Tuesday, January 6, 2009

If I could help improve education

If I could change the world of education, I would:

--Infuse joy into each day. Joy for students. Joy for teachers. We learn better when we smile.
--Create excitement about the learning process through discovery
--Encourage creativity, original thought, and honest questions
--Increase teacher salaries and appreciation
--Remove teachers who don’t like kids or teaching
--Allow teachers to teach subjects, not test topics
--Allow teachers time to talk to each other and plan together for learning activities
--Allow students to ask questions as well as figure out answers
--Provide time for arts--music and dance and art and poetry—all types of creative expression
--Provide funds for trips away from school so that children can see a larger world—museums, shows, events. Experiential learning.
--Provide time for physical education—exercise their bodies as well as their brains
--Increase the time of the school day and the length of the school year. Learning takes time.
--Focus on the positive rather than the negative. Praise and recognition instead of approbation and criticism.
--Celebrate success

And that's just a start!

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