I may share my two cents tonight, but in the meantime Oddblog has posed an interesting question:
How should we go about trying to fixing [sic] the educational system of the United States of America? More specifically, how do we reduce functional illiteracy?
We homeschoolers criticize the system enough. What is our solution? I’ve written before that it isn’t homeschooling. How can we help not only our children, but those still in the system?
Principled Discovery is a place to stop and discuss news and information related to faith, family and particularly education. Pour yourself a cup of tea and join the conversation! 
Interesting question, Dana. My first thoughts would be 1. End compulsory schooling for high school. 2. Get rid of all curriculum mandates from the federal gov’t. 3. Stop trying to solve social problems through school. For example, the nutrition education that doesn’t cause children to eat better, but does cause them to “have more positive attitudes toward fruits and vegetables.” Well, that’s helpful (and frankly, none of the gov’t business.)
I would get the government and other special interest groups out of school and let teachers teach.
Hmmm… that’s a hard, deep question!
I think the best answer is… drum roll… get rid of our “education system” and bring them HOME WHERE THEY BELONG! ; )
Jocelyn
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Basically, since time is short, I will add just a few of my solutions:
Make topics, classes and assignments relevant.
Cut down on homework–eliminate busy work type homework
More field trips
More recess time for elementary grades
Better nutrition
And in our District, get rid of the Gawd-awful starting time of 7:30 in the morning!!! Middle schoolers and High schoolers need sleep!
Also wanted to add that I also feel delaying the entry age to seven years old would be a great advantage to many children. Some of the more successful educational systems in other industrialized countries in fact have students begin school at 7 years of age rather than 4/5 or 5/6 like here in the US depending upon birth date.
All very good suggestions…and now off to try and solve the world’s problems in a single blog entry.
Positive attitude toward fruits and veggies? Spinach is your friend. Hug a squash. Spend time with a tomato.
How’s that for a campaign? Do you think The Ad Council will buy it from me?
Increase “relevancy” (through real-world projects, activities)
Increase integration across academic disciplines
Improve teacher preparation and professional development (build in time daily for teachers to learn and work collaboratively together)
Get the federal government OUT of the schools and return to local control
Reduce the student-teacher ratio to 20 or fewer students per class (this will require hiring more teachers — another big problem in itself)
Allow more outside-of-the-box thinking and increase innovation in curriculum, instruction, school structure, and school leadership/management
If I could change the public school system…It’s unrealistic to think that the gov’t will get out of the education business and also that most parents will choose to homeschool. So, with that in mind here are a few suggestions:
1.allow freedom of choice. In other words a kind of voucher system that crosses the line between public and private. I think liberty is almost always the best way to go. The challenge here is accountability for public bucks.
2. instead of one-size-fits-all curriculum in a one-size-fits-all classroom a personal learning plan for each student. The LP would be based on a child’s learning style, interests, strengths and weaknesses , etc. Every child is gifted! The challenge is to be able to measure and apply these things in each child.
3. advance children through school as they master the necessary skills not just because they get older.
4. teach kids how to use their strengths. We tend to try to strengthen weak areas but in life we thrive on our strength not our mediocrity.
5. politically, reduce the stranglehold of the teachers’ unions on education policy and political process. But how? I think parents have allowed that authority to be usurped.
I would let the Jesuits take control. Nobody has come up with a better system for producing a self-motivated and socially conscious academic culture than St. Ignatius. And I am NOT a religious person.