A New Blueprint for Schools

Why are schools failing? How could they possibly succeed? While the points I made in my last column might be valid, the world is not going to change any time soon. I believe we can change schools in ways that will help them to weather the crisis our civilization faces and, perhaps, make the future brighter.

There are specific reasons why our public schools are failing. Before I get to that subject, I wish to point out that it is not beneficial to look to private schools as examples of success. The students in private schools are not representative of the potential pool of students. If a student is failing, the school can easily expel the child. The public schools have to accept every child regardless of circumstance or potential. It can not be a fair comparison. I might also mention that vouchers will not solve the problem. They will not give children parents who will help them. They will not make up for neglect or abuse. They will not feed a hungry child. They will not give love to a child. The problems will simply follow the children wherever the vouchers lead them. I realize that there are some exceptions, but if we make changes in the public school system, there will be success.

I believe the primary reason schools fail is that they do not see children as individuals. Schools are designed for the convenience of everyone but the child. All students have to begin school (kindergarten) after achieving the age of five by some particular date. All children have to attend school during the same hours. All children are expected to master a subject by a specific time. Children are individuals. They do things their own way in their own time. Some are able to conform. Those who do not are labeled failures and punished accordingly.

Not all children are ready to start school at the age of five. Some are ready earlier and some later. Some children are able to begin school at an early hour. Others need to sleep later for optimum performance. Some children are organized enough to handle the demands of conventional educational programs. Others are not. Children learn different subjects at different paces. Schools should adjust to meet the needs of children.

Something else that bothers me is the system of evaluation. We grade children. I'm not so sure that is appropriate. If a child in a math class earns a "C," is this child really ready to advance to the next skill? If a child does not understand a subject adequately, that child should have the opportunity to master the skill. It is necessary for future success.

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