Your perfect school?

[palavra]

If you could design a perfect school environment , what would it be? Since I am both a teacher and a parent, I've actually given this some thought.

At first, I added the words, "for your child" to the first sentence in this post, but I'm really interested in more general ideas that you think might work well for many children.

 

[mamacatnv]

Kids would be grouped according to their abilities in different subjects not just stuffed into a classroom.

Kids would be encouraged to compete with each other and to excel.

Rewards would be offered for excellence and effort.

Field trips to expand their horizons would be frequent.

Art, PE and music would be included always.

The school day would be longer and the basics would get more attention while Art, PE and Music would be mandatory.
After school clubs would be offered that could improve their independent thinking, their problem solving skills and overall educations.
Example: Future City, Lego Robotics, Science Olympiads.

Standards would be high and all teachers would only teach their areas of expertise.

Classrooms would be physically large but small in population to allow areas for exploring, display, libraries etc.

Technology would be state of the art. Teachers would have the resources needed; paper, crayons, markers copy machines that work etc,,,,,

Uniforms would be mandatory, it just makes like simpler for all concerned.

You did say the perfect school - those off the top of my head

 

[LuvOrlando]

MY perfect school would have tiered approaches to development. Phase 1, from toddler through age 10 would emphasize social development & getting along with others, academics are important but shouldn't overshadow social skills. Phase 2, age 10 - 15, would emphasize how to learn AND how to think independently with emphasis on which is which. Once a kid feels good about themselves they should be able to zip it and listen to other people effectively, a person can't learn if all they do is shout "Me, me, me!" out loud or in their heads. Then 15 - 18 would emphasize raw intellectual development, once a kid can master the art of learning he/she should be able to branch out and share ideas with skill.

This is how I operate The School of LUV in my house, so far things are looking stable but there are miles to go before I sleep... could be I am totally wrong, we'll see. BTW, I don't home-school 100% but a huge portion of learning happens here so I guess I have an influence.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Perfect?

Low student to teacher ratio and small classes (Ideally no more than 12 in a class).

No competition except for against self.

Less paperwork/workbook stuff.

More experience with public speaking (starting in K).

Projects vs papers.

More student input on what they'd like to study beyond basics.

Social groups which celebrate diversity (from K on).

More individualized instruction.

More consequences, less punishment.

More physical activity.

In grades K-3, no homework. In grades 4 and 5 more project type homework assignments (no piddly daily practice stuff) -unless a child has a specific deficiency and needs the practice.

Less emphasis on standardized testing.

More verbal interaction among teachers and students, encouraging creativity, problem solving, and critical thinking.

More pretests and if something is mastered, the student can move on to other things.

 

[locolala]

No "busywork".
Arts and Music classes required at all levels
PE or some form of physical activity every day
Group kids by ability level, not by age.
All books computerized so they don't have to haul heavy books around.
Very open communication between teachers and parents

 

[Nette]

Kids would be grouped according to their abilities in different subjects not just stuffed into a classroom.

Kids would be encouraged to compete with each other and to excel.

Rewards would be offered for excellence and effort.

Field trips to expand their horizons would be frequent.

Art, PE and music would be included always.

The school day would be longer and the basics would get more attention while Art, PE and Music would be mandatory.
After school clubs would be offered that could improve their independent thinking, their problem solving skills and overall educations.
Example: Future City, Lego Robotics, Science Olympiads.

Standards would be high and all teachers would only teach their areas of expertise.

Classrooms would be physically large but small in population to allow areas for exploring, display, libraries etc.

Technology would be state of the art. Teachers would have the resources needed; paper, crayons, markers copy machines that work etc,,,,,

Uniforms would be mandatory, it just makes like simpler for all concerned.

You did say the perfect school - those off the top of my head

Perfect?

Low student to teacher ratio and small classes (Ideally no more than 12 in a class).

No competition except for against self.

Less paperwork/workbook stuff.

More experience with public speaking (starting in K).

Projects vs papers.

More student input on what they'd like to study beyond basics.

Social groups which celebrate diversity (from K on).

More individualized instruction.

More consequences, less punishment.

More physical activity.

In grades K-3, no homework. In grades 4 and 5 more project type homework assignments (no piddly daily practice stuff) -unless a child has a specific deficiency and needs the practice.

Less emphasis on standardized testing.

More verbal interaction among teachers and students, encouraging creativity, problem solving, and critical thinking.

More pretests and if something is mastered, the student can move on to other things.

OMG. I'm feeling very lucky. Except for the age grouping (grades) our school is all of these things. I knew it was worth the money!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Ok, so first off I'm not a teacher.

Low student-to-teacher ratio (12-to-1? 15-to-1?)

Students in subjects based on ability. NO GRADE LEVELS.

This would not be mandatory enrollment. Only students who WANT to learn would attend.

Continual assessment would count as much of not more than any "unit tests".

Certain subjects currently mandatory would be elective. For example: students would have one science class where they are introduced to Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Earth Science, and Astronomy and can decide which of these to study further. Foreign language, while taught, would not be required.

Longer school days as the students get older. Shorter, but more spaced out breaks. 200 days of school instead 180.

This would also be in a country with no standardized testing.

While I'm at it, I would like a pony.

 

[Pigeon]

See The Schools Our Children Deserve, by Alfie Kohn.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

OMG. I'm feeling very lucky. Except for the age grouping (grades) our school is all of these things. I knew it was worth the money!

As far as I know, any private school in Texas that is accredited (ie, students get a real diploma as opposed to having to get a GED) by the state are required by law to give the TAKS test. While it might not seem to be "emphasized", the students will have to take the tests.

 

[rchristiansen]

Ok, so first off I'm not a teacher.

Students in subjects based on ability. NO GRADE LEVELS.

.

That was my first thought. I would also like the kids to be challenged more. I do the challenges at home with my daughter when she is assigned to something - I make her go above what is asked.

But, I'd like to see more cross-subject projects, more research, more team type projects.

But I agree with a lot of what else is said here.

 

[tvguy]

> Longer school day by an hour, and longer school year, 200 days minimum.
> No minimum days.
> Heaviest emphasis on reading and writing, because without good skills in those areas, you don't do as well in other subjects.
> Next heaviest emphasis on science and math.
> Arts, music and sports.
> Rewards for teachers who produce results, training for those who fall short, dismissal for those who can not teach.

Now, a lot of my opinions are based on feed back from my kids, ages 20 and 24. They both went to private school K-12. There is an interesting trend over their school years, the teachers they name as the best they had over the years, almost universally didn't have a teacher credential. One had been teaching for 40 years and made no secret that she felt her years teaching were more valuable than those years she spent in school herself. Another thing they say some of their best classes were when there were 30 or more kids in the class.
And the biggest thing they found as they hit college, how poorly some of their college classmates wrote and how poorly their reading skills were. My daughter entered the California State University system in fall 2009. Her class has the highest average GPA, and highest SAT and ACT scores in system history. They also had the highest rate of Freshman having to take remedial English and Math classes.

 

[Liberty Belle]

OMG. I'm feeling very lucky. Except for the age grouping (grades) our school is all of these things. I knew it was worth the money!

Except she wants competition and I don't (I would agree to competition if the students were all grouped by ability and age/grade).

 

[AristocatFan]

Students who show respect and know how to follow rules.

Parents who value education and support the teachers.

Immediate discipline so the offending troublemaker doesn't rob the other students of their education.

Alternative school for those who can't handle being in the classroom setting.

More accountability for parents.

No standardized testing! It is not fair to have a student with an IQ of 55 take the same test as the Gifted and Talented kids.

*I work in a public elementary school so the above opinions may be a little biased* My kids have excelled in their schools, I'm concerned for all the other kids I have to work with everyday.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I would love to see a school that had an adjustment counselor per every 15 students and a tutor and an aide in every classroom.
Students getting Weekly check ins with their team.

 

[palavra]

Kids would be grouped according to their abilities in different subjects not just stuffed into a classroom.

Kids would be encouraged to compete with each other and to excel.

Rewards would be offered for excellence and effort.

Field trips to expand their horizons would be frequent.

Art, PE and music would be included always.

The school day would be longer and the basics would get more attention while Art, PE and Music would be mandatory.
After school clubs would be offered that could improve their independent thinking, their problem solving skills and overall educations.
Example: Future City, Lego Robotics, Science Olympiads.

Standards would be high and all teachers would only teach their areas of expertise.

Classrooms would be physically large but small in population to allow areas for exploring, display, libraries etc.

Technology would be state of the art. Teachers would have the resources needed; paper, crayons, markers copy machines that work etc,,,,,

Uniforms would be mandatory, it just makes like simpler for all concerned.

You did say the perfect school - those off the top of my head

Sounds awesome! I have several of the same things on my list.

 

[Talking Hands]

Low student teacher ratio. Lowest ratios in the lowest grades.
Readiness for kindergarten assessed in home language whether it be oral or visual.
Foreign language starting in kindergarden. ASL should be included in the options for foreign language.
High tech with smart boards, white boards, computers for all students.
Books on book readers for each child. Load the books the child will need. Ability to add a library book that the child wants to read to the reader.
Art and music a priority
PE daily whether is be PE, Dance or a team sport or individual sport.
No vending machines in school or only stocked with healthy foods and drinks.
All rooms to be looped so hard of hearing students can be mainstreamed
Mainstreaming of physically disabled students with all support needed through technology and aides
Students grouped in classes by ability.
No social promotion. Material must be master before proceeding to next level. Means a kid can be in one grade for a subject and a different grade for another.
Large rooms and desks that fit the student.
School nurse at each school.
Teams for sign language interpreters in schools that block schedule in middle and high schools. Educational interpreters should not be forced to interpret with no breaks. A minimum of 2 interpreters assigned to any school with deaf students needing interpreting
Decent food served in the cafeteria.

 

[jemgumby]

A big one for me is that is a school wants the parents/students to follow "their" rules then they set the example by following "rules/laws" as set forth by our country. I think a school should be a place where EVERYONE regardless of religious beliefs, race, sexual orientation, etc. feel comfortable. I think a school should be socially diversified and encourage "thinking outside the box." I think it should promote everyone to think for themselves and to not put pressure on students to conform to a certain ideology. Teachers need to leave their religious views and leave any religious teaching to the parents. The classroom is not their pulpit. If I want my child to receive a religious education then I will send her to a private religious school. Thank you very much. Also their needs to be mutual respect for the parents as their is for the teachers. If a parent takes the time to fill out the ton of paperwork sent home by the teachers then the teachers should in return respond to any inquiries sent by the parents in a timely fashion. I think year round school is a great idea. I also think that the strengths of each child should be noted and they in turn put in special programs to enrich that talent. Not just gifted children but ALL children.

 

[Mrs. Darcy]

While I'm at it, I would like a pony.

No more than 10 in a class up to high school and then no more than 15 in a class.

Weekly scheduled quizzes so students, parents and teachers know exactly how well the students are leaning the material. But these quiz grades won't count in their report cards.

PE every day.

Assigned seating for lunch to avoid cliques and to foster friendships among kids who'd never otherwise mingle.

No standardized state tests. Just have a school standard that focuses on mastering the curriculum and assessed by plain ole midterms and final exams.

Have teachers sign in blood that they really truly want to be a teacher and aren't doing it just to have a job.

Excellent, average and below average students in the same class with peer tutoring. I've found that the "smart" kids are often the best teachers and motivators for the kids who aren't understanding the information.

And I'll second having a pony!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Let's redesign the schools from top down. Instead of deciding what students should be doing at each grade level and not worrying, really, about what they'll be doing in the real world, let's start with what we want coming out of our schools and work backwards from there.

We want well-rounded people who have job skills to thrive in the real world, so let's design schools to get us that. Go back to the Young Adult stage: education designed around skill sets, but to incorporate various levels of thinking skills and cultural knowledge depending upon the interests of the students. It would be structured so that adults could pick their level of intensity, but could bridge back in later adulthood to pick up additional knowledge in the same fields or in different fields.

This education would only come AFTER kids had been in the real work world for about 3 years, minimum. From about 15 to 17 or 18, kids would be out in the workforce, earning small wages, doing beneficial, basic level work. At the end of this period, they would know what they really want to do and would be ready to study. Some kids would never "loop back" into the educational system, and that would be fine, some would loop back early and a few would loop back later, but the education to be a real "adult" would be ready whenever they were ready to pick it up.

From about 11 to 15 kids would be engaged in higher level learning, getting the basics of an education. They would be learning the core academics at this age: Strong writing skills, critical thinking skills, math concepts, the basics of science and scientific theory etc. Success at this stage would be measured by the total knowledge obtained but would be monitored with testing.

From 7 to 11 students would be learning how to learn: they'd learn about their world, how to read, multiplication and division, the core basics of history etc.

From birth to 7, learning would be experiential. Exploring, trying, playing, learning social skills. The only time classroms would come into play would be to get the kids used to being in classrooms. Learning would start completely free form and gradually kids would have more and more time with directed, but still experiential learning until age 7, which would be celebrated as a milestone in kids' lives.

And yes, I'd start the schools at birth. Every child would be allowed to start in the school system at birth, but attendance wouldn't be mandatory until children were age 5 or 6. And yes, I think home-schoolling should still be a viable option for any kid with parents willing and able to do it.

 

[luvmyfam444]

I'd love year round schools - IF I could take my family on vacation whenever the heck I want to - so my WDW trip wouldn't have to be in the summer with the rest of the world! Just let me have 2 weeks to take when I want!


I'd like more cooperative learning -groups regulary changed - so groups don't become cliques or anything

Distractions removed from the classroom ASAP

$$$$$ - access to $ for whatever is needed