Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This plan is not meant for kids with profound intellectually disabilities or physical disabilities.
K-12 students
1) Schools will be segregated based on gender. Some studies show girls benefit from single-sex education. If the benefits are considerable, then I'd be up for it.
2) Recess will be limited to calisthenics and restroom breaks. Interesting. Probably reduces bullying and ensures everyone gets some exercise. Any other benefits? I'm not keen on this one.
3) Students will be required to wear dress uniforms during classroom instruction and physical training gear during physical training. I'm not sure if this will eliminate cliques. Cliques exist in schools with uniforms. But it can lead to heightened sense of school pride, reduce school costs for parents, and make mornings easier for students. Some students spend way too much time figuring out what they're going to wear to school.
4) Once a student in the third grade he or she will have to pass Physical abilities test in order to go on to the next grade. The test is based on gender and existing health conditions (juvenile arthritis, asthma, heart conditions, and etc) Many US colleges used to require this.
I like this idea. This'll reduce obesity rate among adolescents. It'll save a lot of money and benefit students.
5) When students are waiting for their next class they must be studying. Instructors will walk up to random students and give ask them questions their assigned subjects. If the student doesn't answer the question correctly he or she will have to do calisthenics. Calisthenics. I'm tempted to say just wack them. But Calisthenics makes more sense. In my American high school, we'd have to do push-ups if we were caught cursing.
6) Students will be in assigned study groups. These groups will have to make sure everyone in their group is physically fit and academically fit. If one student fails they all fail. If a student is being defiant in the group it is up to the group to notify their instructor. Why assigned? I see the point in creating a culture where people are responsible to and for the group, like in Japan. In Japan, when an alumnus who played high school baseball gets in trouble (drunk driving), his high school team is disqualified from the Koshien tournament (huge deal in Japan). They beat it into students that if they screw up, they screw it up for everyone.
More traditional British schools have a similar approach. They're always reminding their students that they represent the school.
7) Unhealthy food or drinks will not be allowed on campus. Fast food restaurants will not be allowed to serve students under the ages of 18 the school week. Tough to figure out what is or isn't healthy. Specific food items aren't unhealthy. It's easier to figure out which diets are unhealthy. Still, football players need their burgers and fries.
8y) It will be mandatory for students to take the SAT and ACT. It will also be mandatory for graduating students to either go to college, the military or a trade union. Trade union? I'm strongly anti-union. I say send all students to the military for 15 months after graduation. College bound students can apply to college during their military service so they don't get senioritis. Crime will be reduced. And those who don't want to go to college are better prepared to enter one of the trades.
9) High school aged students will have to pass a rigorous PAT (physical ability test) in order to graduate high school. Students with health problems that limit their physical abilities will be exempt. Didn't this used to be standard in the US?
10) Students must have taken college prep courses in order to graduate. Too expensive. Half of Americans wouldn't graduate high school then. Who's going to pay to keep them in school?
11) Gang members who try to recruit students will be punished to fullest extent of the law. That's the same as saying let's outlaw gangs. Easier said than done.
12) Bullying will be a thing of the past, because bullies will get one warning. That warning is a "Scared Straight program (a field trip to a California State Prison) The next step is separation from the school and placement into a juvenile detention center where he or she can finish his or her education behind bars. What's the definition of bullying? What about girls who spread rumors? There's a lot of passive-aggressive bullying. Anyway, this is too Lenin-esque for me. Let kids be kids. They'll have to deal with bullies sooner or later (at work, dealing with boss, etc.)
13)n Starting in the 4th grade, students will learn how to be financially responsible. You mean, basic home econ classes? Excel spreadsheets for budgets? Economics 101?
14) Drivers education will be brought back to high school. Too expensive and redundant. Status quo is better -- outsource it and let the judges do their jobs.
15) Starting in the second grade students will have stand at the position of attention until the instructor says be seated. The students must remain until in the seated position of attention until the instructor gives the command of "at ease". I may be okay with this. French used to be good at this.
16) Students will be required to read no less than 15 books a year at their grade level. Too expensive.
17) Students will be required to participate in marching drills in between class. This will take place starting in the fourth grade. No
18) High school students will be required to type at least 40 words a minute before receiving their high school diploma. Maybe. I don't think this skill is hard to teach.
19) High school students must be able to fluently speak and write a foreign language before receiving their high school diploma. Too expensive.
20) High school students must have participated on sports team, participated in a police explorer program, or an academic based club in order to graduate.
Starting in the fourth grade, students will be taught that credit cards and loans are not the same thing as cash. Credits cards and loans have to be paid back with interest.
Students will also be responsible for keeping up their campuses and classrooms. This means they will be responsible for cleaning their own restrooms, landscaping, basic painting, and general upkeep. This will teach students to respect property. It will also cut down on vandalism.
A comment on #7:
The first half, that unhealthy foods will not be allowed on campus, is good, and doable.
The second part is not an educational issue - it's an economic and legal one that causes some complications:
No fast food restaurant can sell to minors during the week? Would parents be arrested for buying hamburgers or burritos for the kids?
What would define fast food? Content or speed? Would Denny's french fries be exempt because it isn't fast food, while a sandwich from Subway would be forbidden?
What effect would this have on the economy? Fast food places would not be able to stay in business; their workers would become unemployed, their buildings vacant. But the kids would be sitting in front of the television at home, eating frozen or other mega-processed "foods" purchased at the grocery store.
Students will also be responsible for keeping up their campuses and classrooms. This means they will be responsible for cleaning their own restrooms, landscaping, basic painting, and general upkeep. This will teach students to respect property. It will also cut down on vandalism.
Japanese schools have their students clean their school, daily. American private boarding schools also do this. I'm not sure why American public schools don't do it.
A comment on #7:
The first half, that unhealthy foods will not be allowed on campus, is good, and doable.
The second part is not an educational issue - it's an economic and legal one that causes some complications:
No fast food restaurant can sell to minors during the week? Would parents be arrested for buying hamburgers or burritos for the kids?
What would define fast food? Content or speed? Would Denny's french fries be exempt because it isn't fast food, while a sandwich from Subway would be forbidden?
What effect would this have on the economy? Fast food places would not be able to stay in business; their workers would become unemployed, their buildings vacant. But the kids would be sitting in front of the television at home, eating frozen or other mega-processed "foods" purchased at the grocery store.
I probably wouldn't support this measure because schools already have to follow a set of nutritional guidelines and there isn't a one diet fits all solution. And it wouldn't reduce obesity. Obesity has more to do with family routine and values than school lunch. The only thing I can think of that a school can do to reduce obesity is to require students to exercise.
I noticed that a lot of the posters disagree with my proposal. That's understandable.
However, my education proposal will save billions in health cost and produce a more viable work force.
Would all those who can't or don't make it be locked up? Or would there just be a lower graduation rate?
For your proposal to work, you'd have to change the entire culture, the entire "American" way of thinking. And you'd have to do that first, before implementing most of the changes. That would require a revolution. That's one reason it is not workable.
I do want students to be ready for the real world and prepared to take care of themselves. "Mommy and daddy" aren't going to always be there for them.
My proposal might seem a little bit harsh, and to the extreme, but may help students become successful adults.
The only things I left out was instructors inspecting students toe and finger nails.
What you are proposing is conditioning young citizens to become obedient adults, not responsible adults or even successful adults.
No, the only thing that you left out is time for teachers to actually teach the class.
I have had friends who either went through military school or private school and were subject to the things that you describe in your manifesto. None of them became any more responsible or successful compared to everyone else. As far as adults are concerned, they are fairly run-of-the-mill.
The obedience training did nothing to detour their mischief. In fact, what it did do was teach them to be more sneaky. Yeah, they stood at attention alright, but they also learned when and how to get away with stuff that they were not supposed to be doing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thetruthcomesout
Students will also be responsible for keeping up their campuses and classrooms. This means they will be responsible for cleaning their own restrooms, landscaping, basic painting, and general upkeep. This will teach students to respect property. It will also cut down on vandalism.
Yeah, lets send the kids in to repair the busted boiler! I like the landscaping idea as that is something that kids can take pride in, find interest in a potential hobby, and [hopefully] learn about the natural world while they are at it. Keeping the classroom tidy, too, but that is where the line should be drawn. Kids should not be held responsible for custodial and maintenance duties and there are child labor laws against such. Not to mention, many janitors will be put out of jobs.
What you are proposing is conditioning young citizens to become obedient adults, not responsible adults or even successful adults.
No, the only thing that you left out is time for teachers to actually teach the class.
I have had friends who either went through military school or private school and were subject to the things that you describe in your manifesto. None of them became any more responsible or successful compared to everyone else. As far as adults are concerned, they are fairly run-of-the-mill.
The obedience training did nothing to detour their mischief. In fact, what it did do was teach them to be more sneaky. Yeah, they stood at attention alright, but they also learned when and how to get away with stuff that they were not supposed to be doing.
Yeah, lets send the kids in to repair the busted boiler! I like the landscaping idea as that is something that kids can take pride in, find interest in a potential hobby, and [hopefully] learn about the natural world while they are at it. Keeping the classroom tidy, too, but that is where the line should be drawn. Kids should not be held responsible for custodial and maintenance duties and there are child labor laws against such. Not to mention, many janitors will be put out of jobs.
Yes, but if you read carefully, you'd see that there will probably not be any more janitors after the first generation of kids goes through the new "system."
Quote:
It will be mandatory for students to take the SAT and ACT. It will also be mandatory for graduating students to either go to college, the military or a trade union.
Kids can do those sort of jobs to "free up" adults who would otherwise be doctors, lawyers, soldiers, and electricians!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
