United States Must Revamp Public Education Model

Ham on Wry supports a major overhaul to public education in order to engage students, meet their needs and those of their parents, and prepare them for the world in which they will earn a living. The science students in the photo above show interest and intent in the kind of learning environment that allows for hands-on and experimental experiences that promote critical thinking skills. The studies of life and physical sciences naturally lead to this kind of follow-through, but other subject areas often eliminate that approach in favor of the pedagogical method that relies mostly on lectures and note taking without allowing for real-world application.

Once a student leaves elementary school, group learning and project-oriented assignments, such as the digital learning lab depicted in the photo. are often left behind, As a former educator and someone who stays current with educational research, this blogger believes that our nation clings to an archaic  system developed prior to the advent of modern life. Replete with commuting to work, jobs that operate in shifts, and increased dependence on ever-changing technologies that become obsolete in hyper-speed, the old system no longer works effectively.

In order to prepare today's students for the world in which they will function, they must spend more time in school to allow for more physical activity and creative classes, both of which contribute to their well-rounded development. Since busing poses a problem in accomplishing this aim because school systems use the same buses to transport students who attend schools with varied hours, it should be outsourced to a private company that can handle the necessary logistics.

No Child Left Behind is a failed effort to raise educational standards. Testing should be eliminated as the main criterion to measure student learning, using it as only a portion of student measurement. Teachers use a variety of methods to assess student achievement, but the pressure to teach to the standardized test impedes their ability to address learning areas standard tests don't measure, such as creative writing. Successful educators know whether students grasp the material without using standardized tests to assist them.

Longitudinal studies have consistently identified leadership as the number one variable that correlates with student achievement, yet many school districts fail to recognize its importance. Efforts to hire excellent superintendents, principals, and teachers pay dividends far beyond the classroom by preparing well-educated citizens, some of whom will become the leaders of tomorrow. Rather than continuing a model that promotes mediocrity, the United States must replicate the models of excellence that have successfully turned around failing districts. Money spent on education must take greater priority when determining state and local budgets. Otherwise, the United States fails in its obligation to prepare its citizens with the ability to make informed decisions.