Tips on School Improvement
We hear Treasure Coast School Districts claim to have lost 10,000 students, whose families are now sending them to private schools, religious schools, charter schools, even homeschooling. And, yes, the districts lost $8,500 per student annually, but they also have less students to educate. Instead of just 'boo hooing' over the monies lost, where is their plan to make government schools more competitive?
Why are parents removing their children? I understand religious reasons but it is much more than that. Look at HS graduate who cannot make change, spell words, read and write in script, etc. Never mind how the Ivy League has stamped out meritocracy at college level. No more ACTs or SATs required.
As a retired educator from “up North,” who taught in the education department at college, I have a few suggestions to offer.
Most are improvements which cost nothing to implement and, in view of our low status on worldwide testing, we must improve. We trail most of the civilized world, even as we spend more money. Why group by age? Why not establish ability grouping? Why do Special Education students have an individualized program? Why shouldn't all children have one tailored to their ability and achievement levels in each subject? They should not be competing with the child next to them. In gym class, for example, one could be on an incline board on a flat position and the child on the next board may have the board at a high incline and be doing multiple sets (as ordered by his coach). Students should be competing with their own performance level from last year, month, week, not each other.
Block scheduling helps children learn as their teachers have a common planning period to coordinate the movie in Social Studies with spelling words for the week.
Why not teach foreign languages throughout their school experience – not just two years - as the rest of the world does?
Why not Pre- and Post-testing every school year? If a child has mastered multiplying 2 digit numbers by 3 digit numbers, why make him sit there as teacher explains procedures to those who have not? Some call that “Programmed Retardation.”
These are a few things to consider.
Audrey Taggart
This is an editoral from one of our members and not the official position of the Martin County Republican Executive Committee.