Fixing the Public Schools k-12

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(11-29-2016, 12:53 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Let's try a different approach to things now instead of arguing over the Politics. We have some good minds in here with different ideas, let's see if we can come up with ways to improve public education for kids.


We all know there needs to be some major overhaul done to help public inner city schools.

1. I propose that all teachers that teach a required class (English, Math, Science and History) be paid at the same level, where teachers that teach electives get slightly less, and of course the base salary is based off of tenure.

2. Inner city teachers would get a pay boost vs those teaching in the sub-burbs.

3. Curriculum needs to be the same for all grade levels at all schools across the US.
I find it silly that if someone moves from 1 area to another area their kid could be behind/ahead of the other students by a significant margin. They should all be roughly taught at the same speed with the same books etc.

4. I'm not a huge fan of the voucher system that allows parents to move their kids from public to private, but I understand the private schools can be better run and get better results (grade wise) for their kids.

in your opinions, what other big/little things can be done to help start improving the public schools?

Good thread!

I numbered your points to make it easier to respond. On point one, there are some pretty big assumption baked in here. Music, shop, computer programming - these are all electives. Paying the teachers of those subjects less suggest that producing musicians, auto mechanics, and computer programmers is not important. It also suggest those who teach those skills are "worth less" than those who teach the basics. The market suggests the opposite. I think rather than paying specialists/those who teach electives less or more it probably makes more sense to have the same pay scale across the board, although there are arguments to be made both ways for why some teachers should make more.

On point two, most school systems already pay more for teaching in urban schools - and they still struggle to find and retain teachers. I have said for years it is a joke that schools have cops inside schools. I think they should be outside the schools, keeping those who have no business inside on the outside. And, the policy should be if the police have to be called in for your conduct, then you can kiss your educational opportunity in public schools goodbye. I also say public education should not be compulsory. It should be voluntary. Want to be ignorant? Good night and god bless. Want to learn it all on the streets? Some who did that went on to build empires. God speed. But want to come into a public school as a volunteer who seeks the privilege of learning? OK, here is the code of conduct - violate it and accept the consequences up to and including suspension or expulsion. Suddenly classroom management would not be the challenge it is now, when you have hordes of students who don't want to learn creating an environment where it is difficult to learn.

On point three, there is another big assumption baked in here: schools are learning factories, and all of them should turn out the same product at the same speed. If that is what you want, no problem. Have it your way. But I challenge the assumption. If a kid is reading on an 8th grade level in the 1st grade, why is he in a first grade reading class reading whatever the modern equivalent of "See Spot Run" is? You are not serving that child, or his peers, or his community by doing this. The biggest problem in education is the factory/assembly line model. The paradigm needs to change so individual strengths and weaknesses are acknowledged, and there are some out there advocating for this.

On point four, here is the thing about why private schools get better results: they don't have to take all comers. The public schools do. If the private schools had to serve the public school population, suddenly their results would not be so much better.

My opinions on this subject, btw, were dramatically shaped by a Northern Kentucky school administrator with over 40 years of education experience who now teaches teachers.