Realistic goals for a politically based shift in education and youth rights

[Damokles]

Tell me something that you think we can realistically change in the next five or so years in education. Be reasonable. I want things that you could call your local representative and get them to bring to the table to change on a state or national level. Funding, reform, rights, responsibilities.

[brainiac3397]

We can realistically change the people in charge, though we'll just end up with another batch of liars.

[Damokles]

Very edgy. But nothing constructive to add?

A lot of politicians do genuinely want to affect change, and this is generally more true the more local you get. It's up to you to tell your politicians what changes you want, but before that it's important to figure out what changes are reasonable and effective to implement.

[brainiac3397]

Shall we see?

Firstly getting rid of a rigid curriculum, which is easy to modify and put into place since it seems to be yearly based anyway. A flexible curriculum, which re-defines "core" to adjusted levels of necessity.

Perhaps 1st level is [English-Math-History/Social-Science]

Then a 2nd level, containing two valid combinations of [English-Math-Science] or [English-Math-History]

3rd level cores as [English-Science], [English-Math], [English-History]

4th has no cores, and will allow student full choice of class choice in school

*This is for high school, so 1st level starts from 9th Grade*

How this works? A 9th grader would be required to take the 1st level core classes as mandatory, and be given remaining choices of elective classes depending on their preference. A 10th Grader can choose to do a core of either science or history, though not need to take both classes in the same year. An 11th Grader now has 3 choices depending on whether they want to take a Math, Science or History. 12th Graders will be free to take whatever class they choose(and perhaps simply being required to take enough classes to be at attendance for half the school day minimum).

4-3-2-0 Progressive core classes. This will allow students to "lean" into an area of study they prefer and thus concentrate more in that area. Screw that well-rounded bullshit, anyone can be well-rounded without having to waste precious time learning something they don't give a damn about. Visit the library, read a book, use wikipedia, and voila. You've got a well-rounded human.

Gym/PE could be semi-mandatory, dependent on extra-curricular and parental consent(Student A in school soccer team? No PE. Student B not in sport team, but does do PE outside school, parental consent to not be in class. Student C not in sport team, but involved in those academic competitions? parental consent to not be in class. Student D not have parental consent, and not in sport team, then no choice. However, if Student D part of academic competitions, can ditch PE class with consent by supervising teacher of that competition for studies).

Might need to better organize this, but I doubt such a policy would take more than 5 years at all, as it's only the fundamentals.

Course will need to handle budgeting and other stuff like extracurricular, but at least this is a rough draft.

[Damokles]

I'm going to apply my Australian educational logic to your system to see if I make sense of it. So, assuming a twelve unit structure in which a main subject takes 2 units and an extension takes 1 unit:

In 9th grade a student would be required to have two units of English, two units of maths and two units of either history or social science, leaving six units, or three subjects, left to choose from of their own free will.

In 10th grade a student would be required to have two units of English, as well as two units of either science or history, leaving eight units to choose from.

In 11th grade a student would be required to have two units of English, and two units of math, science or history, leaving eight units to choose from.

In 12th grade a student would have 12 units to choose from.

This isn't taking into account PE, as that's usually a schedule shift rather than counted as units.

I actually do quite like this system, though I do think there could be improvements. I may have to think about this.

[James Comey]

As much as I like the proposed system, especially with the last year letting the child choose whatever classes are most important to them, I'm quite skeptical that we will ever see reform. Maybe in 2 decades, perhaps, but 5 years? Remember that the politicians, etc are extremely stubborn, on both sides. They still have irrational fears of a "socialist takeover" and whatnot. Before we see any serious reform, I have a feeling it will get worse before it gets better.

We might one day see longer school days, longer school years, more homework, tougher truancy policies, etc in a futile attempt to raise test scores. I would imagine that eventually, students (and perhaps parents as well) will finally take a stand and start some sort of strike or protest.

[Damokles]

The thing is, politicians are doing these things because that's what their constituents are telling them to do. You need to be active and tell them what you want.

[Trekkie_Aspie]

Hmm ... yes, that'll work for me but what about those who are minors? They can't vote and therefore it doesn't matter what they feel, to the politicitans.

[thewake]

Realistically, we could all masturbate and it'd do about as much good as anything.

[Trekkie_Aspie]

Yes, exactly. I don't think much changes in five years, anyway. Well, I suppose all those 'coming of age' within five years could make a promise right now to homeschool their kids but not sure how much it would accomplish.

[James Comey]

If those of this generation decided to homeschool, it definitely could make a difference and be a wake-up call for the government. Or not.

[brainiac3397]

Or decides to burn down schools. Can't imprison so many minors, now can we?

Arson always seems to grab attention quite well, and enough of it tends to make people say "What's the underlying cause"

[James Comey]

(08-14-2013 12:12 PM)brainiac3397 Wrote:  Or decides to burn down schools. Can't imprison so many minors, now can we?

Arson always seems to grab attention quite well, and enough of it tends to make people say "What's the underlying cause"

Let me guess: violent video games, movies, TV shows, books and literature. The usual they'll try to blame it on.

[brainiac3397]

Then we need a bigger fire...

[Trekkie_Aspie]

(08-14-2013 09:28 AM)Hansgrohe Wrote:  If those of this generation decided to homeschool, it definitely could make a difference and be a wake-up call for the government. Or not.

You know, I intend on homeschooling my kids should I actually y'know, ever have any. The furtherest I got was to declare that, it came up in conversation on Saturday.

[James Comey]

(08-15-2013 01:16 AM)brainiac3397 Wrote:  Then we need a bigger fire...

There could always be some sort of manifesto, video, or note saying "This was OUR idea because we HATE the school system, not Grand Theft Auto or Breaking Bad!".

EDIT: I'm quite paranoid about posting this, thinking we're seriously proposing a massive terrorist attack.

[brainiac3397]

No worries. If they've got an FBI folder on us, you should be happy. We're important enough to be honored with a folder to our name!

[UnschoolShqiponjë]

Here is what you can do. Home school your future kids. If not feasible. Send kids to a Montessori or even better a Sudbury school. If that is also not feasible (expensive) let them know how you feel about school and don't harp on them about the school they are going to.

If you make decent money open your own Sudbury School. Go into child psych field and research and publish in favor of the general views of SS. Unless of course your conclusions find the opposite. However based on my own research I doubt one would come to a conclusion too far off the ideals of SS.

[brainiac3397]

Homeschooling is basically the best option. It's highly flexible and well within your control and supervision. As long as you know what you're doing and don't turn your homeschool into another manifestation of the corrupted education system, things should be fine. Course research will be required if you aim for your student to go to college, for compatibility purposes

[UnschoolShqiponjë]

(08-15-2013 02:58 PM)brainiac3397 Wrote:  Homeschooling is basically the best option. It's highly flexible and well within your control and supervision. As long as you know what you're doing and don't turn your homeschool into another manifestation of the corrupted education system, things should be fine. Course research will be required if you aim for your student to go to college, for compatibility purposes

Or you don't use it to spread the teachings of JEEEEEEESUS deep into your child. I made it sound like rape because it basically is mental rape what fundie fucktards (vogter anyone remember him?) do.

[brainiac3397]

JESUS WOULD WANT YOU TO USE THAT RIFLE TO SHOOT THAT COP!

Perhaps a secular sanity test should be administered. I have no qualms about parents who teach their children religion, but teaching religion and turning them into radical demons are two very different things. One you let them know and let them have the choice, the other you drill into their skulls.

[xcriteria]

I think lots can change, and already is changing. The first step is getting broader recognition of these problems. A closely related step is to envision better ways to do things, and put them into practice. There are lots of ways to make this happen beyond "politically-based."

Many of the roadblocks exist within particular schools and families. The key is to educate people about how learning really works, and what learners' core needs really are.

I posted about this thread in the G+ community for a MOOC I'm currently taking, WOOC-MOOC. If you're on G+ or want to get on there, feel free to say hi there and join in the discussion:
https://plus.google.com/1059086549590682...xXUpXmwmKd

Change can occur within schools, or by doing learning better outside of school.

These students designed their own learning environment within a school... maybe there are other principals who would go for this:



Watch on YouTube

Even if such a thing isn't possible in all schools, you can still take learning into your own hands, and use many of the resources now available to learn in ways that were difficult or impossible in years past. School-as-usual can leave people with a feeling of powerlessness, but you can recover your ability to learn and surpass what school expects of you. You don't have to wait for the future to begin making the most of your time now.

Whether you're in school or not, there's the question of how learning actually happens. What are you doing, and what might you do, to learn beyond the formats offered by school?

[Dunjen]

I love the ideas you all have but they seem so hard to accomplish. I like ideas that are actionable. Why not instead of talking about massive structural changes to education we talk about improving it day to day? Little things that improve the situation for ourselves. there are lots of ways to go around the systems they have put in place to screw us all over. It just take alittle effort on our parts to find out how to beat them while letting them think they are winning. This website seems to have the right idea... http://www.whatisschoolgoodfor.com

[brainiac3397]

Because day to day has become "panem et circenses"

[xcriteria]

(08-24-2013 09:58 AM)Dunjen Wrote:  I love the ideas you all have but they seem so hard to accomplish. I like ideas that are actionable. Why not instead of talking about massive structural changes to education we talk about improving it day to day? Little things that improve the situation for ourselves. there are lots of ways to go around the systems they have put in place to screw us all over. It just take alittle effort on our parts to find out how to beat them while letting them think they are winning. This website seems to have the right idea... http://www.whatisschoolgoodfor.com

Hah, that same "if students designed their own schools" is on that site.

Dunjen, I agree with you. It's good to take the steps you can, to improve your life and your situation. That's different for each person, but there are some common patterns.

One way to improve things is the ability to have meaningful conversations about one's learning with parents, educators, friends and others in general. Another way is to find or build better ways to learn.

(08-24-2013 03:43 PM)brainiac3397 Wrote:  Because day to day has become "panem et circenses"

So, try something different?

[Trekkie_Aspie]

What about our own e-learning place?

[xcriteria]

(09-01-2013 01:28 AM)Trekkie_Aspie Wrote:  What about our own e-learning place?

Definitely! This is the sort of thing I have in mind. I think it's coming together in the form of individual conversations, but what does the overall "space" look like?

I've found G+ to be a useful medium for collaborative learning, as well as some other tools like http://rizzoma.com At the same time, of course, it's possible to learn anytime, anywhere, using all kinds of media (and real life scenes), but there's the question of how to make learning more of an active thing.

It's easy for a lot of us to fall into periods of not really learning that much. Having some way to facilitate peer mentorship can help with that.

What things would you like to see in a collaborative e-learning space?

[Trekkie_Aspie]

I don't know, I was just throwing ideas out. Didn't really think them all the way through.