Comments on: How do we “Fix the Schools?” http://tweenteacher.com/2010/01/10/how-do-we-fix-the-schools/ Heather Wolpert-Gawron Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:03:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Stacy http://tweenteacher.com/2010/01/10/how-do-we-fix-the-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-3922 Stacy Sun, 24 Jan 2010 05:09:18 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=828#comment-3922 I like the 15 you came up with (especially #15!!!), but here is one I would add: 16. Reduce all grade-level class sizes to 10:1 or less! And those 10 students could work as a cohort. I have heard of this happening at some local colleges (CSUDH, for example). Ten students would still be a large enough number to create intersting difference in perspectives to push discussions and project-based activities, but 10 kids is small enough tha a teacher can really monitor mastery and learning. I like the 15 you came up with (especially #15!!!), but here is one I would add:

16. Reduce all grade-level class sizes to 10:1 or less! And those 10 students could work as a cohort. I have heard of this happening at some local colleges (CSUDH, for example). Ten students would still be a large enough number to create intersting difference in perspectives to push discussions and project-based activities, but 10 kids is small enough tha a teacher can really monitor mastery and learning.

]]> By: David Cohen http://tweenteacher.com/2010/01/10/how-do-we-fix-the-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-3893 David Cohen Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:57:22 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=828#comment-3893 You started out saying let's imagine budget isn't a problem, but for many of your solutions, budget shouldn't be a problem. It's more a matter of shifting expectations. We wouldn't need much more money to make schools more project based, developmentally appropriate, flexible, kid-friendly, family-friendly, student-centered, etc. What we would need is for people to get over the ideas that guide most of education today - that everyone should be studying the same things at the same time, in the same place, and in the same way, and then subjected to high-stakes tests to allow us to identify winners and losers. Having said all that, I am not entirely comfortable giving up on shared content and shared experiences for students. We do need some considerable parts of the curriculum in common - let's not abandon one extreme only to leap to the other. As for the more expensive ones, ahhhh, well, judging by our society's actions, we believe in taking care of prisoners, prisons and guards more than students and schools. We cram kids into ugly buildings on concrete campuses, in rooms with dilapidated furnishings and insufficient supplies, and then we wonder why "they" and "their parents" don't value education. We have teachers and other education experts begging in vain for the resources to do a better job, only to be blamed for poor outcomes and subjected, in California, to "parent trigger" legislation. There's an invitation to partnership. You started out saying let’s imagine budget isn’t a problem, but for many of your solutions, budget shouldn’t be a problem. It’s more a matter of shifting expectations. We wouldn’t need much more money to make schools more project based, developmentally appropriate, flexible, kid-friendly, family-friendly, student-centered, etc. What we would need is for people to get over the ideas that guide most of education today – that everyone should be studying the same things at the same time, in the same place, and in the same way, and then subjected to high-stakes tests to allow us to identify winners and losers. Having said all that, I am not entirely comfortable giving up on shared content and shared experiences for students. We do need some considerable parts of the curriculum in common – let’s not abandon one extreme only to leap to the other.

As for the more expensive ones, ahhhh, well, judging by our society’s actions, we believe in taking care of prisoners, prisons and guards more than students and schools. We cram kids into ugly buildings on concrete campuses, in rooms with dilapidated furnishings and insufficient supplies, and then we wonder why “they” and “their parents” don’t value education. We have teachers and other education experts begging in vain for the resources to do a better job, only to be blamed for poor outcomes and subjected, in California, to “parent trigger” legislation. There’s an invitation to partnership.

]]> By: Alexander http://tweenteacher.com/2010/01/10/how-do-we-fix-the-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-3888 Alexander Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:22:47 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=828#comment-3888 This isn't fiction. This is happening, and then some. Not everywhere, but I'm working on it! :) Check out these democratic schools, that ALL use project-based learning, among other student-driven concepts: http://brooklynfreeschool.org/links/index.html This isn’t fiction. This is happening, and then some. Not everywhere, but I’m working on it! :)

Check out these democratic schools, that ALL use project-based learning, among other student-driven concepts:

http://brooklynfreeschool.org/links/index.html

]]> By: Eric Biederbeck http://tweenteacher.com/2010/01/10/how-do-we-fix-the-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-3887 Eric Biederbeck Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:11:04 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=828#comment-3887 I agree with just about everything you say. However, the one thing I question is "Assessments that compare students to each other are important." Why? What purpose does it serve to compare students to one another if we are testing students mastery/understanding of the curriculum and their growth over time. Again though, I really like a lot of ideas here- in particular I love the idea of the college ed program/school partnership I'd love to see my school expand what we are already doing in this area to making it a real "internship" for the college students. I'd also love to see the opportunity to do more electives at my school Thanks for the GREAT ideas! I agree with just about everything you say. However, the one thing I question is “Assessments that compare students to each other are important.” Why? What purpose does it serve to compare students to one another if we are testing students mastery/understanding of the curriculum and their growth over time.

Again though, I really like a lot of ideas here- in particular I love the idea of the college ed program/school partnership I’d love to see my school expand what we are already doing in this area to making it a real “internship” for the college students.

I’d also love to see the opportunity to do more electives at my school

Thanks for the GREAT ideas!

]]> By: Jane http://tweenteacher.com/2010/01/10/how-do-we-fix-the-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-3886 Jane Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:42:58 +0000 http://tweenteacher.com/?p=828#comment-3886 How about teacher collaboration time daily embedded into the school day? How about teacher collaboration time daily embedded into the school day?

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