What would the ideal school or learning scenario look like to you?

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   Doodlebirdposted 14 years ago

   There has been a lot of debate - here and in society - about the crisis of schooling and education reform.  People have different ideas about what needs to be fixed - more/less funding, pay and testing for teachers, testing for kids, dump the whole system and start over...
   
   I was just wondering: If you were given a CLEAN SLATE to work with, what do you think the best school or learning situation would be?

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      WCH10posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hi-
         I'm a life long student and a previous teacher(formally),but like everyone else(whether they realize it or not?)a teacher also,during our life time.
      To answer your question-I don't think that there could be just one successful format,or program with which to provide "the best school and learning situation."After careful consideration,one has to realize realistically that there are too many scenarios and variables throughout our World to simply apply one educational program for all.
      I was a participant in a very unique and very successful learning situation,while teaching and being an administrator in a small private school in Los Angeles,Ca.,many years ago.
      What was successful during those early years,worked then,as a reflection of the time period,the social expectations and behavior of the persons at that time.However,to try to apply the same type of educational
      philosophy and programs in this time period would be very challenging,if not almost impossible,because of the great changes in our World Society,from what it was 50 years ago.
      Some of the same principles and a few of the same methods might still be acceptable-especially the basic principles,philosophy and methods that are needed and successful when teaching and learning.
      Self-discipline,patience,perseverence,respect for one's self,and others-and a great desire to succeed still remain the basis for educational success.
      To be more specific-fewer students in each class,good behavior,a very knowlegeable,patient,teacher with good communication skills,who has the unlimited desire to help their students learn and succeed,and who has very good moral values,which would enable that teacher to be an execptional example in all most every way to his/her students.
      The curriculum(s)used to assist students learn should be founded and based on the very finest and credible moral values of mankind,the principles of our U.S.Constitution,as well as the timeless successful traditions of any Societies held in high esteem by loyal and patriotic
      citizens.
      Along with these very important principles for educating people,honesty,true facts and the encouragement to be exposed to that information which is keeping with the above outlined foundation for a well rounded education and opportunity for magnifying a person's station in life.
      Much more can be stated about what might be the "best school and learning situations",but time and space does not allow for the many details which could be provided.
      I hope that with what I have already stated-my readers will have some kind of concept of what I believe to be some of the more important and necessary components of  successful education.
      
      Will C.

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         Doodlebirdposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you for your thoughts.
         
         Since there are too many "variables and scenarios" to achieve an ideal situation, do you think there ought to be a more drastic redesign of public schools since they seem to go with a one-size-fits-all approach?

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      rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I have a picture of it in my mind, at least for primary ages, it is very close to the Reggio Emilia approach to education. perhaps I should write a hub about it. absolutely smaller classrooms. administration makes a huge difference. they must be involved with their teachers/students in the classrooms. I once worked in a public school where the head administrator walked through every classroom at some point during the day. It was an instant connection knowing he cared enough to walk though and say 'good morning.' without effective leadership, there is no direction.

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         Joy56posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         oh yeah the headmaster in the local school, knows the name of every child, i swear he is amazing.........  He visits every class every day, and the kids love him.

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         Doodlebirdposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Yes - please write one - I'm not familiar with that approach.

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      MarlonFuloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      While some may argue that the standards for a learning scenario should be based on the objective condition of the country or the community where the learning process is being undertaken, that is, that the ideal school is subjective or dependent on the objective condition of a particular learning set-up, it is still safe to insist that there is a Universal Condition to be recognized and respected!
      
      An ideal school is a place where all Children, regardless of race, gender, religion, political belief and even disability should not hinder a prospect enrollee. It should be a school that has social, physical, and cultural accessibility, wherein every child or student would not be systematically denied from thier right to education.
      
      In the Philippines, there are two complimenting framework of education, especially in the elementary education. First is the special education where children with disbailities and with special needs are being confined into a specialist program depending on the students type of disability. the second framework, which i think is more sustainable and responsive is the INCLUSIVE EDUCATION approach, wherein both the disabled (not that severe) and even the children in the vulnerable and the marginalized sectors learn side by side with the "normal" students.
      
      In the end, the sum of all our discussion should lead us to an understanding that Education is one of the Universal rights that each person has to enjoy. Though we may say that there is no such thing as an ideal or utopian society, but we could, as Doodlebird is saying, still aspire for an ideal form of education.

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   Mishaposted 14 years ago

   Parents and personal teacher. In that order

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   Joy56posted 14 years ago

   yep Misha has a point there.  Parents play the largest role in educating children, rightly so.  I personally could not pass exams, i just went to pieces.  I would ban exams.

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   china manposted 14 years ago

   Here in China the Primary, Junior and High school students are amazingly dedicated, hard working, study on their own long hours - a teachers dream.  However - the cost of this is the rote learning that is the standard in China.  Rote learning requires disciplined working together, and all the chanting etc that western observers often mistake as indoctrination.  There is an ongoing debate about education change here, centred around the introduction of creative teaching. Up close it is hard to criticise the Chinese rote system over any of the the western creative systems if we look at the students who exit the system headed for work or University. 
   
   Education is complicit in the behaviour of its society, it is becoming my opinion that a base of rote learning seasoned with some creative learning may be the best option up to University level - then the western model (generally) of University learning. If any other system could produce the dedicated and concientious students that get to University in China I would be more inclined to support it. It is a shame that (at this time) the Chinese Universities do not have the depth of teaching that these students are able to absorb.

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      Doodlebirdposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Oh, there's plenty of indoctrination going on here.
      
      I think rote is a good approach for some things such as memorizing math facts, formulas, grammar rules, spelling words, etc.  When it comes to memorizing, rote really works to that end.  It's too bad that western thinking has made it such a bad word.
      
      However, it seems to me that while rote may help people to remember facts, but it does not allow them to exercise the process of thinking, reasoning, etc.  It tells WHAT to think and does not encourage HOW to think.
      
      Thanks for sharing the Chinese perspective.  It's interesting to know what's going on in other parts of the world.

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   arizonataylorposted 13 years ago

   There's a time and a place for rote memorization.  It has its benefits and shouldn't be eliminated from education.
   
   I believe that the age-based system of promotion from grade to grade should be rethought.  Grade promotion should be based on skill attainment rather than completion of another 180-day year.  Gifted students may graduate sooner and slower-learning students may take extra time.  This system would be far, far more efficient, but it certainly could cause other age-related problems among students in a multi-age class.
   
   Ultimately, no educational system can be a success without parental involvement and respect.  Many of the children I've taught do not expect to go to college or receive any further education.  There is a consistent level of apathy that teachers encounter on a daily basis, a disrespect or resentment of education/educators.  While many parents respect teachers and education in general, many don't.  That makes it difficult to teach and be successful.  If I had a clean slate, I'd try to make education more universally accepted as valuable and necessary.

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   KiandraRutledgeposted 13 years ago

   I believe that grades 1-8, children should be taught the basics, but by high school, I think they should be able to choose which classes they want to take.  The drop out level happens more often around high school and I think if they had the opportunity to choose the classes they want to take this would decrease the drop out rate.

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