10 December 2006

Is education working in high schools and middle schools?

Today is a beautiful day to renew education.

Education isn’t meeting the needs of students today. The class schedule used by the majority of schools was put in place a long time ago …. so long ago ….. but does that mean it fits the needs of 21st students. I don’t think so. Do you? Most of the students I talk to today say they would do better academically, be able to focus more, and concentrate better if school began later in the day and went longer in the afternoon. Studies show that teenagers need sleep due to the tremendous changes happening in their bodies. Geez, some Administrators I have talked to also indicate they wouldn’t mind the school day starting later …..

What would happen to the misbehaving students in class, a constant source of irritation to teachers and other students, maybe they too could focus better later in the day and then cause less disruptions. Yeah, that’s far fetched I know. Usually, there are other issues bothering them that are causing them to act out and be disruptive…. but you never know.

Maybe schools start so early to accommodate parents working schedules? I think many parents have to be at work in the early morning, when I was working for a business I know I had too. Ummm, maybe students learning is held hostage to parents work – the art of earning an income. Is that right? … I think most parents want their kids to be successful at school and will do whatever it takes to have them attend whenever classes are taking place.

We need to make student learning – the very foundation of young people establishing initial work behaviors and attitudes – as the very first priority. Without those students setting those fundamental skills in place – what are we doing in regards to creating the future of this society?

Maybe I have it wrong, but I am thinking that education is supposed to provide students with the basic life skills to move forward and be successful in life. But, come to think of it, I have never seen a purpose of education in the USA so I will have to do some searching to see if I can find an explanation …..

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