"Education reform": ideas sought

[steve2470]

I've been reading the media and threads here about "education reform" for weeks. I'd like to hear from teachers and educators on what should be done, if anything. My son is in 9th grade now, so this is quite relevant to me. Thanks for your time in advance !

[snot]

1. K&R'd; good question.

I have my own ideas but I'm not a teacher, am very interested in teachers' responses.

[MatthewStLouis]

2. Education starts at home: it's all about the parents.

I am sure there are some things that can be done at school, but in my opinion, way too much emphasis/blame is placed on teachers and their performance. If students aren't interested in school (because parents aren't interested), they aren't going to succeed in school. It doesn't matter who the teacher is. Parents: take an interest in learning and pass that interest on to your children!

[steve2470]

3. I agree completely nt

[liskddksil]

4. My ideas for actual education reforms

-A national curriculum, designed by teachers and experts within each subject field which includes mandated social studies, history, arts, music, and sciences classes in elementary and Jr/Sr. high school.
-The teaching of science and social-science research fundamentals, and the utilization of team-taught or multidisciplinary classes (where students can connect themes within different subjects), to encourage the development of critical thinking skills, and preparing them for liberal-arts oriented courses in college.
-Caps on most class-sizes of about 20 for elementary school and 30 for secondary school.
-Some sort of revenue sharing system to level the playing-field between wealthy districts and those without a strong tax-base.

[damntexdem]

5. Some thoughts:

1. pay teachers more
2. respect teachers as valuable parts of society
3. get rid of NCLB
4. respect thought and intellectual activity
5. better fund schools -- don't make teachers spend own money on supplies & activities
6. have a national curriculum
7. insist that good science be taught, including evolution
8. reduce class sizes
9. recognize that different kids have different learning styles and teach accordingly

Societal reform to improve education:
1. parents ensure that kids do homework
2. parents take active interests in their kids' schools
3. parents talk to, read to, and discuss issues with their kids
4. politicians stop attacking teachers, public schools, and intellectual activity
5. fully fund higher education, reducing or eliminating tuition

[BanzaiBonnie]

6. I appreciate the specificity of your list

I'm not in the profession of teaching, although my background is in ECE and I raised four daughters.

My addition to all the other suggestions would be that teachers be trained in Marshal Rosenberg's non-violent communication (NVC).

I know, one more thing... This would help the teachers in so many ways; from classroom management issues to their own emotional support. When teachers know how to meet THEIR needs it will help them stay connected with the reasons why they became a teacher to begin with. Keep your innocent joy for working with our young people.

[montanto]

7. My idea comes out of large school, low income, inner city settings:

We know we can't get parents to take responsibility for raising their own, so let's not hold our breath. The most effective approach that I have been a part of is allowing teachers at grade level, lets say grade nine, to collaborate to create interdisciplinary units, and an integrated grade level approach to "whole" curricula. Teacher collaboration helps in many ways. The student's get a sense that their teachers are working together to help them, it removes the sense of anonymity that allows some students to either "fall through the cracks" or simply goof off with impunity, it creates a family atmosphere where there is often no real family support. When the English teacher says "I hear you aren't doing so well in your history class" it has an effect. When the teacher is talking about labor issues, say, in Of Mice and Men, and the history teacher is talking about labor issues in government, one class re-enforces the material that they are receiving in the other. We have had great success with this approach; the down side is that you need a committed team that will work together (often for free, mainly after hours), and you need to have the classes programmed such that a small group of teachers (10 or so) share the same students (300 or so). That part of it is a nightmare for counselors who usually don't counsel at all, but just plug kids into classes. For several years a small team that I was on was responsible for holding up the AYP on a campus that was 10 times bigger than our "Small Learning Community." This approach is also seen as a threat to old-fashioned "spray and pray" types of teachers who are only comfortable lecturing to students who both don't understand what they are being told and have nothing else to adhere their new knowledge to.

Great question. Thanks for asking.