- Time=learning. So, more time=more learning.
- Good schools have good teachers. So, better teachers=better schools.
- Testing discourages social promotion
- Tracking solves most classroom learning problems
- Lack of tracking solves most classroom learning problems
- Individual teachers create educational revolution (think Dangerous Minds and Stand and Deliver)
- Students do not care about education
What schools actually need
- Student-teachers as paid interns for at least two years. Every teacher should have at least one. Gives student-teachers a chance to learn the profession, make some money, not feel rushed. Gives students more adult presence in the room, more individual attention. Gives head teachers a little more breathing room, work burden less stressful.
- More flexibility in curriculum, with teachers justifying choices to the community not the state. Even “canonical” works need justification.
- More student choices in constructing their own education: a distribution requirement or self-designed proposal of study.
- More integrative approach: a less condemning attitude towards non-academics as supplements to classroom activity.
- Panels on important issues such as racism, homophobia, student voice, etc.
- Teachers’ reimbursed by departments for book purchases (make this one of the priorities in funding).
- Allocation of funds by community size, not community wealth.
- Smaller schools, more freedom for students.
- More teachers, smaller class sizes.
- Smaller class sizes.
- More funding.