How Would You Change Education?
In response to A. D. P. Efferson's post on gender-segregated schooling, I thought I'd ask the Ricochet community what they would do to change education on the school level.
So, put on your imagination cap: you've just been made sole owner and president of a K-12 private school, with no restrictions on how the kids are to be taught.
The biggest change I'd make would be to allow kids to go at different paces through computerized testing. Leaving aside essay-based tests that require a human grader, most tests can be computerized. A student at my school could walk into a computer lab, tell the invigilator, "I'd like to take (or re-take) 7th grade math, test 2." The student could then take that test, and either get ahead of or catch up with his peers. Tests would be generated from a database of questions, so students could re-take tests many times without repeating the same questions.
There would be video-lectures available on all subjects (like the Khan academy), but there would also be traditional teachers teaching traditional classrooms.
Also, I would abolish Summer vacation in favor of smaller breaks throughout the year. Students could still do independent study and tests during breaks, but there would be no classes scheduled.
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Comments:
Oct '10
Re: How Would You Change Education?
Actually, a lot of schools don't turn out fantastic football players, and a lot do turn out fantastic students. Look at your average Harvard applicant, a nice counterpart to your average SEC football recruit.
Jun '10
Re: How Would You Change Education?
I am really getting tired of hearing the notion that summer break should be eliminated, shortened, whatever. It is a terrible idea bound to raise costs and induce higher levels of both teacher and student burn-out. The errant assumption is that all useful learning takes place in schools. That is impossible to believe and harder to prove. Institutional education is overrated in terms of producing creative, productive, dynamic people anyway. Summer break is another wonderful part of our cultural rhythm put at risk by social engineers. The lower quartile might benefit but the culture at large and the creativity of the other 3/4 of students suffer. So leave it alone!
Apr '11
Re: How Would You Change Education?
A voucher system and let 1000 different solutions pop up. This argument is like saying how would you improve restaurants? There are thousands of answers to that question depending on the location, customers etc. If it works, the restaurant stays open, if it doesn't it closes.
Education reform is riddled with schemes that worked in one district, then were rolled out state wide to abject failure and then it took ten years to get rid of the reform. (See CA and Phonics).
So, allow a system with accountability, portability and flexibility and the best schools will survive.
May '10
Re: How Would You Change Education?
I completed a Master of Professional Studies degree in 2008, which was a hybrid course approach; the majority of the classes were online. Some of the classes had both in-class and online phases. I found the six weeks of in-class phase to be far more valuable to my learning the material than all the online work. In addition to problems with asynchronous learning, where part of the class is on to new material while the rest of the class are weeks behind, assessment (testing) is a major stumbling block for online classes.I think online courses are still a technique still under development.
May '12
Re: How Would You Change Education?
michael kelley: How about......stop expecting the system to educate your child? Take it upon yourself.
Don't put them on the bus.
The mass educational system is the Experiment. It has not shown it works. Don't put your kids into the system. The current system is designed to create drones.
Was Aristotle public schooled? Was George Washington?
Since the early 1900's, they have convinced us that the State is capable of educating our children. Many of these comments seem to go along with this meme.
Step away from the cubicle. · Jul 20 at 8:37pm
I am a fan of this sentiment, but it only works if the government stops confiscating taxes in the name of education.
Mar '12
Re: How Would You Change Education?
Having read the above, I would note that a lot of parents use the school and the school day as a babysitter, allowing them to work to contribute to the family wealth. If you shorten the day or the school year, you'll have an impact on people who find something more important than time spent with their children.
Those people are already impacted by summer vacation against work schedules.
By way of contrast, we home schooled our two youngest from first grade on. My wife discovered she loved being with her children, and committed to the idea that she wished she had done it with all of them.
The kids schooled well, being attended by the person who loves them the most, who worked with them and then read to them. They visited museums and exhibits. They went to the zoo. They tested well.
They had friends around the neighborhood, as well as other home schooled children with whom they spent time. Ergo, the socialization myth was destroyed. They both participated in city league sports, and I was a coach or assistant coach for them.
Home. Parochial or religious school. Private. ..... What is best for the child?
Edited on July 23, 2012 at 5:02pm