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Making better use the huge amount of time we stick kids in school would probably require a whole lot more money (mostly for more and better teachers) and, to br

Making better use the huge amount of time we stick kids in school would probably require a whole lot more money (mostly for more and better teachers) and, to bring the costs anywhere near the realm of feasibility and achieve maximum benefit, "tracking" (grouping by ability) for at least much of the day, if not all of it. I don't think either of those are likely to happen.

frockington1 7y ago
The problem with tracking is that parents of slow kids don't like to admit there kid is slow, they would rather point the blame at the teacher/school
hereme888 7y ago
I'm not sure how it would cost a lot more. I would think it would cost way less, unless you're referring to "tracking" them in everything they do. I believe older children and teenagers have the ability to choose material that comfortably challenges their own ability better than any software or person. Students aren't lazy by default. They're just lazy and unmotivated when forced to focus on what their brains consider boring. As for more/better teachers: the best education is already available for free online (such as Khan academy). I'm all for face-to-face interaction, but that could happen almost for free with older student mentors, and ocassionaly with paid professors. Also, if maximum benefits mean "highest scores" or "highest efficiency of time", I'd rather youngesters learn to rest and have more down-time. I'm not suggesting "I have solved the education problem". Just thinking outside the tiny box our system has been stuck in for decades too long.
- shantly 7y ago
  Higher cost mostly because you need better teachers, and probably more of them (20+ kids per teacher makes it hard to give all of them what they need). Tracking would help contain the costs because it's easier to teach 20 kids roughly on the same "level" in a topic than 20 kids some of whom are operating about three grade levels behind, and others three grade levels ahead.
  - Kaiyou 7y ago
    You need zero teachers if kids are motivated and have access to the Internet. All teachers have done in my schoollife could easily be replaced by playing back a video.
nyxtom 7y ago
Less emphasis on testing, more emphasis on functioning through life, conflict management, more democratic driven schools where students can participate in the process of formulating goals.

frockington1 7y ago

The problem with tracking is that parents of slow kids don't like to admit there kid is slow, they would rather point the blame at the teacher/school

hereme888 7y ago

I'm not sure how it would cost a lot more. I would think it would cost way less, unless you're referring to "tracking" them in everything they do. I believe older children and teenagers have the ability to choose material that comfortably challenges their own ability better than any software or person. Students aren't lazy by default. They're just lazy and unmotivated when forced to focus on what their brains consider boring. As for more/better teachers: the best education is already available for free online (such as Khan academy). I'm all for face-to-face interaction, but that could happen almost for free with older student mentors, and ocassionaly with paid professors. Also, if maximum benefits mean "highest scores" or "highest efficiency of time", I'd rather youngesters learn to rest and have more down-time. I'm not suggesting "I have solved the education problem". Just thinking outside the tiny box our system has been stuck in for decades too long.

shantly 7y ago
Higher cost mostly because you need better teachers, and probably more of them (20+ kids per teacher makes it hard to give all of them what they need). Tracking would help contain the costs because it's easier to teach 20 kids roughly on the same "level" in a topic than 20 kids some of whom are operating about three grade levels behind, and others three grade levels ahead.
- Kaiyou 7y ago
  You need zero teachers if kids are motivated and have access to the Internet. All teachers have done in my schoollife could easily be replaced by playing back a video.

nyxtom 7y ago

Less emphasis on testing, more emphasis on functioning through life, conflict management, more democratic driven schools where students can participate in the process of formulating goals.