumbing, motor engineering, etc. Why force kids to do something they can't see the point in? They'll only skive off school and hang round shopping centres. If they are allowed to pick something that actually interests them they may feel better inclined to attend school. It would also improve the self-esteem of young people (to find something they're good at) and solve the nation-wide skills shortage (I have to wait six months for a plasterer!)
I would also bring back apprenticeships.

Answer 8

Re-introduction of the Grammar School
Re-introduction of Technical School.
Abolition of the Comprehensive System.
Subjects to be taught:-
English (Language & Literature)
Mathematics
Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
Geography
History
Languages (French, German, Spanish, Latin & Greek)
Music
Religion
P.T. & Games
Woodwork
Metalwork
Art

Abolition of the Co-ed system. Teenagers be they girls or boys distract one another.

A sense of belonging to a school, and the 'House' System
to provide a competitive edge.

A social awareness and good manners.

Answer 9

In Britain I would see that they allow students more of a choice over what they learn so that children can make more use of what they are good at. I would also see that uniforms are abolished. Despite what the government continually says, uniforms only seek to distract kids from learning because they are not in clothes they are comfortable in, and from experience it seems that teachers are often more interested in how the uniform looks and less interested in what the children are learning.
Lastly, I would create a system that would allow children to give feedback on their teachers. There were several teachers I had that I felt were inadequate and had to teach myself their subjects because they weren't teaching me what I needed. Since the teachers at my school ignored my complaints, I feel that children should be able to say what they feel about the quality of their learning and know they are being heard.

Answer 10

Less formal at early years stage to facilitate the growing child's individual needs