Particularly, how a revolutionary idea like public education has devolved over time and perhaps become a symptom of what ails our society.
Change is hard. Not only for an individual but imagine changing an entire school. What would you do if you were in charge? What changes would you implement to make education more meaningful to young people? What subjects would be valuable to what you want to do later in life?
If I was in charge of a group to make changes in Saint Saviour High School, I would make changes for the students, to make things more "fun" and less strict. I would like to make the students feel happy to come into school. To make education more meaningful to young people, I would show them monthly videos on the less fortunate people who wish they can receive an education but cannot. So the young people can feel grateful for what they have. The subjects that would be valuable to want I want to do later in life is English.
ReplyDeleteIf I were in charge, I'd want everyone to have a say in what they would like to do or what their interests are. It wouldn't be fair to only go by what I want. Compromise is good. Of course there has to be rules, but they should be reasonable, and not ridiculous or unfair. Subjects I think would be valuable are foreign languages, a variety of art and music classes, and a variety of physical edcuation classes. Also, an elevator strictly for injuried students and the elder faculty members.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Student's loathe what they perceive as unfair. Fun is important as well. Why not?
ReplyDeleteIf I were in charge I'd change the whole system of education. Like the video said, "education was designed for a different age", in this day and age young people are not appealed to education because having a degree doesn't make or break your future anymore. So to make education more meaningful to young people I think they should allow options for them like either online work, hand-ons work, or just old fashioned lecturing. I personally think students learn more when they're actually involved in something rather than just writing a research paper about it or looking in the back of the book for the answers. For example, in history instead of learning by just sitting in the class room listening to a teacher talk, about something you can care less about, they should make you get involved and actually try to make a difference. For instance, if you're learning about politics there should be an assignment on making your own political party to fix everyday problems in the world and researching about them. Something like that I think would be interesting and young people will feel more involved and not just sitting in the classroom learning about the boring past. Also instead of showing documentaries they should show modern day films that relate to the topic they're discussing. The subject that would be valuable to me to what I want to do later in life is Math.
ReplyDeleteIf I were in charge, I would have teachers take their students out on trips so that they can visualize what is being taught. Just sitting in the classroom for forty minutes each class is boring. Especially with history and science, I think classes should go to museums and other places to learn outside of classrooms. It makes things more interesting and retainable when you are in a different setting. A change of scenery keeps students more interested in what they are learning. Writing research papers and essays doesn't keep you interested. After writing a paper about something historical you tend to move on to the next topic and forget what you just learned. Getting students to do hands on activities is a way to know that they are actually listening and paying attention. I think the subject that will be valuable to me for the future is Science.
ReplyDeleteI understand that St. Saviour High School knows has ran their school using their education philosophy for the past 100 years but if I were in charge, I wouldn't be as strict as it is now and use different learning methods. One experience I had like this was last year in my history class, all we did in class and for homework was write outlines and take notes as the teacher lectured. Although I past the exams and did well on the regents, my class grades were not as good because I would get distracted, become bored or didn't take my notes the way the teacher wanted it to be. It was confusing to me if I pass all of the test, would it matter how I got there. This was proven again this year in comp.class when we did the Brain Works test and it reported that I can't always learn auditorially.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, If I were in charge I wouldn't use the "old school" method of "I talk, you listen with a possible 2-minute q&a after". Instead I would make it more interactive, go on school trips, group projects, if the class is reviewing for a test, make it fun & do a jeopardy style review or make song/skit because I feel that it makes a student retain what they've learn since they'' remember that fact with a song.
ReplyDeleteI think overall there are reasons why I'm learning a certain subject in school and they're all important in some way but for me personally, the subjects that I think are the most valuable later in life are foreign language, gov't/economics, computer and math because these are needed to succeed in the business world or any other career. I find it especially sad that other countries know more than 1 language while America can barely speak another when we are sandwich between a spanish speaking country and french canada. I also think there should be a life skills class (possibly for one semester and gym as the second semester) where you learn how to file taxes, finances, home economics (not like i am an antifeminist)
If I was in charge I would put similar people in similar classes and they would all learn in a way that would help that specific group flourish in their creativity and knowledge. I would also be more lenient with the school rules. Life in the US isn't that strict (unless you're in prison), so why should school be? I would also have a kind of "school constitution" that contains all the students rights in it and model it after the actual Constitution. If you would want your students to successfully go out into the world, knowing how to use the law, why wouldn't you give them practice in school?Why would you consider someone knowing their pythagorean theorem more important than them knowing the Bill of Rights? I think I would immensely stress the need to better prioritizing in the world. I think having a State/National Law class, a Human Rights class, a Money Management class, and a Culture Appreciation class would be very crucial to me and anyone else in their future life, after school.
ReplyDeleteIf I were in charge of a school, I would put the students first because I want them to have the best experience possible. I would offer classes that would trigger the kids minds and maybe, hopefully, provided them with a foundation of what they would consider doing in the future. Some of these classes that I would offer would be other languages (such as Italian, Russian, Greek and even Chinese), astronomy, film and photography, dance/theater, medicine, and maybe even a crash course in engineering. Coming from a public school atmosphere just about a year ago, I have had the pleasure myself to indulge myself into some interesting courses that I really wish Saint Saviour offered. I wouldn't want my students to just be in school learning stuff that is part of the set curriculum, but I honestly would want them to enjoy school at the same with fun, interesting courses like the ones that I listed above. Education is the biggest part of a person's life and what they learn can maybe have an impact on what they want to be when they get older, and I want to be the person that provides them with the classes and tools that they need to succeed and fulfill that dream of their future.
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