Restructuring education / school is killing our kids

[Anonymous]

This thread is really embarrassing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Require less credits to graduate, thereby reducing the number of weekly classes, which could shorten class periods, which could shorten the school day/week.

Leaving more time for what exactly?

Activities kids actually enjoy. Clubs, theatre, musical instruments, debate, reading for pleasure, sewing, cooking, fishing, boating, skate boarding, socializing, part time job, taking care of family, volunteering, yoga, gaming, gardening, exploring, - the opportunities are endless.

Why can’t they do both? School is dumbed down enough.

+1 If my teens suddenly found themselves with two extra hours a day during which it was presumed they might take up gardening, I’d be so pissed.

[Anonymous]

I don’t get it. School has worked fine since modern education was formulated. School systems seem to work fine abroad as well.

Something is going on with American schools, and American kids. My observations—

No rules
Low behavior expectations
No sense of order
Yet overly punitive at times
Kids of varying skills & abilities thrown into one class together
Some kids enter school poorly prepared
Some kids come from unstable and high stress homes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Require less credits to graduate, thereby reducing the number of weekly classes, which could shorten class periods, which could shorten the school day/week.

Leaving more time for what exactly?

Activities kids actually enjoy. Clubs, theatre, musical instruments, debate, reading for pleasure, sewing, cooking, fishing, boating, skate boarding, socializing, part time job, taking care of family, volunteering, yoga, gaming, gardening, exploring, - the opportunities are endless.

You mean kids should do their hobbies during school hours? 🧐 I think electives are fine, but are you saying they should replace core academic classes??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Derepression, anxiety, suicidal ideation are at critical levels among youth in the US. Our education system is in part to blame and in part the root of the problem for many kids today. I work with youth and am hear everyday how kids feel hopeless, pressures, ostracized, tired, exhausted, overwhelmed, unhappy, unsatisfied, unmotivated, BORED, incapable, less than, disrespected, judged, under appreciated, unseen, unheard, misunderstood, and desperate in the school environment.

Why are we sending our kids into this broken system day after day after day after day knowing the impact it is having on their mental health? Why aren’t we changing education at its core rather than adding pseudo counseling supports at schools and mental health trainings?

The root cause of the problems is parents. Parents are the ones who want ultra competitive schools. When my kids were young, people would stay up all night to get a spot in the right pre-school. At my kid's elementary, the parents drove the principal and teachers nuts about wanting more advanced classes. Parents have ruined sports. If we step back and look at things, parents have screwed this world up terribly.

I completely agree. Thing is even if you try to be the sane/non competitive parent in this area, it’s hard. Kids are so competitive with each other. They know what AAP means by second grade. Then they compare to see who got into what math. It never ends.

[Anonymous]

Finnish students spend 50% less time in school than American students and receive 15 minutes of recess every hour, according to a bunch of reposted IG slides I’ve seen on my feed. Anyone know if this is accurate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to school in Former Soviet union with a class size of 38 and one single teacher. No behavior issues whatsoever, but we did have a recess after 40 min of each class, 10 min for running around and playing physical games. I really believe that physical activity is the key for attention span for everyone, not just kids.

I also went to school in FSU. I think the main reason we did not have any significant behavior issues is that the system was ruthless about any behavioral deviations. One thrown chair would get you on notice, a second incidence meant a "special" school or home schooling, no ifs or bus about it. Not every kid could successfully attend a school with 37 other kids, and that was very explicit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to school in Former Soviet union with a class size of 38 and one single teacher. No behavior issues whatsoever, but we did have a recess after 40 min of each class, 10 min for running around and playing physical games. I really believe that physical activity is the key for attention span for everyone, not just kids.

I also went to school in FSU. I think the main reason we did not have any significant behavior issues is that the system was ruthless about any behavioral deviations. One thrown chair would get you on notice, a second incidence meant a "special" school or home schooling, no ifs or bus about it. Not every kid could successfully attend a school with 37 other kids, and that was very explicit.

Why doesn't this happen everywhere?

[Anonymous]

Lol, funny, there are a couple of things called “mainstreaming,” NCLB…oh, and I forgot “equity”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol, funny, there are a couple of things called “mainstreaming,” NCLB…oh, and I forgot “equity”

Meh, everyone agrees there are lines to be drawn as to who can/can't be served in a common classroom, it's just a question of where you think it's appropriate to draw those lines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol, funny, there are a couple of things called “mainstreaming,” NCLB…oh, and I forgot “equity”

You must not be a teacher.

[Anonymous]

This thread is really embarrassing.

+1 - also agree parents are a big problem. But the biggest is screen time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to school in Former Soviet union with a class size of 38 and one single teacher. No behavior issues whatsoever, but we did have a recess after 40 min of each class, 10 min for running around and playing physical games. I really believe that physical activity is the key for attention span for everyone, not just kids.

I also went to school in FSU. I think the main reason we did not have any significant behavior issues is that the system was ruthless about any behavioral deviations. One thrown chair would get you on notice, a second incidence meant a "special" school or home schooling, no ifs or bus about it. Not every kid could successfully attend a school with 37 other kids, and that was very explicit.

Why doesn't this happen everywhere?

I think because in America high school is taken for granted. On top of that you could also get a decent blue collar job with just a high school diploma, at least in the past. Education wasn't really that important and many people still kind of treat it as such.

In many parts of Asia high school was and still isn't compulsory. You can fail to test into high school, and if you cannot get into high school your future prospects are extremely dim. Being good at school makes and breaks your life. Kids know that at an early age, and the families there treat it as such.

I'm not as familiar with Europe, but at least in Germany you make major life decisions around middle school that affect your future. That makes you take school more seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My public school-educated kids are doing well mentally. In my observations, their friends and peers who are having the hardest time with mental health are responding to problems at home or in the world in general, or are spending way too much time on the internet. I see the schools paying a lot of attention to mental health and doing the best they can to help some of these kids deal with stressors they encounter outside of school, but I’m not exactly sure what else you’d have them do, OP.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't disagree, OP, but what do you see as a positive change that schools can/should make? Propose your solution.

Return to a classical education where kids are taught hard science, math, world history, American government, languages, literature etc rather than a constant stream of woke curriculum focused on how horrible they are and how hopeless the world is. They are drowning in a cult of nilihism which would depress anyone