Jonesy

How, aside from better funding, could the system be improved? Because every extra bit of nonsense degrades the brain-garden, wouldn't k-12 work better using the following as the main six subjects: science, philosophy, math, english, history and civics? I'm sure there would be opportunities here or there to switch one of them out for something else of use (like geography).

W.M.DEEEZ

Regardless of the curriculum, overall education needs a support system in the home.

Kids hate to do most of the things that really ought to be done. Studying,and homework included.

Left to themselves, these things will go undone, or underdone.

I would say lax attitudes by parents who aren't all that educated themselves, have led us to the point where our youth are virtually illiterate.


Say nothing of the inability to do 3rd grade math in their heads, because the cash register tells them how much change to give back.

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Dawnling

I come back to my constant song:

"birth control, birth control lovely lovley birth control "


...and
"education funding, education funding lovely lovely education funding"


Music is all math so put music in there too.

... MUST have food and body knowledge
AND recess.

Younger children learn languages much more easily so take that out of the upper grades and put it in the lower

Jonesy

There is a brain doctor, a Japanese man, who uses technology capable of visually observing brain-gardens. With his help, and the existing range of knowledge (specifically in terms of societal necessity), we should be able to develop the optimal curriculum.

Dawnling

how so?

What would a school day look like?

Jonesy

Oddly enough, the education system might work substantially better by keeping things to a minimum. Like each semester, pretty much teach the exact same things over and over again. It's like watering a few critical plants vs. planting hordes of new, useless plants.

Alwayzpeaceful

The teachers also need to be able to keep their certifications up. With the use of technology teachers need to be trained on that also. Have parents involved would be nice to. Unfortunately, with both parents working if they have both around the way kids are taught today is nothing like we were taught. Our kids live in a fast paced world and their attention span is short. They can be on the internet, text or talk on the cell phone and do a multiple of other things at once. Not saying it is a bad or good thing that is just the way the world is.

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Jonesy

Education should be fairly simple... only teach the things you know will be used. The more used the things will be, the more time should be spent teaching them. If there is something unlikely to have much use (like geography, apparently), but is helpful to know, you have to teach the people to deliberately get use out of these things.

A few certain subjects, which should pertain to everyone: brain science, civics, food/cooking stuff, buying/selling, language, math, other types of science, some types of philosophy, social interaction, reference work (like, looking something up on the internet), navigation/travel.

K-12 should deal with subjects pertaining to everyone, while college is used for subjects only some will handle.

Jonesy

It should also be noted, the environments themselves should not necessarily be rich or poor. From what I can currently determine, it is best to have a variety - to have rich, poor and in-between. Eyesight and sound are like sunlight and wind. You want the brain exposed to many different conditions, so it will be able to evolve its plant-life in an adaptable way (something less afraid of and affected by external change, or difference).

The sights and sounds shouldn't necessarily be too drastic... there's probably an optimal range.

jdanton

I have a friend who's son was in school, 9th grade, I think, and I looked at his math homeworkd. A whole bunch of terms I never heard of. Neither had his parents.

If the teachers need to be trained in the new science, and the new math, then must not the parents?

My vision is a time in school for doing "homework". If we can find school personnel for soccer, football, baseball, etc. why not for a voluntary after school study place? This way, if they do need help, it will be available from someone who knows the subjects.

I think the first step of a good school system is trying to get kids to enjoyr, or at least not hate, school. I recall many studies that showed consistantly that too much homework was counterproductive.

I had several supervisors at work who knew how to multiply, divide, etc., but never seemed to know when to do which, and would ask me.

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