Help Shape the Movement: Submit and Discuss Your Ideas
Thousands of individuals have inspired change in schools and communities across the nation.
How have you helped End the Race in your community?
What ideas do you have that will help us revolutionize our schools and culture?
-
Parents opting out of standardized testing on massive scale
I recently wrote about the resolution against high stakes testing (http://ecosalon.com/plotting-the-timely-death-of-standardized-testing-in-our-public-schools/) and believe the opt out choice is the most radical way to get attention and to promote change. It is akin to the hunger strikes or back of bus protests of the civil rights era. It can't hurt us if it makes us stronger.
4 votes -
Where are the positive ideas?
I haven't seen the film yet, because I don't have $395 to spend on the kit, and most of the screenings in my area are "private". The tagline "the dark side of America's achievement culture" more than hints that I would be paying $395 to learn what I already know--all that's wrong with American education. How about a film showing what's right? Where is the film about successful school programs where deep learning and critical thinking with relevance to students' lives are being implemented? That is something I would pay good money for.
4 votes -
Let teachers do their jobs
Why are politicians setting the standards in our school system? They do not have degrees in education or know what is best for our children. Our teachers need to have the freedom to take control of their classrooms so they can teach the important concepts like how to think critically, problem solve and instil a love of learning. How can we get our voices heard and start change? How can we change our culture?
1 vote -
Do a follow-up film on organized athletics creating exactly the same problem.
Athletic expectations of time-commitment have gotten just as out-of-hand as academics, if not more so.
1 vote -
If we loose focus on education we will never be debt free from China...
American youth needs to be focused on education to compete in Global Job Market,. We complain about out sourcing but if all the jobs are froced back in to US do we even have the talent here to meet the demand? Every research and development happens in univerisities and most of these research is done by scholars from other nations like India, China, and Russia. If w every American parent dreams of their kids becmong a sports star and 95% od them fail... We will never get out of debt from China and forever be a nation od entitlment ,… more
1 vote -
Stop forcing high school kids to take courses they will never need or use in life like calculus or chemistry.
Why not let high school students opt for taking classes that match their interests? Instead we make them take boring and useless classes like chem, calculus and ancient literature so they can "get into college" but they will never use the information again. If a kid wants to be a web designer or sports announcer why force them to take classes that have no use whatsoever for their future?
16 votes -
Eliminate Standardized Testing and Allow Students to Developed "Life Skills":
I'm a father of five young children and four are currently attending public elementary school. Even at this age they all show signs of stress from having to perform to the mandated educational curriculum and high expectations set forth by their school, the school district and the state (Texas) legislature. My children (ages 5-11) spend 1.5 to 2 hours a night, every night, doing homework. Keep in mind this is "busy work" that is never even graded. The highest enfaces is placed on "training" them to pass the state mandated standardized tests. Why does our education system even require a… more
12 votes -
1 vote
-
28 votes
-
Do long term projects in school not at home
You would think long term assignments, such as science fair, would be great for learning how to budget time, design a presentation board, etc, until you realize that it's the parents doing most of the work. How can kids compete with that!
5 votes -
My highschool scares its students about colleges and their futures
My high-school practically brainwashed most of all of us about college using FEAR, Im scared to get a C or a B because I don't want to end up as a bum or a beggar, my school teaches that, without college we are ****** for life and theres no going back, at first i didn't give in to their hypes, then i saw that my friends and classmates were suddenly thinking on another level, scared out of their minds and some kids started crying after failing an exam or 5 minute quiz, WHAT THE F^$K IS WRONG WITH THIS EDUCATION… more
4 votes -
Colleges need to go off the Common App
The Common App has made it easier for students to apply to multiple colleges at one time and therefore overloading admissions departments with record numbers of applicants. This causes fewer acceptances and spirals into more competition between students and colleges. The Common App has contributed to the competition spiral. It would help if many universities go off the Common App as this would reduce the number of applicants great, helping to ease the college entrance nightmare.
2 votes -
We need to have a good quality teachers.
Teachers need to pass the qualification test for teaching every year and they need to learn how to develop students need.
3 votes -
See our new, independent, online education magazine, Encompass http://www.eduperspectivescv.org/ Insightful discourse on K-12 education
This year our nonprofit organization, Education Perspectives for the Central Valley, Inc. in Fresno, CA. launched a new, online education magazine, "Encompass: Insightful discourse on K-12 education issues for parents and advocates...in the hope of reaching a wider education community with research and information that matters most. Please see our "Measuring Success" feature and weigh in with your comments! http://www.eduperspectivescv.org/
1 vote -
1 vote
-
Encourage schools to survey students about their stress levels and mental health
Schools may be more likely to make changes if they find strong evidence of high levels of stress, high rates of symptoms of depression and / or anxiety, low amounts of sleep, and loss of joy of learning. Surveys can be anonymous and can be inexpensive and easy to produce.
32 votes -
Year round schooling. Have shorter breaks more often.
Have 1 week break after 45 days of instruction. This provides kids with more opportunities to recharge, less brain drain & less time spent reviewing material.
15 votes -
4 votes
-
9 votes
-
It's the Wars ...
THe U.S: is engaging in; the war on terror, the war on drugs, the war on crime, the war on the poor, the war on abortion.... The U.S. must decide to invest on solving problems not throwing money to "prevent" _______ ( fill in the blank here)
War only distroys, the U.S: became great when it was building things it is time to adpot policies to promote the good in people, not instill fear and wring our hands about nothing can be done. Contries that have good economies, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, also have high levels of education. they spend… more1 vote

Welcome to our new Discussion Forum! In 2012 we updated our forum to provide for increased interaction. If you are looking for the old forum,