# How would you "fix" the education system?



## sammy1215

There are so many reforms out there now, and there are so many reforms from the past that have been dropped.

How would you "fix" it?


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## mamaprovides

Really? No one? I've been watching this not wanting to be the first but...

My first answer was gonna be:

WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER!
But that's too glib.

1. Trade budgets with the military. (And would require military to do full round of 101 classes prior to deployment ...crit thinking, psych, sociology, anthropology, chemistry, etc)
2. Make districts smaller...way smaller
-create a culture and institution of smaller class education with more teachers
3. Give $$$ to lower income districts to match high income districts (Atlanta would match Beverly Hills)
4. In schools when they budget, they pad their budget to allow for large purchases (ie to buy computers in 3 years) but if they don't use that balance they lose it thus buying silly things for years to have money available for big stuff. I would put an end to that. I would allow them to just buy the computers when they need them.
5. Require all politicians to send their kids to public (lowest income districts to boot) and state schools (so bye-bye Yale, hello Mississippi valley state)
6. Science is science. Religion is religion. Take All religion out of school and provide funding (remember I'm working with military sized budget here) for those that wish to provide religious education. 
7. Not allow politicians to use education as campaigning button issue...ever. Ever.
8. Create more tech programs that actually teach engineering (auto repair), chemistry (welding), etc
9. In addition to really strong music and arts add a strong outdoor program...so x number of hours must be spent learning outdoors per subject. Hiking camping ect as well.
10. Burn standardized testing to the ground! 
11. Group kids not by grade but learning style and conduct serious testing of instructors to match those learning styles.
12. Jeezum...if this group needs Waldorf do that...this needs montessori...do that...etc
13. Attach farms to school districts where kids help grow, harvest, and prepare food. And ban all overly processed foods. No coke. No Kraft. No crap. And employ a nutritionist per district held accountable for the children.
14. Instead of long breaks...go year round with more frequent breaks.
15. Hold colleges, universities, and tech programs accountable for job placement.

16. Make all state colleges and community colleges free. No exception.

How's that?


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## Snydley

Hi-
When I think of an ideal school day, it would be an hour of science instruction, an hour of math instruction, and four hours of completely free self-directed learning. Kids of different ages would be mixed together and able to wander the campus freely. There would be musical instruments, building tools (magnets, blocks, etc), tons of books to read, art materials, etc....so like a Sudbury Valley school but with a couple hours of actual teaching. Also, unlike Sudbury Valley, they couldn't spend unlimited time playing video games...in fact, I think my ideal school wouldn't have any screens at all including no cellphones allowed. 

-Jen


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## jeannekc

I feel like I got a good public school education, but one area where I was lacking was making decisions. I made almost no decisions about my education, what I wanted to learn. I would include children in the decision-making process, and give them real-life projects to ground them in their communities and apply their learning to real situations. Of course, many other things as well . . .


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## atlasmission

I recommend reading a book called The Beautiful Tree, by James Tooley. Also, Ken Robinson's Ted talks have had a huge influence on me as well.


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## Cheeky-One

I would encourage parents to be home with the children in the early years and set up a system that allows for this. I would have play based only education from age 4-7 with no pressure for academics and focus on gardening, climbing trees, animals, art, music, etc. At 7, I would start formal academics, but it would be all individualized for the basic skills at least, until about 12 yrs old. Then the kids would be on tracks according to ability and interest. By this I mean, not that the teachers alone decide which child goes where, nor do tests, but a child who does not seem adept but wants to go on the harder/faster track can. But if the child cannot keep up, the child needs to go to the slower track. I would have mandatory home ec and industrial arts at the secondary level (which would be what I would call where the kids go 12 yrs old and up). I would also have mandatory fine arts. I would have the schools provide the lunches and perhaps, even have students make the lunches. I would have students take part in caring for the school, cleaning, maintenance, etc. And lunch would be free, as well as use of instruments and such. Also, I would not allow computers to be a part of the education before high school. AND, for the lower school ages, children would keep their teachers for 3 yrs. So 4s, 5s, and 6s would have the same teacher for those years, again at 7, 8, and 9, and then again at 10, 11, and 12. Then they start secondary school. By 16 yrs old, kids can be training for a career and even doing apprenticeships.


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## aparent

I think policy changes and reforms will never workas an essential change is needed first. In a nation that is
25th or something in infant mortality, where a fifth 
of children can go hungry every night and a host of other
terrible realities go almost undiscussed let alone remedied
there can be no real change in education. 
When schools sit in the center of the city, shine as 
beautiful architecture and are the pride of the community
with each parent concerned and committed to the fostering
of all children, then education will be transformed


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## NiteNicole

The people who make policy and budget decisions for our schools should have to send their children to public school, otherwise they have no reason NOT to gut our schools or see them as just another way to make money.

And ask teachers how things should run. They know better than anyone.


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## qjones893

Stop voting for dumbass Republicans for starters.


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## karshimasingh

There are many things which we need to improvise in education system! Not possible to list out all here!


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