Reform School

It is time to stop comparing the US system to others in the world. If we wish to have resutls such as Singapore, perhaps we should follow their example - madatory uniforms, fees for books and supplies, requirements for admission to a school - even elementary - which involve - ulp, gasp, OMG! parental participation, caning [yes, that is right, getting you backside whipped] for offenses such as trunacy, tardiness, lying, not to mention the much higher rate of expulsion because they do not tolorate the types of behavior our teachers must put up with, and finally, if at the end of primary school, your scores don't cut it, no high school for you! If we implement these changes, along with the MUCH higher support given to teachers [both in training, and financial rewards] we might in a decade to two approach Singaport in terms of results.

People wake up and smell the stink! We have a country that is filled with second language learners, students who give minimal effort, parents who have to work and don't allot time to nurturing their children, parents who don't fill it's that urgent that the child do well in school at an early age. We have states trying to cut teacher salaries. Why would anyone want to be a teacher? Reforming school is Five prong. First, government must fund to the fullest their expectations; Second, parents must be held accountable for assisting their child; Third, districts must be held accountable for their wasteful spending; Fourth, good teachers need to be paid & bad retrained (if that doesn't work) fired!; and last but not least students are held accountable for their actions and learning! See these countries you mention hold Education as a priority! Parents take it upon themselves to hold their child accountable for their actions in and out of school. I know because I'm one of those parents! Nothing will change unless first admitting that as parents
we are accountable for our own child!

I don't believe the school system is trying to "shut down some of this education of blacks" or of any students for that matter. Funding and money is definetly a big part as well as the quality of education, and ambition of the teacher. In my opinion we, as a nation, are acquiring many teachers that are just "getting by" through college; that really have nothing else going for them so why not teach. Also teachers do not have very good salaries therefore if a highly intelligent individual had the option between teaching and medicine many would pick medicine due to salary.(that is if they really don't have passion for becoming a teacher) Parents are a big part of the problem, however teachers can't "fix" the parents. They must work around it. Bottom line funding has to be present, and teachers have to be determined and stable enough to provide the education that is key for the future of America.

Every school in the country has a handbook of student conduct (or some equivalent). I will bet a cup of bad coffee that in none of them is failure to learn an offense, and that in all of them, the gravest offense is failure to OBEY.

We humans are born to learn. Why is it so hard to teach us what we need? Parents of bright children -- and most children are frighteningly bright -- sometimes have trouble keeping up. They need not worry; our schools will insure they come out as dull as adults.

Credentials are not the solution. The best teachers have fire in their souls and love in their hearts. A catechism of political correctness cannot ignite that fire, neither can it inspire that love. We are lucky any young teachers survive the academic gauntlet they must run to become certified with any of that intact. What a joy it was to find that some did!

College is not the solution. Time was, a High School Senior was already doing what our grandfathers might think college level work and our Grade Schools were teaching science that a century ago was known only by a few.

A child begins his schooling eager to learn. WHY ARE WE NOT READY TO TEACH?!

Verse does not survive in this format, but I will do what I can:


Inside each adult There must hide A child, Who runs away From all the pain remembered, That he sees each day, Who lets another child grow up afraid; Inside each adult hides The price he paid.

© Cortland Richmond 2002 (part of a longer work)

YOu have only talked about teachers and schools. You forgot the most important ingredient the Parents . THis is where America doesn't get it. In all these high achieving countries check these kids out when the enter the school system. Their parents rich or poor have already instilled in them, that their ticket to a good life is thru education. So the parent starts early in teaching the basics of reading, writing, math and good behavior. These schools have parents who have given their children the equalivalent of 2years of what goes in to teaching American kids in their schools. So the bottom line is hold the parent responsible Parents have to do community classes in getting their kids ready for school before their kids come to school almost like community service. Give check list of if your child is ready for school he or she receives a free after school activitie in the community center or YMCA or COmmunity Recreation dept. It will encourage those parents who can't afford those activities and further benefit the kids. That system can be upheld on a reward based system thru out elementary schools. Better disciplined parents will give for better disciplined kids.

saira mohammad

Teachers Unions would never allow this. The key is changing the way teachers think not the students.

Covering the education of teachers is an idea long overdue. How is it any less ridiculous to make teachers pay for their schooling than it would be to make soldiers pay for Basic Training?

But the US spends three times as much per student and yet the US can't make the top 25 in quality education among developed countries worldwide. Throwing more money at US education is akin to the Wall St. and auto industry bailouts and it is no secret that it is corrupt and incompetent "management" in those industries that is being bailed out, or should I say being "enabled" to continue their incompetent ways. It is no different in schools across America, and when management at all levels is scrutinized and held accountable then US education will get better. It's really time to quit blaming parents, students, and teachers. They will only ever be as good as their so-called leaders.

Formulae, names and dates are invaluable for someone, say, starting their own business, from plumbing to auto repair to consulting.

I think the schools must teach our children how to live and survive in this world, more on practical things rather than academic lessons which we don't use much in our daily lives anyway. What is the purpose of learning formulae, rmembering dates, names etc when none of them would be used when the children leave school and some of them can't even write and spell properly! The children should be taught on the everyday things they face in live, legal procedures, their rights, survival skills, self-defense, what to do in any possible event like an accident, crime scene or any possible awkward situations. Teach them how to become like McGyver for instance. Teach them how to become entreprenuers, how to make the first million, what are the alternatives in life. Teach them to understand themselves. Teach them the failures of leaders. Teach them why and how corruption, scandals and other behaviour will lead to disaster, give them the present day examples. Explain to them the failure of the Katrina debacle. Teach them the expenses incurred in stagging wars, starting bush fires in California, damages caused by floods etc so that when they grow up they will be well informe adults. Tell them about the real "democracy" where lobbyists influence is critical so that they can elect better presidents by supporting their own lobby for their cause. Teach them how junk food is prepared, how the chicken and cows were treated before being slaughtered. In short, there are more better things to be taught then the current curriculum.

Our cultural values have alot to do with education. A culture in which you get more jail time for robbing a bank than you do for murder and where you can get trampled to death at a Wal-Mart store can't be expected to produce good teachers.

Maybe parents need to care more and be more involved and I really think the school systems need to make their information more interesting and digestable to kids, also let the kids pick things they are interested in learning as well. Ever wonder why homeschoolers are averaging 2yrs above grade level? Because they get to do what is interesting to them on top of the other stuff and they don't have to deal with the extra crap and wasting of time.

One of the other things the other countries do that we don't do is hold the students accountable. All of the accountability standards in the U.S. are aimed at why the teachers, schools, administration, etc are failing. If we don't start getting across to the kids that they have to study, pay attention in class, take their education seriously, etc by holding back the ones who refuse to participate, then the any reforms are irrelevant. Think about how many kids are in school today only because they want to play football or some other sport, or because they want to keep their drivers license, or they want to hang out with their friends. I guarantee that when we stop awarding diplomas to students whose only qualification for graduation is "time served" will achieve results. Of course, my opinion flies completely in the face of all the parents, do-gooders and academics who believe the child is never at fault. If you don't believe me, go into a classroom where the teacher is working their rear ends off doing everything possible and count the number of kids who are zoned out because the material isn't "interesting", "relevant", "worth knowing", "not something they need to know", etc, etc, etc.