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Do Our Schools Need a Complete Overhaul?

By Colleen Palat | January 16, 2008

As teachers in the public school system, we’re required to take classes, attends conferences, etc. in order to maintain our teaching credentials. Some time ago, I took a variety of courses through the University of Phoenix in order to fulfill the requirements to keep my credential current. I have to say that these courses were some of the most eye-opening and thought-provoking classes I had taken in quite a long time. One class, in particular, has had my mind wondering all these years with the questions the professor posed to us teachers.

I can’t remember the name of the professor or even the title of the class, but it’s content has stayed with me all these years. Our professor, very active in education, had presented to us this idea: the structure of the education system requires a complete overhaul. He explained to us that the current education system has not really changed since the early 1900’s. He suggested the system is antiquated and, at the time of this class, was working closely with California legislators to try and help them improve our education system. Unfortunately, he reported, our lawmakers were too focused on keeping things the way the were and throwing their focus on the things that didn’t really speak to the problem.

Our government officials have added rules, standardized tests and other beaurocratic systems with the hopes of improving our education system…but has it really improved the situation?

Think about this for a minute. We live in the most amazing, most innovative, most opportunistic country in the world. Why, then, does our education system fall short to many other countries? Could it be that it’s because we’re not adapting to current times and gearing the structure of the education system to this new generation of children? Let’s face it…life is a heck of a lot different than it was in the early 1900’s. Shouldn’t the system change in order to serve this and future generations?

Working in the public school system, I’ve seen some fantastic things. I have also seen things that I seriously question. Through it all, I’ve always asked myself in the back of my mind, “What would happen if we scratched this whole thing? What would happen if we structured things differently?”

What would I do? I don’t really know. How I would love to run into my professor again and pick his brain further! So, I pose this question to you…the teachers, tutors, parents, aides, and students. Do you think the education system needs a complete overhaul? And if so, what do you think needs to happen? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

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