Education - How would you modify it?

[deloriagod]

 

 

 

 

 

-Less homework consisting of merely copying answers from a book. For my American government class we have a section of reading and discussion questions to do every night. I don't mind it one bit because we can't completely copy the answers from the book since our questions often ask for opinions and such.

 

 

 

 

I 100% agree. I think instead of simple copy-out-of-book work, we should research a topic then write maybe an essay. That would improve our language arts skills at the same time. :thumbsup:

 

I agree as well. I'd far rather write an essay than do 50 problems from a book that are designed simply to pound information into my head. The essay gives me a chance to think, the problems most likely do not. That's one of my biggest issues with mathmatics particurarly. If I can do the first problem with no problem, what makes you think that the next 49 problems that are exactly the same but with different numbers are going to help me at all.

 

 

 

That's where we start getting into the subject of "busy work." You obviously know what you're doing and have the information you need, but to pass the class you must do this meaningless homework.

[Nadril]

Make College/Uni less expensive. :lol:

 

 

 

Really though, prices are pretty extreme for something that is a requirement for most fields of work.

[Lateralus]

Kids/people need to be taught to love learning. If the school can do that, then the rest is up to the person. If you want to be a physicist, then you'll do it. If you want to be a joiner, then you'll do it. Cramming facts down throats is not useful.

[venomai]

For me, the first thing that comes to my mind is a comprehensive and honest drug education program, one that emphasizes responsible use over zero-tolerance (similar to comprehensive sex education).

 

 

 

I'd also like to see more emphasis in artistic and creative thought, more flexibility in course selection, less emphasis on specific details and facts as a required part of the curriculum (e.g. historical dates, parabolic functions, etc), and more focus on understanding broader concepts (such as correlation vs. causation, scientific proofs and theories, understanding analogies and fallacies, etc).

 

 

 

I might put more thought into this later. Great thread.

[Iamdan]

Less emphasis on rote learning, more emphasis on creative thinking (even/especially within scientific subjects) and independent learning. Yes, in every subject the basics have to be taught but beyond that you have to make more time for asking and answering those "but why?" questions. Never, ever, ever stifle a child's inquisitive and imaginative nature.

 

 

 

^This. Also, for primary/high school work to be more focuses on developing intelligence than knowledge. For subjects such as math and physics it's kinda hard to do but for other subjects people should be given the chance to become interested in things, and research it and develop their own opinions.

[deloriagod]

For me, the first thing that comes to my mind is a comprehensive and honest drug education program, one that emphasizes responsible use over zero-tolerance (similar to comprehensive sex education).

 

 

 

 

I agree with this completely considering how miserably our current zero-tolerance policy is failing.

[dragoonson]

Just one thing.Teachers stop showing us the same clip with the same people explaining the same thing in the same slow,monotonous voice.In the time it took the guy to explain Alexander the Great's birth,I could've written a full and nearly precise essay on his whole life,and still have time to contemplate our existence.

[warri0r45]

For me, the first thing that comes to my mind is a comprehensive and honest drug education program, one that emphasizes responsible use over zero-tolerance (similar to comprehensive sex education).

 

 

 

I'd also like to see more emphasis in artistic and creative thought, more flexibility in course selection, less emphasis on specific details and facts as a required part of the curriculum (e.g. historical dates, parabolic functions, etc), and more focus on understanding broader concepts (such as correlation vs. causation, scientific proofs and theories, understanding analogies and fallacies, etc).

 

 

 

I might put more thought into this later. Great thread.

 

 

 

Right with you there. The first thing kids must be taught in a science class is what science actually is (e.g. what "theory" means, what studies tell us, and as you said, the relationship between correlation and causation, etc).

 

 

 

There's too much rote learning in school these days and not enough emphasis on understanding fundamental concepts. In my experience, important facts that you'd normally learn via rote learning come to you naturally anyway. Simply memorizing a bunch of facts means nothing. In science, and other subjects, you need the theory to understand what they mean.

[Rebdragon]

Just make things more conceptual. Especially history.

[Da_Latios]

Kids have no respect, nor discipline towards teachers or other authority figures in a school.

 

To get respect, teachers must give respect. There are no instances of the latter at my school.

[warri0r45]

Kids have no respect, nor discipline towards teachers or other authority figures in a school.

 

To get respect, teachers must give respect. There are no instances of the latter at my school.

 

 

 

What do you expect teachers to do? Serious question.

[dragoonson]

Kids have no respect, nor discipline towards teachers or other authority figures in a school.

 

To get respect, teachers must give respect. There are no instances of the latter at my school.

 

 

 

Personally,I think its not just respect giving,its deserving the respect.You can respect me all I want but if you can't write your own lesson without Wikipedia quotes everywhere you don't deserve mine.

[Furah]

I am sick of writing pages on notes, and when I am finished instead of having learnt anything all I want is for the year to end. Plus I am sick of teachers, like my computers teacher, who try to fail students, because they hate them (I don't even know why he hates me, unless it's because I am friends with a guy who keeps putting in .bat files that shut down the computer/open a program non-stop.) It's at the point where I might go see the principal, the teacher is offensive to me, and set a .bat file my friend made to display "Im Ryan and Im a freakkin looser" when it opened itself non-stop -.- He also blames me for things other people do, and often calls me a looser and an idiot.

 

 

 

Also teachers and staff should try to treat us with respect, as I get treated like some druggo who couldn't be trusted with anything remotely like a weapon and who can't think for themselves. I act more mature than some of the teachers, yet cannot be trusted or respected. This is really annoying with the schools internet filter, as the Board of Studies choose the sites to block, and they over block so much stuff, I use my Tafe log in so I can get more access than the teachers :XD: plus they have blocked pretty much EVERY form of a proxy, even the Google translator, and the mobile friendly google page, which normally both bypass filters and blocked sites :( not to mention that you can only go on approved sites, and they are trying to stop people from caching sites.

 

 

 

the way I would have schooling is this:

 

 

 

- you can choose your subjects from earlier on, and English isn't compulsory when you can choose all your subjects

 

- there are different filter levels, and the more you abuse your internet use the more sites are blocked for you

 

- the curriculum is more about preparation for a job than completing your yr 10 Certificate and HSC

 

- students are more trusted, but loose that trust if they do something stupid

 

- less homework, and make it more about thinking, rather then copying whats already been given to you

[____]

Other than compulsary math, english and corporal punishment the only huge change would be a uniform syllabus across all states. I believe a swing towards creative thinking would be good but.. i dunno... subject dependant.

[Furah]

Other than compulsary math, english and corporal punishment the only huge change would be a uniform syllabus across all states. I believe a swing towards creative thinking would be good but.. i dunno... subject dependant.

 

 

 

uniform is another thing that must go, it's so annoying, the shirts are heat magnets in summer -.-

[1_man_army]

Without going into too much detail, I think education at a high school level tends to focus too much on getting pupils through exams rather than giving them a good grounding in the subject. That tends to be especially true of fee paying schools, in my experience of meeting people from these schools they all come out with good grades but on closer inspection they have very little wider knowledge of the subject - how you can get an A in history and not know who Mussolini is baffling to me.

 

 

 

That is my only addition to this thread, all of my other gripes have been covered.

[____]

Other than compulsary math, english and corporal punishment the only huge change would be a uniform syllabus across all states. I believe a swing towards creative thinking would be good but.. i dunno... subject dependant.

 

 

 

uniform is another thing that must go, it's so annoying, the shirts are heat magnets in summer -.-

 

I have no problem with uniforms. a lot of valid 'pro' arguments compared to the repedative 'uniforms crush self-expression' which is all most people seem to be able to come up with. Anyhow, that's really a minor issue in the long run.

[ghjkl]

I would make it so you take an advanced placement test that is actually HARD at the beginning of each grade, even elementary school and secondary school. This test is designed for kindergarten to end of college level in language arts, history, science, and math. You will be placed in the course that best fits you. I'm so bored at taking Algebra 1 in 8th grade, while learning calculus at home. It would be much easier to be able to take calculus at school, and not waste time in math class.

 

Also, make note taking OPTIONAL. If you don't need the notes, you shouldn't be required to take it. My math teacher makes me take notes, or basically, rewrite the entire test I just took like 5 minutes ago, and GRADES us on it. Much less copy off the book stuff, and more creative thinking with multiple points, would be nice also.

 

I hate how in the US, they make the SAT/ACT so easy. In 7th grade last year, I scored a 1800 total, with a 710 in math, better than 95% of exiting level high schoolers. They really need to challenge students more, and make them use their brains. Anyone could copy off a book doing busywork, but it takes skill to actually interpret and comprehend what is actually going on.

[dragoonson]

Other than compulsary math, english and corporal punishment the only huge change would be a uniform syllabus across all states. I believe a swing towards creative thinking would be good but.. i dunno... subject dependant.

 

 

 

uniform is another thing that must go, it's so annoying, the shirts are heat magnets in summer -.-

 

I have no problem with uniforms. a lot of valid 'pro' arguments compared to the repedative 'uniforms crush self-expression' which is all most people seem to be able to come up with. Anyhow, that's really a minor issue in the long run.

 

 

 

Like that if you're in a uniform you don't spend as much time preening in class and actually listen?I like my uniform though.With a plain black shirt inside it looks cool,and without it has a this enough fabric for our humidity not to matter.

[Ginger_Warrior]

I didn't mind the uniform. It wasn't that bad, and made everyone "look the same". People were genuinely judged for the content of their character, rather than the style or cost of the clothes they wore. When you're 11-16, that's gotta really help against bullying.

 

 

 

The only argument I can think of is the sheer cost of uniforms. Thankfully my high school had plastic jumpers, not blazers...

[BabyPunchers]

Better sex education. God, not just that freaking "don't do it and you don't get pregnant" crap. I'm not out of high school yet, and I still don't know how to put on a condom. They should teach things like that in school. Screw the [wagon]es that will giggle everytime someone says "penis", if better sex education stops one unwanted baby from coming into this world, then it's a good cause.

[Joes_So_Cool]

I'm sure this has been said countless times previously, and sorry for not reading the whole thing, but I'd change this.

 

 

 

I'd make homework optional, I mean it's alright for review and stuff, and I'd do a good chunk of it anyways, but I just don't see the need to do it if I completely understand the topic we're learning about. I think for some kids, it's a hassle, between sports, little siblings, work, and other activities they really don't have much time, and it does kill people's grades a ton. Homework in 3 out of my 4 classes is 25% of my grade.

[assassin_696]

Less emphasis on rote learning, more emphasis on creative thinking (even/especially within scientific subjects) and independent learning. Yes, in every subject the basics have to be taught but beyond that you have to make more time for asking and answering those "but why?" questions. Never, ever, ever stifle a child's inquisitive and imaginative nature.

 

 

 

100% agree with you, although Science and Maths are more-or-less 100% fact and imagination can be 'too far' sometimes(as in ridiculously unconsiderable to the matter kind of 'too far' :P)?

 

 

 

I agree that there's a high factual content in maths and science, but there's also huge scope for imagination. Many of the really hard, interesting maths problems I do in further maths aren't algorithmically applying some kind of recipe for problem solving, but thinking creatively and intuitively about mathematics. I think it's such a shame that kids have to go through most of their school lives learning formulae and problem solving techniques and covering huge swades of theory before they can get to the interesting stuff. I know it's simply the nature of the subject and probably inevitable but I'd introduce proofs and abstraction at a much early age in maths. At a higher level I'd make the exams more like the AEA (Advanced Extension Award) and STEP (bad-[wagon] Cambridge maths entrance paper) questions, that require creative thought more than rote learning. The same applies to science. As others have said, from an early age instill in kids what science is before you start teaching them all the facts. Then (hopefully) when you start building up the facts with them they'll have a healthy curiosity and understanding.

[JustAGamer]

and it does kill people's grades a ton. Homework in 3 out of my 4 classes is 25% of my grade.

 

 

 

Really? Around my school, homework is what saves about 90% of the students from failing the class. :lol:

 

 

 

I have four classes as well, and I usually find it entirely possible to smash through it in just my Lunch Time alone.

 

 

 

Personally, I'd be trying to get my principal more involved. I havn't seen him more than half a dozen times since the school year began, and I would marvel if he had even a clue what the students were doing.

 

 

 

In any case, the following seems appropriate:

 

 

 

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/ma ... _never_use

[Ginger_Warrior]

I'm sure this has been said countless times previously, and sorry for not reading the whole thing, but I'd change this.

 

 

 

I'd make homework optional, I mean it's alright for review and stuff, and I'd do a good chunk of it anyways, but I just don't see the need to do it if I completely understand the topic we're learning about. I think for some kids, it's a hassle, between sports, little siblings, work, and other activities they really don't have much time, and it does kill people's grades a ton. Homework in 3 out of my 4 classes is 25% of my grade.

 

I think that depends. The fact of the matter is (if we're talking about the UK system, I'm not sure exactly how it works in the US, Canada or Australia) you need to be doing homework at secondary school to keep up with the wide variety of lessons you're doing. At college though, I think that's different. Homework should be optional at that point.

 

 

 

If I can die for my country at the age most people go to college then I should be able to decide what I do with my free time, homework included. College as it is is a joke. They still baby you around like they did in secondary school. That's why people need to learn about independent learning, so people feel inspired to study by themselves and do the work asked of them, rather than shoving the work down their throat and giving them a little green report card if they don't do the work.

 

 

 

Children are maturing too fast these days, and even though the work is easy, there's way too much pressure for young people to do well academically. I think it's got to the point where tutors give homework for the sake of giving homework just so they look like they're doing something, and that just strangles even more time away from young people who need some sort of time in which to mature properly.

 

 

 

In short: college just needs to be a more mature place.