5 Ways: to improve our schools

This 5 Ways is an attempt on my part to step out of the clouds and find cheap new ways of doing public education. These ideas are meant to be starting points. They are also meant to be integrated into existing schools though I hope they would work just as easily in newly opened schools.

#1 Block Scheduling- I am a huge supporter of block schedules. (I did this all four years of high school after doing 7 class days all through middle school, the block schedule worked much better for me, though I understand it doesn't work for some) For those who are unfamiliar with block scheduling it is when the school year is broke into two semesters, and then each semester students take 4 classes (I’ve seen some with 5 classes also). The classes are longer and change halfway through the year. This system works great with those students who do dual enrollment because colleges are on the block schedule. With longer classes students are able to do more work in the class also. If a student has a problem class, well its only for one semester and is easier to manage. Block scheduling does require more planning time for teachers since each semester they get one class off but teachers need more planning time.

#2 Televisions in buses- I know of students who ride buses for almost 3 hours a day. The local school district doesn’t allow any electronic devices on buses or at school. This means no cell phones, no MP3 players, no hand held gaming devices, nothing of the sort. What happens is students get bored in the buses and this is when gossip is started, fights break out, and the like. By installing simple televisions that play age appropriate educational programming students can be both entertained and expand the time of learn by hours each day. This system could also remind students of upcoming school events and even have local news and weather played on it. During field trips related materials could be played during the bus ride.

#3 Put an end to busing- Some school districts, like the one I live in, bus students to the school they are assigned too. This may mean they pass multiple schools to go the appropriate assigned one. This is to help the schools have more equal numbers of students and races. The problem is that with students being bused so far away many parents can not be involved like they want to or should be. Many of the students also have no connection with their local community. By placing students in the closest school to them the students can be more involved with after school programs, more are able to walk to school thus helping students become more active, and are able to have their parents more involved. The idea behind busing is a noble one but the problems out weigh the positives.

#4 School Vouchers- If we really want to improve our schools there needs to be competition involved. Ideally students can go to the local schools but if they choice to go to another school they should be able too. The reason why some schools are bad and some aren’t is because the bad schools have no competition. If they had to compete, had to prove to parents why their students should go there, then schools would improve. This has been proven over and over in foreign countries and in specific districts in America. Vouchers are almost always followed by improving grades, test scores, and parental/student happiness.

I truly believe the only reason teacher unions are against this (and they are by far the most vocal opponent to this) is because those teachers who are lazy, bad educators will finally have to prove their worth, not just too fellow faculty but to each and every parent. We have too many schools ran by complacent faculty in deplorable conditions. The schools that prove their worth will be the ones with students and thus the ones with funding.

#5 Café style cafeterias- In my ideal vision of schools cafeterias would look more like coffee shops or fine restaurants. They would have large amounts of sunlight, nice yet sturdy furniture, art work on show in display cabinets, classical music drifting through the air, and multiple stations where students can choice what they want to eat (more the pizza vs. beef and macaroni choices!) some stations would even have mutli-cultural options. These cafeterias would help students stay calmer due to the earth tone paints and the classical music. The food options would help students try new foods and expand their food palettes. This would help students prepare more the real world more and even more college more. Most colleges have cafeterias like this (this has been a major trend in college around the country the last ten years or so).

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and here is one more for the fun of it.

#6 Replace bells with classical music- Instead of bells buzzing students from class to class why not have classical music play. This would help students stay calm in the hallways (loud abrasive sounds don’t) and help introduce them to new styles of music.

There are many other ways, the largest being putting an end to the unions that have their own interests above the students (many of the unions do, but some are concerned about the students). There are other things like giving the schools more freedom in their approach to education and scheduling. All of these though fall more onto the political side of the issue something I do want to cover just not in a 5 quick point style.

What are some simple things you know schools do? How can we take these ideas and integrate them into our churches?